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Troubleshooting Tips for Dealing With a Black Computer Screen

published 12/2/2020

Are you having a problem seeing anything on your screen?

With the pandemic impacting traditional work practices, more people are now working from home. This means that people who've never had to deal with their own computers are doing as such in their homes. While nothing bad happens, for the most part, some encounter many issues with devices.

Among the most common issues people face is having a black computer screen. It can cause alarm to most people since it hinders their progress and productivity. It can even make others panic as they think their devices aren't functioning anymore.

We're here to tell you that you need not panic when this happens to you. Read what we've prepared below to know what to do when the computer boots to black screen.

Brightness and Contrast Setting Too Low

The first thing you should take a look at is the settings of your device and your monitor. It may have gone to their lowest possible settings while you were away. If you have a kid around the house, it can be a more common occurrence than you think.

What's great is that you can tell if this is the case with one look. While it may be dark, you should still be able to see something on your screen. How much you see will depend on how bright the area is.

Increase the brightness in the settings of your computer. If it still hasn't improved, then try adjusting the brightness on the monitor itself. This often has a bigger impact on what you see on your computer than the internal display settings.

If it still hasn't improved after these steps, it may be because your computer isn't getting enough power. It can still turn on, but it will have problems projecting anything with a poor power supply. Check the outlet you plugged it into to ensure you're giving your computer enough juice to run properly.

Computer Isn't Booting Properly in the First Place

Once you turn on your computer, you expect to see something that signifies it's booting up. If you're still looking at a black screen after a while, though, it may be because your computer has trouble booting up.

This often happens because something inside your PC isn't working as it's supposed to be. It can be because you have a stick of RAM that's failing. It can also be because your video card isn't seated well.

What we mean is that it can be a plethora of problems that are causing this. The best thing you can do is open up your PC and take a look for yourself. How would you know if this is the case, though?

The key is to listen to your PC as you start it up. On a normal start-up, you will hear fans turning, components running, and most notably, a short beep. This beep tells you that you have no physical issues that you need to worry about.

If you don't hear it, that's when you should worry. Have a professional check it to assess the damage. They can also advise you on whether you should repair or replace your computer.

Issues With the Operating System

Your OS may be the cause of you having a black screen on your computer. This happens because there may be a corrupt file that's preventing a vital function of the system. Outdated OS versions or a pirated OS may often be the causes of this.

A good way to fix this is to update your operating system to the current version. Check online to find the latest macOS or Windows 10 version and install it on your computer.

If it still persists, try rebooting your device. Simple problems often resolve themselves this way. It's a good way to avoid any hassle.

If nothing changes, though, you may have to clear your hard drive and reinstall your OS. This means you'll lose your data, but it also means that you can access your device once again. This makes it important to back up your files every now and then.

You May Have a Broken Monitor

The monitor itself can be causing the problem. You may not be seeing a display because there's nothing that's displaying it for you. To check this, you can connect your PC to a different screen.

If it displays something, then you can be certain that you need to replace your current display screen. Before you do that, though, check to see if it displays again when plugged into the monitor.

Sometimes, it can be a simple wiring issue that's causing this problem. This makes it important to check the connections you have to your PC before doing anything rash.

You May Be the Victim of a Malware Attack

Computer viruses before were simple lines of code that spammed your PC with processes. This caused slowdowns that you could fix with some deep cleaning in your PC. Nowadays, you can find the worst computer viruses on the Internet.

These do tons of attacks, some of them include the tampering of your PC. This can be the reason why your computer has a black screen on display. Investing in good antivirus software is a great way to prevent this.

Computer Is Running Hot

As you use your computer, it generates heat because of the processes it's running. This puts the rest of the components at risk, though, mainly the video card. The parts of a video card are all fragile, and heat can damage them.

When this happens, you can expect your display to take a hit. Getting a black screen is a certainty when this happens.

Invest in a good cooling system to fix this problem. Fans are a good and cheap option. You can also invest in liquid cooling systems if you're running more intense programs.

Learn How to Fix a Black Computer Screen Today

Why is my computer screen black? With the guide above, you'll know why your screen is black and how you can fix it. Overcome the problem of a black computer screen today!

Does your computer have other problems that need troubleshooting? Our guides can help you through the most common and infuriating problems that you may come across with your device! This particular guide can teach you how to fix a slow running computer to improve productivity!