Windows 11 black screen after boot - troubleshooting guide

nerdslife_team · February 22, 2025, 2:14pm

Hey everyone, having trouble with a black screen after booting into Windows 11? It’s a common issue that can be caused by a bunch of different things. Here are some ways to troubleshoot it and get your system back up and running.

Check Your Device’s Power Supply

First, rule out the simple stuff. It’s possible the black screen is simply caused due to power issues. Ensure all power cables are connected properly.

Make sure the power cable of your PC is properly plugged into a working outlet.
Check for loose connections or damaged cables which might be the reason behind the power not reaching the monitor or system components.
If you’re using an external display, ensure it’s turned on and correctly connected to your PC. Try using a different cable or port if available.

Sometimes dust can also block the connection, so clean the ports and connectors with compressed air.

Reset Windows Explorer

Sometimes, the black screen isn’t a full system crash, but rather an issue with Windows Explorer. If you can see your mouse cursor, this might be the problem. Restarting Windows Explorer is an easy fix to try.

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch Task Manager.
In Task Manager, go to the “Processes” tab and find “Windows Explorer.” You can also use the search bar at the top if it is difficult to find.

Right-click “Windows Explorer” and select “Restart.” Your screen might flicker briefly as it restarts.

This should refresh File Explorer and hopefully get rid of the black screen.

Update or Roll Back Drivers in Safe Mode

A faulty graphics driver is often the culprit behind a black screen. Booting into Safe Mode lets you update or roll back these drivers without interference from other software.

While in Safe Mode, press Win + X and choose “Device Manager” from the menu that appears.
In Device Manager, expand the “Display adapters” section. Right-click on your graphics driver and select “Properties”.

In the properties window, navigate to the “Driver” tab. You’ll see options to “Update Driver” or “Roll Back Driver” (if available).

After updating or rolling back the driver, restart your PC as usual to check if the problem is fixed.

Boot into Safe Mode

Safe Mode loads Windows with only the essential files and drivers. This is useful to troubleshoot issues caused by faulty drivers or software.

With your PC powered on, press and hold the Shift key and click on the “Restart” option from the Start menu or login screen.
Your PC will reboot and show the “Advanced Options” screen. Choose “Startup Settings” from the list.

On the “Startup Settings” page, click on “Restart” to reboot your PC again.

After restarting, a list of options will appear. Press 4 on your keyboard to enter Safe Mode.

Once you’re in Safe Mode, you can try updating or rolling back drivers, uninstalling recently installed software, or running system scans.

Run Startup Repair

If the black screen continues to bother you, use the Windows built-in Startup Repair tool to fix issues preventing your system from booting correctly.

Turn off your PC completely. Press the power button to turn it on, and immediately press the F11 key repeatedly (or the key specific to your system) to enter the Windows Recovery Environment.

Note: The key to enter the recovery mode varies by manufacturer. It could be F11, F12, Esc, or another key.

On the ‘Choose an option’ screen, select ‘Troubleshoot’.

Click on ‘Advanced options’, then select ‘Startup Repair’.

Follow the on-screen instructions. Windows will diagnose and fix issues preventing your system from booting properly.

After the process completes, restart your PC to see if the black screen has been resolved.

Uninstall Windows Updates

Sometimes, a recent Windows Update can mess things up. Uninstalling the latest updates might solve the black screen problem.

Access the Advanced Options in the Windows Recovery Environment.
Select “Uninstall Updates” from the options.

Choose “Uninstall latest quality update” to remove recent patches that might be the cause of the issue.

Confirm the uninstallation and let the process finish. Restart your PC afterward.

If uninstalling the quality updates doesn’t help, repeat the steps to uninstall the latest feature update.

Perform a System Restore

System Restore reverts your system to a previous state, potentially fixing issues caused by recent changes.

In the Advanced Options menu, select “System Restore”.

Click “Next” in the System Restore dialog.

Select a restore point created before the black screen issue appeared. You can click “Scan for affected programs” to see which apps will be impacted.

Click “Finish” to begin the restoration process. Your PC will restart and restore the system to the selected point.

After the restoration, check to see if the black screen issue has been fixed.

Restart your PC

Sometimes the simplest solution is the most effective. A simple restart may fix the black screen issue.

Press and hold the power button on your computer for about 10 to 15 seconds until it completely shuts down. This ensures that all components are turned off properly.
Wait for at least 30 seconds to allow your system to reset.
Press the power button again to turn on your PC. Check if the black screen issue persists or if you can log into your account.

If you’re unable to restart your PC using the power button, you can try using the shortcut Ctrl + Alt + Delete. This should bring up a screen with several options, including a power button at the bottom right. Click on it and select ‘Shut down’ to turn off your computer.

Disconnect External Devices

External peripherals can sometimes conflict with your system and cause a black screen.

Power off your PC completely.
Unplug all external devices like printers, cameras, USB drives, and extra monitors.
Turn on your PC and see if it boots up normally.
If it does, reconnect each device one by one, restarting the PC each time, to find the device that’s causing the issue.

Reset the UEFI/BIOS and Check the Boot Order

Incorrect BIOS settings or boot order can stop your system from loading properly. Resetting the BIOS to its default settings may resolve the problem.

Restart your PC and immediately press the F2 or Delete key repeatedly to enter the BIOS setup. The key may differ based on your motherboard manufacturer.
In the BIOS, find an option such as “Load Setup Defaults,” “Load Default Settings,” or “Restore Defaults.” Use the arrow keys to navigate and press Enter to select it.

Go to the “Boot” tab to check the boot order. Make sure the hard drive with Windows 11 installed is set as the primary boot device.

Save the changes and exit the BIOS. Your PC will restart with the default settings.

Check if the black screen issue has been resolved during boot after resetting the BIOS.

Hope this helps! If none of these steps work, it could be a sign of a hardware problem. It might be time to call in a professional.