You sign in, Windows accepts the password, and then nothing happens. The desktop never loads, the taskbar is missing, and the screen stays black. Sometimes a mouse cursor sits on the screen, and sometimes there is no cursor at all.
A black screen after login is usually caused by the display, the Windows shell or a driver, not a dead PC, and most cases clear up quickly. Work through the fixes below in order, starting with the fastest and safest, and stop when your desktop comes back.
Wake the display before you assume the worst
If the PC seems to be running but the screen stays black, restart the graphics driver first. Press Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + B. You should hear a short beep or see the screen flicker when the driver resets.
Try this first because it changes nothing permanent on your system. It only resets the display driver. If the picture comes back, you are done. The shortcut works on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Send the picture to the right screen
Windows can send the picture to a display that is not connected, which leaves your main monitor black. Press Windows logo key + P to open the projection menu.
The modes are PC screen only, Duplicate, Extend and Second screen only. You can't see the menu while the screen is black, so switch modes without looking: press Windows logo key + P, tap P again to move to the next mode, then press Enter. Repeat, giving the screen a few seconds after each try, until the desktop appears.
Bring back a desktop that shows only a cursor
A black background with only a mouse pointer usually means the Windows shell (Explorer) stalled while loading. You can relaunch it without rebooting.
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. If nothing happens, press Ctrl + Alt + Del and choose Task Manager. Find Windows Explorer in the process list, right-click it and select Restart. The desktop and taskbar should come back within a few seconds.
If Windows Explorer isn't in the list, select Run new task at the top of Task Manager, type explorer.exe and press Enter to start the shell manually.
Rule out a hardware connection problem
Before you move on to software fixes, make sure the signal is reaching your monitor. On a laptop, make sure it is charged or plugged in. On a desktop, check that the monitor is plugged in and turned on, and push every video cable (HDMI, DisplayPort or VGA) firmly into place at both ends.
If you have spares, try a different cable, a different port or another monitor to find a faulty connection. On a laptop, unplug external displays and other accessories. If the screen still stays black, hold the power button for about 20 seconds to force the PC off, then turn it back on.
Boot into Safe Mode to find the culprit
If the black screen keeps coming back, Safe Mode starts Windows with only the basic drivers and services. It helps you work out whether a third-party driver or app is to blame.
- 1.At the sign-in screen, hold the
Shiftkey and select Power > Restart. If you can't reach the sign-in screen, hold the power button when the Windows logo appears to turn the PC off, repeat this once more, and turn it on a third time. Windows should open the Automatic Repair screen, where you select Advanced options. - 2.On the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
- 3.When the list of startup options appears, press 4 (or F4) for Safe Mode. Press 5 (or F5) for Safe Mode with Networking if you need internet access.
If the black screen doesn't appear in Safe Mode, a non-essential driver or app is probably the cause. If your device is encrypted with BitLocker, Windows will ask for your BitLocker recovery key during this process, so have the key ready before you start.
Fix the graphics driver from Safe Mode
The display driver is the most common cause of a black screen after login, and Safe Mode is the safest place to fix it. In Safe Mode, open Device Manager and expand Display adapters.
Right-click your graphics adapter and choose Update driver to install a newer version. If the problem started right after a driver or Windows update, open the adapter's Properties, select the Driver tab and choose Roll Back Driver to go back to the version that worked.
Catch up on pending Windows updates
An interrupted or pending update can leave Windows in a broken state, and installing it often fixes the problem. Once you can reach the desktop, normally or in Safe Mode with Networking, open your update settings.
On Windows 11, go to Start > Settings > Windows Update, select Check for updates and install everything available. On Windows 10, go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025, so a PC that still runs it gets security updates only if it is enrolled in Extended Security Updates. Restart when you're done, even if Windows doesn't ask, so pending updates can finish installing.
Repair corrupted system files with DISM and SFC
Missing or damaged system files can stop the desktop from loading. Two built-in command-line tools can repair them. Run DISM first, then SFC.
- 1.Type
cmdin the Search box, right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator. Accept any permission prompt. - 2.Run
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealthand wait for it to finish. It usually ends with the message "The operation completed successfully." - 3.Then run
sfc /scannow. Don't close the window until verification reaches 100%.
DISM provides the files needed for the repair, and SFC then scans protected system files and replaces damaged ones. If SFC reports "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations," your system files are fine.
Roll the whole system back with System Restore
If the black screen started right after an update or a new install, you can undo that change by returning Windows to an earlier point. This only works if a restore point was created before the problem started.
Open the recovery environment with Shift + Restart from the sign-in screen, or, if you can't reach the sign-in screen, turn the PC off while the Windows logo appears twice, then start it a third time to reach Automatic Repair. Then go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Restore and choose a restore point from before the problem started.
System Restore keeps your personal files, but it removes apps, drivers and updates installed after the restore point. Look at the restore point before you confirm so you know which changes will be undone.
Sidestep a damaged user profile
If the black screen happens only on your account and other accounts load normally, your user profile may be corrupted. A new account confirms this and gives you a clean account to work in.
Sign in to a working administrator account, go to Settings > Accounts > Other users and select Add account. When Windows asks for the person's sign-in information, choose I don't have this person's sign-in information, then Add a user without a Microsoft account. Finish the local account and sign in to it. If the new account loads a normal desktop, your original profile was the problem.
Recover access if you are stuck at sign-in
Sometimes the black screen comes with a sign-in problem, and resetting your password gets you back in. How you do it depends on your account type.
For a Microsoft account, select I forgot my password on the sign-in screen. You can also go to the Microsoft account password reset page on another device, enter your username, and follow the prompts to get and enter a verification code.
For a local account, select the arrow next to the password field, select OK, then Reset password. Answer your security questions and enter a new password. If you made a password reset disk, select Use a password reset disk instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my screen go black only after I enter my password?
A black screen right after login usually comes from the Windows shell, the display driver or your user profile, not the hardware. Restarting the graphics driver with Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + B or restarting Windows Explorer in Task Manager fixes many of these cases. If only your account is affected, your user profile may be corrupted.
What is the fastest fix to try first?
Press Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + B. It resets the graphics driver without changing anything permanent, so it is the safest thing to try first. When it works, you should hear a beep or see the screen flicker.
I only see a mouse cursor on a black desktop. What should I do?
That means the Windows shell didn't load. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, right-click Windows Explorer and choose Restart. If Windows Explorer isn't listed, select Run new task at the top of Task Manager, type explorer.exe and press Enter.
Should I run SFC or DISM first?
Run DISM first. Enter DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth and let it finish, then run sfc /scannow and keep the window open until it reaches 100%. DISM provides the files SFC uses for repairs, which is why it goes first.
Will Safe Mode help me figure out the cause?
Yes. At the sign-in screen, hold Shift and select Power > Restart. Then go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart and press 4 for Safe Mode. If the black screen doesn't appear in Safe Mode, a non-essential driver or app is probably the cause, and you can update or roll back the display driver from there.