Troubleshooting a Black Computer Screen: Causes and Solutions

One of the most common computer problems is a screen that turns black and doesn’t respond. When the screen goes black, you can’t get any information from the computer, so you might think there’s nothing you can do.

This article explains the causes and solutions for when your computer screen goes black.

Causes of a Black Computer Screen
1. Computer Processing Issues
2. Laptop Battery Depletion
3. Damaged or Loose Cables
4. Graphics Card Failure
5. Static Electricity and Overheating
Can You Identify the Cause of a Black Computer Screen?
Solutions for a Black Computer Screen
1. Leave the Computer Alone for a While
2. Restart the Computer
3. Re-plug the Charging Cable and Leave it Alone
4. Try a Different Cable
What Not to Do When Your Computer Screen is Black
1. Don’t Force Shut Down the Computer
2. Don’t Disassemble the Computer
What to Do If the Above Solutions Don’t Work

Summary

1. Causes of a Black Computer Screen

First, what are some specific causes of a black computer screen? Here are some of the main possibilities:

1-1. Computer Processing Issues

If your computer screen goes black and stops responding, the first thing to suspect is computer processing issues. If you’re running many programs or launching multiple programs at once, the computer may be temporarily overloaded, causing processing to slow down significantly.

If the screen goes black and doesn’t respond when switching screens or waking up from sleep mode, it’s usually due to computer processing issues.

1-2. Laptop Battery Depletion

If you’re using a laptop, the computer may not start due to battery depletion. You might think it’s charging properly, but it’s not, and the battery runs out after being left for a long time.

1-3. Damaged or Loose Cables

If the screen suddenly goes black while you’re using it, the connecting cable may be damaged due to deterioration or may have come loose due to some impact.

Especially with desktop computers, there may be a problem with the cable connecting the monitor to the PC or the PC’s power cable, so you need to check.

1-4. Graphics Card Failure

If there’s a problem with the graphics card in your computer, the screen may not display properly and may remain black. Graphics cards that have been used for many years are at higher risk of failure, so be careful if you’re using an older computer.

1-5. Static Electricity and Overheating

If the ambient temperature is too high, the computer may overheat even during normal operation. Temperatures can easily rise, especially on hot summer days, so you need to pay attention to the room temperature.

2. Can You Identify the Cause of a Black Computer Screen?

The question here is whether you can quickly identify the cause of a black computer screen and take appropriate action.

In conclusion, it’s difficult to accurately identify the cause of a black computer screen and choose the right solution. As mentioned above, there are several possible reasons for a black computer screen, and you can’t identify the cause just from the screen turning black.

Therefore, when your computer screen goes black and doesn’t respond, you need to try the following solutions in order, find the solution that works, and then work backward from the solution to find the cause.

Once you know the cause, it’s important to take steps to prevent the same problem from happening again.

3. Solutions for a Black Computer Screen

If your computer screen goes black, try the following solutions in order.

3-1. Leave the Computer Alone for a While

If your computer screen goes black and doesn’t respond, don’t panic and just leave the computer alone. If the processing is temporarily overloaded or the computer is overheating, leaving it alone may automatically fix the problem.

Many modern PCs will automatically restart if they detect an error. First, don’t try to operate the computer and see what happens.

3-2. Restart the Computer

If there’s no sign of recovery after leaving it alone for a while, restart the computer yourself. The restart procedure varies depending on the PC you’re using, so check the restart command and procedure.

3-3. Re-plug the Charging Cable and Leave it Alone

If the computer isn’t working due to battery depletion, you need to charge it. Even if the charging cable is plugged in, it may not be recognized for some reason, so re-plug the cable and leave it alone for a while.

3-4. Try a Different Cable

If you have a spare cable, try replacing the one you’re using with the spare. HDMI cables and charging cables can deteriorate and become severely damaged over time, and can also cause electrical leakage or fire, so it’s recommended to replace damaged cables as soon as possible.

4. What Not to Do When Your Computer Screen is Black

If your computer screen goes black and doesn’t respond, doing too many things can make the problem worse. In particular, the following actions can damage the computer and should be avoided as much as possible.

4-1. Don’t Force Shut Down the Computer

First, don’t force shut down the computer just because the screen has gone black and stopped responding. Even if you can’t see the screen, the computer may be processing things internally, and shutting it down without waiting could leave serious bugs.

Also, repeatedly turning the computer on and off can cause unintended damage to the computer, so you should avoid doing this as well.

4-2. Don’t Disassemble the Computer

Don’t disassemble the computer just because it’s not working. Disassembly can be harmful to the computer, especially when there’s an unexplained problem.

5. What to Do If the Above Solutions Don’t Work

If your computer screen has gone black and the above solutions haven’t worked, it’s best to seek troubleshooting from a professional. Take your laptop to a nearby repair shop or, in the case of a desktop, request a home visit.

In some cases, you may be asked about the situation over the phone, so it’s recommended to be prepared to explain what symptoms you’re experiencing and what solutions you’ve tried in order to resolve the problem smoothly.

Summary

This article explained the causes and solutions for when your computer screen goes black. In most cases, the screen will recover after a while, but if the problem is serious, it may not be possible to recover.

In such cases, try all of the above solutions, and if they still don’t work, consult a professional as soon as possible.

For further assistance, please contact us at globalsupport@jiran.com.