Black Screen of Death: What is it and How to Fix It?

Many of you might have heard of the Blue Screen of Death or BSOD which is a critical Windows error that can occur due to various reasons such as failed or corrupted update or more. Clearly, it is one of the worst situations any Windows user can experience. However, there is one situation that is even more disastrous than Blue Screen of Death – the Black Screen of Death.

Have you ever turned on your computer only to be greeted by a black screen? If so, then you have experienced the dreaded Black Screen of Death. This issue can be caused by a variety of factors, from hardware problems to software issues. If you encounter the Blue Screen of Death, you at least get the error code to know the cause and work on it. However, with Black Screen, you get only a blank black screen and nothing, as if your monitor is powered off.

The Windows Black Screen of Death is an error screen displayed on the monitor of your computer. This error screen indicates that your computer has experienced a critical system failure and will be shut down to prevent damage to your device.

In this blog post, we will discuss different ways to fix the Black Screen of Death.

What are the causes of Black Screen of Death?

The Black Screen of Death is the worst nightmare of any PC user. The rather simple issue can have a big impact on your productivity and performance as a whole. What causes this problem?

It has been found that a black screen can be caused due to multiple reasons. Here are the most common ones:

Loose Connections

The most common cause of Black Screen of Death is a loose connection. It can be either in the CPU, Power supply unit, or Motherboard. This error usually occurs when you turn on your device and nothing appears on your monitor screen. The cables might be shifted away from their slots. The insufficient power supply due to loose connections might have caused the Black Screen.

Device Overheating

Overheating can also be the cause of this error. You might have placed your computer in a room which is too warm for its operation or you could have kept your PC under direct sunlight.

Outdated Display Driver

Another possible reason for the Black Screen of Death is an outdated display driver. To check if your PC is running with the most updated driver, simply visit Windows Update and reinstall the latest updates and drivers available on Windows Update.

Software Issues

If you’ve recently installed any new software on your device or updated some existing software then it might be the source of the BSOD.

Hardware Issues

A broken hardware part can also be the reason behind your computer getting stuck on a black screen when booting up. It could be due to a faulty hard disk, power supply unit, or any other component.

Buggy Windows or Driver Update

It is also possible that the latest Windows update or a faulty driver update has caused this issue. If you’ve recently updated your windows then try to uninstall it or do a fresh install of the OS on your device.

Boot Error

A Boot error can also cause your device to get stuck on a blank screen when it is booting up. In such cases, you will need to press F8 or another key at the time of system startup in order to access Safe Mode and subsequently find the reason which is causing the issue.

Malware Attack

A malware attack can also cause your system to crash and consequently, end up on the black screen. Dangerous malware such as ransomware, spyware, and adware can affect the operation of your system.

How to fix Black Screen of Death?

Fixing a black screen error is something that can be done in many ways. However, it all depends on the reason for the issue occurring, which is pretty challenging to know.

Here are the different ways you can try to fix the Black Screen of Death:

Check your System Connection

Before trying anything else, the first step you need to take is to ensure that your system is connected properly. Turn off your PC and check all of your connection cables. Make sure they aren’t loose before turning on your computer again. Also, ensure that the cables are rightly fit on their own dedicated slots.

Restart the System

The first method you can use to attempt fixing the black screen error is simply restarting your computer. This will close any programs that you have open, and give your operating system a fresh start. Although it sounds like a simple solution, this can often times fix the issue and allow your computer to return to normal operation.

Boot the Computer in Safe Mode

If restarting your computer is not effective, you can try booting the computer in safe mode. This is a special startup that allows your computer to start up with minimal functionality.

When your computer boots into Safe Mode, it will only use a minimal set of drivers and programs (most of them are built into the Windows operating system itself). Therefore, if there is a problem with a program or driver that is causing the black screen, this method may allow you to identify it.

To enter Safe Mode on Windows 10 and Windows 11, follow these steps:

1. Open the Run Command box and enter MSConfig and hit the enter key.
2. Switch to Boot tab. Under it, tick the Safe boot checkbox, click Apply, and OK.

Restart Windows Explorer Process

Sometimes the Black Screen can be simply because of the glitch in the Task Manager. To fix that, just restart the Windows Explorer process.

Here are the steps for that:

1. Right-click on the start button and choose Task Manager from the list.
2. Search for the Windows Explorer
3. Right-click on it and select Restart.

Update Graphics or Video Drivers

The first fix is to update the graphic drivers of your system. It is possible that the outdated drivers are limiting the graphic card to work correctly.

Follow these steps to update the display drivers.

1. Right-click on the Windows icon and select the Device Manager.
2. Expand Display adapters, right-click on the graphic card driver, and choose Update.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to update it.

Always ensure that not only the graphic card drivers but all other drivers should also be updated regularly. If you find it tedious to check for and update the drivers manually, you can get the third-party advanced driver updater software.

Uninstall Recent Applications

If none of the above options are effective, you may also need to uninstall recent applications that were installed on your computer. If there is a problem with one of these programs, it will typically show up in the form of the Black Screen of Death. Although this method can be somewhat challenging, it can often reveal important information about what

To uninstall such applications on Windows 11, here is what you need to do:

1. Click on the Start button and select Settings from the Windows 11 Start Menu.
2. From the left pane, click on Apps, and then select Apps & Features from the right pane.
3. You will see the list of all the installed apps. Click on the three vertical dots next to the app you want to remove and select Uninstall from the menu.
4. On the next prompt, click on Uninstall. The application will be uninstalled.

Uninstall Recently Installed Update Packages

One of the common reasons for the Black Screen Of Death is the faulty installation of the latest Windows updates. You can remove these incorrect updates that might fix the issue. The steps in this method would restart the device. Make sure that you have saved your unsaved work.

Open Command Prompt using Advanced Startup

1. Open the Windows Settings app and navigate to Update and Security -> Recovery.
2. Under Advanced startup, click on Restart now button.
3. Wait for a few moments a blue screen would appear. Don’t worry; it is not a BSOD. Now go to Troubleshoot -> Advanced Options.
4. Choose Command Prompt. The system would restart, and Command Prompt would be open.

Follow these instruction on the Command Prompt:

1. On the command line screen, type dir c: and hit the enter key. (Note: if the Windows is installed on any other partition, replace the letter c with that partition letter)
2. Now run the Dism /Image:c:\ /Get-Packages command that would display all the packages installed on your system.
3. Using the date field, identify the recently installed updates and carefully take note of their complete names.
4. To remove the package type dism.exe /image:c:\ /remove-package /[package name] command, where you have to replace the [package name] with the package name you have noted in the previous step.
5. Restart the device and check if the problem persists. If yes, follow the above steps to remove other packages and keep repeating this until the culprit updates package is found.

Scan for Malware

A malware attack could also be the reason for the system failure and, thereby, black screen. It might have entered into your system, corrupted many files, and disabled many functions. 

If your system is not equipped with antimalware, it is recommended to get a robust security solution like MalwareFox and perform a full system scan.

Restore System

If the black screen still appears, you can attempt a system restore. This will revert your computer back to a point when it last worked properly.

The restore points are automatically created by the OS whenever a new update or application is installed. Restoring Windows to the previous point would not affect your personal files and data. For resetting Windows, follow these steps:

1. Search for “rstrui” in the windows search bar and click on its icon to open it.
2. Click on Next to continue. 
3. Choose the restore point where your system was working properly and click next.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to restore the system to your desired point.

Use the Windows Startup Repair

Windows 10/11 comes with a Startup Repair option that helps to fix the startup problems. If your startup is stuck on the black screen, you need to access the Startup Repair using the Windows Bootable media. Here are the steps for that:

1. Create a Windows 10/11 bootable device using the Media Creation Tool. It can be a USB or DVD.
2. Insert the bootable device on the system and restart it. 
3. Press any key when you are prompted to boot
4. You will see the Windows Install window. Select Language, Time, Currency, input method, and click Next.
5. Choose the operating system that you want to repair. It will lead you to Troubleshoot.
6. Navigate to the following path: Troubleshoot -> Advanced options 
7. Click on Startup Repair. It will start diagnosing your system, and if any problem is detected, it will attempt to fix it.

Reset PC

In some cases, it is necessary to reset your operating system.

This generally occurs when the system refuses to start and gets stuck on the Black Screen of Death. It means that there is a more serious issue with Windows that cannot be resolved by any other means. In this case, you will need to either completely uninstall your OS and then install a fresh copy of the software or you can also try resetting it.

To reset a PC without OS being loaded, follow these steps:

1. Switch On your device, and during boot, press F11 to launch Windows Recovery Environment.
2. From the given options, choose Troubleshoot.
3. Next, select Reset this PC. You will start getting the same options mentioned in the previous method.
4. Choose the preferred resetting method.
5. Next, select how you want to re-install Windows 11. Either Locally or using Cloud.
6. In the next window, you need to choose if you would like to remove just your files only from the Windows installer drive, or you need to clean the drive entirely. Chose any option as per your choice.
7. Windows will take some time to get things ready.
8. Finally, click on the Reset button to begin the resetting process

What if the problem persists?

If none of the above-listed methods work for fixing the black screen, then the only option is to fresh install Windows externally. For that, you require installation media in the form of a USB or a DVD. You can easily create a bootable device for installing Windows 11 using Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool for Windows 11. However, if your computer is not in working condition, you will need another system for creating the installation media.

Another option is to bring the machine to a service center or a professional for further assistance.

Peter Brown

Peter is an Electrical Engineer whose primary interest is tinkering with his computer. He is passionate about Windows 10 Platform and enjoys writing tips and tutorials about it.