4 Ways to Fix Windows 11 Black Screen Issue

Quick Tips

• In most cases, restarting your PC or booting into Safe Mode should help solve the problem.
• Update your PC’s graphics driver and install pending updates to see if that resolves the issue.
• If the black screen problem started recently, consider performing a system restore.

Try Basic Fixes

• Check connections: If you are using a Windows 11 desktop, check the wired connections between your CPU and the monitor. Unplug the HDMI cable and wait for a few minutes before reconnecting. While at it, check out the monitor’s connection to the power outlet.
• Unplug peripheral devices: Interference from external devices connected to your system can cause such problems. To check for this possibility, disconnect all peripherals from your computer.
• Restart your PC: If your Windows 11 PC encounters any issues at startup, it may display a black screen immediately after login. If it’s just a one-off glitch, restarting your computer should solve your problem. Press and hold the power button until your PC turns off. Wait for some time, and press the power button again to turn on your computer.
• Install Windows updates: Such black screen issues can also occur due to a buggy Windows build. If that’s the case, installing pending updates should help.

Fix 1: Change Projection Settings

Selecting the incorrect projection settings on Windows can also cause the black screen problem. To fix it, press the Windows key + P to launch the projection settings and use the arrow keys to scroll through the available options. Since your screen is black, it may take a few attempts to get this right.

Fix 2: Update the Graphics Driver

If you only face this issue intermittently, consider updating the graphics driver to avoid such issues in the future. To do so, use these steps:

Step 1: Press the Windows key + S to open the search menu, type device manager, and press Enter.

Step 2: In the Device Manager window, expand Display adapters. Right-click on your driver and select Update driver.

From there, follow the on-screen instructions to update the driver. Alternatively, you can also update the display driver manually by downloading the latest version from the manufacturer’s website. For that, you must know what graphics hardware your PC is using. Here’s how to check.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog. Type dxdiag and press Enter.

Step 2: Go to the Display tab and note down the name of the driver.

Now, go to the manufacturer’s website—Intel, NVIDIA, or AMD—and download the latest compatible display driver. Once downloaded, open the installer file and follow the on-screen instructions to install the drivers. After that, restart your PC to apply the changes.

Fix 3: Try Safe Mode

A third-party app or process running in the background may be causing the black screen problem. To check for this possibility, try booting your PC in safe mode.

Step 1: Press and hold the power button to forcefully shut down your PC. Then, press the power button again to boot it up.

Step 2: When the Windows logo appears, press and hold the power button until your PC restarts. Repeat the above step to interrupt the boot process three times. On the fourth occasion, Windows will greet you with the Automatic Repair screen. When it does, click the Advanced options button.

Step 3: Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings.

Step 4: Click the Restart button to visit the Startup Settings menu.

Step 5: Press 4 or F4 on your keyboard to restart your PC in Safe Mode.

Wait for your PC to boot into Safe Mode. If you don’t see the black screen while in Safe Mode, one of your startup apps or programs is causing the problem during a regular boot. You can try uninstalling recently installed apps or software and see if that fixes the issue.

Fix 4: Perform System Restore

If uninstalling suspicious apps or programs does not solve your problem, the black screen issue could be caused by some other recent system change. Performing a system restore will allow you to undo that change and resolve the issue for good.

Step 1: Click the search icon on the taskbar, type create a restore point, and press Enter.

Step 2: Under the System Protection tab, click the System Restore button.

Step 3: Click Next to continue.

Step 4: Select a restore point before the issue first appeared and hit Next.

Step 5: Click Finish and allow Windows to restore to the specified restore point.