No display or black screen on a LAPTOP computer

Computer is not booting

  • Although you may not be able to see anything on the screen, listen to the laptop and determine if there are any fan or hard drive sounds.
  • Look to see if there are any small lights on every side of the computer.
  • Check that the power cable is properly connected on both ends.

Operating system issues

  • If the computer boots up and displays a login screen for the operating system, but the screen goes black or blank after you log in, there may be an issue with the operating system. A system file may have become corrupted, preventing the operating system from loading and resulting in the black or blank screen.
  • Try restarting the computer, to see if it is a temporary issue and resolves itself with a reboot. If the problem persists, give us a call.


Brightness is set low

  • If the picture is partially visible, the laptop's brightness may be set low or is being turned down by a power setting. Make sure your laptop is not in a power-saving mode by plugging the laptop into the wall. Next, try increasing the brightness on your laptop to verify that it is not the cause of your issue.

Try an external display

  • Verify there is not an issue with the laptop graphics card by connecting a monitor or other display to the laptop. If the external display works fine, it is an issue with your laptop display.