Laptop or MacBook black screen? Causes and what to do

A laptop that starts but shows a black screen, or a MacBook that stays black after you open the lid: it looks serious, but it can be anything, from brightness turned all the way down to a broken cable in the hinge. Make the most important distinction first: is the laptop actually on with only the picture missing, or does it not start at all? That decides which steps make sense.

Blue Apple repairs MacBooks at Rijnstraat 76-H in Amsterdam, from the screen to the logic board. What we do is on the MacBook screen repair page. If your screen flickers or shows lines, read MacBook screen flickering or showing lines.

Step 1: is the laptop actually on?

• Do you hear the fan or a startup sound?
• Does the Caps Lock light come on when you press it?
• Does the keyboard backlight come on, or a light on the charger or the laptop itself?
• Does the bottom get warm after a few minutes?

If the answer is no everywhere, it is not a screen problem but a power problem: the laptop does not start. For a MacBook, read MacBook will not turn on or see MacBook won't turn on. If the answer is yes anywhere, the laptop is running and only the picture is missing. Read on.

Step 2: the quick things that are often the whole problem

1. Brightness. Press the brightness-up key a few times. It sounds too simple, but a screen at zero looks exactly like a broken one.
2. Sleep. Press a key, or close the lid and open it again after a few seconds.
3. Charging. Leave the laptop on a working charger for half an hour. A completely flat battery sometimes gives a sign of life but no picture.
4. Force restart. Hold the power button for about ten seconds until everything is off, wait a moment and switch the laptop on again.
5. An external monitor. Connect a monitor or TV over HDMI or USB-C. If the picture appears there, the laptop itself works and the problem is the screen, the cable to it or the backlight. That is good news for your files too.

On a MacBook

• Torch test. Shine a torch at an angle onto the screen. If you see the desktop or the login screen very faintly, the panel works and the backlight has failed.
• Mac with Apple silicon. Hold the power button for ten seconds, release it and press it briefly once more. If that does not work, hold the button until you see the startup options. If that shows on an external monitor, you can also try safe mode: choose your startup disk, hold Shift and click Continue in Safe Mode.
• Mac with an Intel processor. A reset of the SMC (the chip that handles power and lighting) or of the NVRAM (Option + Command + P + R while starting up) sometimes solves a black screen.
• Logo, then black. If you first see the Apple logo and then a black screen, the cause is more likely macOS than the screen. Read MacBook will not start up.

On a Windows laptop

• Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B. This key combination restarts the graphics driver. You hear a beep and the screen blinks briefly. It helps surprisingly often after an update or after waking from sleep.
• Windows + P. If the display is accidentally set to the second screen only, the laptop screen stays black. Press Windows + P and choose PC screen only.
• Power off completely. Unplug the charger and hold the power button for fifteen seconds. Plug the charger back in and start again.
• A display key with Fn. Some laptops have a function key that switches the screen off and on. Try it together with Fn.

What the cause usually is

• Software or a driver, especially after an update. The picture is there at startup and disappears later.
• The backlight or the part on the logic board that drives it. The torch test shows a faint picture.
• The display cable in the hinge. It bends every time you open and close the lid. Often the picture first goes on and off at a certain lid angle.
• The screen itself, after a drop, pressure in a bag or something caught between the keyboard and the screen. You often also see spots, lines or a crack.
• The logic board or the graphics chip, often after liquid. The external monitor then stays black too.

How a repair works at Blue Apple

We test the MacBook with an external monitor and our own measuring equipment, look at the backlight, the display cable and traces of moisture, and so find out whether it is the screen, the cable or the logic board. Then you hear what is wrong and what the repair costs, and we only start once you agree. If the Mac itself still works, your files simply stay where they are. If there is more going on, see MacBook logic board repair or MacBook data recovery. Do you have a laptop from another brand? Describe the model and the fault through the request form and we tell you honestly whether we can take it on.

Common questions

Are my files still safe?

If the laptop itself runs and only the picture is missing, your files are usually still there. With an external monitor you can often make a backup yourself.

Can I keep working with an external monitor?

Yes, as a temporary solution. Do have the laptop checked if the picture disappeared after a drop or after liquid: the damage can get worse.

My MacBook goes black when I open the lid further.

That points strongly to the display cable in the hinge. Read MacBook screen black, flickering or with lines for the details.

Is a black screen after a drop always the screen?

Not always. A knock can also loosen the cable or a connector. That is why we test before we replace anything.

In short

First check whether the laptop is on. Then try brightness, sleep, charging, a force restart and an external monitor. On a Mac the torch test helps, on Windows Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B. If it stays black, it is usually the backlight, the display cable, the screen or the logic board. See MacBook screen repair, come by at Rijnstraat 76-H in Amsterdam or call 020 239 11 93.