How to Fix the Windows 10/11 Black Screen After Login Problem: 9 Solutions

David Darlington

Nov 22, 2023 • Filed to: Windows Computer Solutions • Proven solutions

Windows 10 black screen after login is a pretty common problem faced by many. Users often complain that after logging into their Windows 10 PC, they get a black screen on the display instead of the usual screen. Needless to say, getting a black screen after login can be a complicated situation to be in. Let's proceed and learn how to fix this Windows black screen after login issue in software- and hardware-related ways.

Why do computers black screen during login?

"Why does my computer screen turn black after I log in?" Before we get into solving the error, it is important to know why the screen goes black after login on Windows 10 sometimes. In most cases, the following are the major triggers for the Win 10 black screen after login issue.

• A hardware problem like a broken display or a loose wire can cause the black screen on display.
• The display drivers that are installed might not be compatible or updated.
• There could be a firmware-related issue with your system.
• The vital processes needed to load the display on the computer might not be loaded correctly during the startup.
• A change in the display adapter settings can also make the screen malfunction.
• A deadlock or a faulty process in the system can also cause this issue.
• It can also happen if your system is running on low disk space or if the firmware has been corrupted by malware.

9 Methods to Fix Windows 10 Black Screen After Login

If a hardware-related issue has caused your laptop to have a black screen after login, then consider visiting a repair center. Though, if it is a software problem, then you can try to fix it by following these suggestions. Click any one of them to solve your problems, and check more computer system crash recovery solutions!

Video tutorial on How to Fix Black Screen on Windows 10 After Login

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Method 1: Try a Windows Key Sequence to Wake the Screen

If you are lucky, then chances are that your system is just running slow or has gone into hibernation mode. In this case, you can use the correct key combinations to wake your system up:

1. Use the Windows + L key if your system is locked or has gone into hibernation mode. Sometimes, the Space or Enter key would also work to wake it up.
2. If you keep having an unresponsive screen, then press either the Windows + P or the Ctrl + Alt + Del keys at the same time. This will wake an unresponsive Windows system.
3. Lastly, if nothing else seems to work, then press the Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B keys simultaneously. The key combination is designed specifically to wake the system from a black screen after login.

Method 2: Open Task Manager to Restart Windows Explorer

You can also get the computer black screen after login due to an error with Windows Explorer as well. For instance, the explorer process might not have been launched correctly. Since it is responsible for the overall user interface in Windows, it is recommended to simply restart the process.

1. Go to the Desktop and press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys (or Ctrl + Alt + Del) to launch the Task Manager window.
2. From here, click on the "More Details" option to get a detailed list of all the tasks running in Windows.

3. Now, just select Windows Explorer from the list of processes and click on the "Restart" button to launch it again.

Method 3: Disable All Automatic Applications

If your Windows computer turns to black screen after login, it may be caused by the applications loading automatically. In this case, you can disable all automatic applications to fix the black screen issue.

1. Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete simultaneously and select Task Manager. If you failed to launch Task Manager, you can boot into Safe Mode first, then try again.
2. In Task Manager, go to the Startup tab and turn off all the running applications listed here.
3. Reboot your computer, then check if the black screen problem is solved.

Method 4: Switch Display Screen

If you’re using a multi-screen computer, switching the display screen can remove the Windows black screen after login error.

1. After booting the computer, press Win+P to open the Project window.
2. Select any option that may work for you.

Method 5: Roll back the Display Adapter Driver

A while back, I tried to update the installed display adapter driver on my PC. Sadly, the update was either corrupted or got halted in between that resulting in the black screen after the login problem. Therefore, if you have also encountered a similar situation, then you can try to roll back the display adapter driver to its previously installed driver settings.

1. All you got to do is go to the Start menu and launch Control Panel from there.
2. Now, go to Device Manager > Display Adapter and expand to see the drivers installed. (learn how to use Device Manager)
3. Double-click the selected drive to go to its Properties > Driver tab and click on the "Roll Back Driver" button.

This will let you roll back the adapter settings to an existing setting to avoid any display issues.

Method 6: Uninstall your Display Adapter Driver

Apart from rolling back to a previous update, you can also consider reinstalling the display adapter driver as well. For this, you need to follow the same drill as above and visit Device Manager > Display Adapters > Properties > Drivers. Instead of the Roll Back, just click on the "Uninstall" button and follow a simple wizard to remove the driver.

Afterward, you can follow the same steps to install the drivers instead. Furthermore, if you want, you can just select and right-click the drivers (in the Device Manager window) to get the Uninstall option.

Some experts even recommend disabling the drivers and later enabling them to fix the Windows 10 black screen after login error. Since this would reset your drivers, chances are that it can also fix the PC's black screen after the login problem.

Method 7: Perform a System Restore

Performing a system restore is one of the best ways to fix various issues with a Windows PC like a black screen after login. In this, we will revert to a previous Restore Point for all the system settings and user data. Therefore, before you proceed, make sure you already have a Restore Point maintained. Afterward, just go to your computer's Settings > System Settings > System Properties and visit the "System Protection" tab. Now, click on the "System Restore" button and follow a simple click-through process to restore your computer's settings.

If everything would go well, then your system will restart without any issues and you won't encounter the after login black screen on Windows 10. Besides, you can learn how to fix the black screen before login.

Method 8: Check for Loose Connections

If the 5 above software tricks didn't help you get rid of the Windows black screen after the login problem, you can go on some hardware-related options. You could start with checking for loose connections: Is the cable properly connected or is it bent somewhere? Is there some physical damage to your Windows 10 computer? These hardware issues could also be the reason for "my Windows 10 computer turns on but the screen is black".

Method 9: Disconnect Unnecessary Devices

If none of these methods so far working, you can try with the absolute minimum configuration - disconnect all peripherals. Peripherals connected to the device may also cause a black screen or black screen with spinning dots of a Windows computer. Normally, spinning dots on the screen during startup means that the computer is installing an update, and you just need to wait for a while. But if the spinning dots stay on the screen without any changes for a long time, it could be a compatibility problem with some hardware connected to this computer.

You can try to disconnect all the peripherals including additional monitors, additional external adapters, fancy headphones, etc. Just start with the basic vanilla configuration and restart the device to see if that's going to bring any difference.

Tips: If you find some important files are missing after successfully fixing the black screen issue of your Windows PC, Recoverit data recovery can also help you get lost data back in 3 simple steps as shown in the following part.

Backup or Recover Lost Data from Windows 10 before Fixing the Black Screen Error

Various causes may lead to the black screen error. With the 9 methods in Part 2 below, you can fix it in most cases. However, if you failed, you may face losing important files and documents. Therefore, it is recommended to rescue and back up your data in Windows 10 computer stuck on a black screen before starting the fixing process. You can recover your data from the computer's black screen using a reliable tool like Recoverit Data Recovery. The application runs smoothly on Windows 10/11 and can extract your data lost under different situations, including the black screen of death.

Video Tutorial on Restoring Data from Windows 10 Black Screen Issue

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Step-by-step Guide to Recover Data from Windows 10 Black Screen

1. Once you have successfully installed Recoverit, launch the program and from the recovery options "Recover from Crash Computer" mode, click on the "Start" button on the next Window.

2. There are two modes to choose from when selecting a bootable device. You will be required to select between the USB bootable drive. Once you have made a decision, click the "Create" button to start.

3. A follow-up pop-up window will appear requiring you to format your bootable device. Always ensure you have backed up your files before formatting your bootable device Click the "Format" button to proceed.

4. The creation of a bootable device will begin and you are encouraged not to interrupt the process by removing the bootable device.

5. As the process takes a while, consider doing something else while you wait. Once it is done, the window will display three simple instructions to follow to complete your recovery. Feel free to have a look at the guide for more details.

6. One of the most important steps is ensuring to change the boot sequence for your pc in the bios menu. Allow your computer to boot through your bootable device, save changes, and restart your computer.

7. Once you have restarted your pc, the software will automatically begin allowing you to recover any lost files.

The Bottom Line

There you go! I'm sure that after going through this extensive guide, you would be able to fix the Windows 10 black screen after the login problem. I have listed various software-related and hardware-related issues that you can follow to resolve the black screen after the login issue. Though, if you have lost your data during the process, then you can simply use data recovery software like Wondershare Recoverit. Used by experts, Recoverit can help you get back all kinds of lost and deleted content from a computer stuck on a black screen by creating a bootable USB drive. Download it now to rescue your data!