Troubleshooting Windows 11 Black Screen on Startup: A Comprehensive Guide
Introduction:
Windows 11 users occasionally face the frustrating issue of encountering a black screen on startup instead of the familiar desktop.
This problem can arise from various causes, necessitating diverse solutions.
In this guide, we'll explore the potential reasons behind a black screen and provide step-by-step instructions to resolve the issue. 🖥️
Black Screen Instead of Desktop After Logging In:
As mentioned earlier, this problem can be attributed to various reasons and manifest in different ways:
- A black screen appears instead of the desktop after entering a password and logging in, or after automatic login when the password request is disabled.
The mouse pointer is visible.
- A black screen immediately upon turning on the computer, meaning the image does not appear even at the initial boot stage.
- A black screen with error text (this option will not be discussed here).
In the first case, when Windows 11 starts loading on the screen, the following simple approaches to solving the problem may prove effective:
- If there is more than one monitor connected to your PC or laptop, or an unused cable or adapter for HDMI/DP/VGA,
try restarting by disconnecting the corresponding cable from the video card output.
- Press the Ctrl+Alt+Delete key combination on your keyboard. A menu should open; select "Task Manager" from it.
- In the Task Manager, click "Run a new task", type explorer.exe, and click "OK".
- If the previous step worked and the desktop appeared, open the registry editor (Win + R - regedit), and navigate to the section:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Ensure that the values of the Shell and ShellAppRuntime string parameters are set to explorer.exe
and ShellAppRuntime.exe , respectively.
If not, double-click on the respective parameters and input the correct values.
Additionally, check the value of the Userinit parameter; by default, it should be as follows (with a comma at the end):
C:\Windows\system32\userinit.exe,
- If the third step does not resolve the issue, run a new task by entering rstrui.exe in the "Create a task" window.
This opens the interface for using restore points.
If you have restore points from a date before the problem occurred, utilize them.
- Another option is to attempt restoring Windows 11 system files. To do this, run cmd.exe as an administrator
using "Run a new task" and execute the following commands:
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
sfc /scannow
- If a black screen persists after disabling Windows services, re-enable them using the services.msc command in the "Run New Task" window.
- Alternatively, create a new user with administrator rights using the following commands:
net user user_name /add
net localgroup user_name administrator /add
Then, use the "Exit" option in the Ctrl+Alt+Delete menu, log in as the new user,
and check if the problem persists.
If the methods described do not resolve the issue, try the following:
- Open the Ctrl+Alt+Delete menu (if displayed), select "Log out",
and on the login screen, while holding down the Shift key, choose "Reboot".
This should reboot your computer into a recovery environment with access to restore points, Command Prompt,
the ability to uninstall Windows updates, and reset Windows to its default state.
When Turning On Your Computer or Laptop
In a situation where a black screen appears immediately after turning on your computer:
- Turn off your computer or laptop by long-pressing the power button and attempt to turn it on again.
If successful, disable Windows 11 Fast Startup if the issue reoccurs.
- If additional monitors, TVs, adapters, and cables are connected to the video card outputs, turn off the computer, disconnect these devices,
and turn on the computer again.
- If you see a black screen with a flashing white line, refer to specific instructions for resolution.
- In rare cases where the monitor's backlight is off or not working, adjust the screen brightness or address hardware issues,
including backlight repair.
- If you have both integrated and discrete video cards, try connecting the monitor to different outputs after turning off the computer.
- Attempt to reset the BIOS using the CMOS RESET button/jumper on the motherboard or by completely de-energizing the device.
In cases where no image appears on the screen at all after turning on your PC or laptop:
- Check for hardware problems, including RAM module issues, disconnected power cables to the motherboard,
malfunctioning video cards, or power supply malfunctions.
These are the primary reasons and solutions. I hope one of them proves useful in your case.
Still have questions?