PC wakes from sleep with a black screen: solutions without restarting

Let your PC stay with black screen when waking from sleep It's one of those things that drives you crazy: you hear the fans, you see the keyboard light up, you even hear Windows sounds… but the monitor displays absolutely nothing. And to make matters worse, many times the only solution seems to be holding down the power button to force a restart.

The good news is that, in most cases, this behavior is due to a combination of incorrectly configured power settings, problematic video drivers, or minor Windows glitchesAnd it usually has a solution without having to reinstall the entire system. In the following lines, we'll go through, calmly and in a logical order, all the common causes and ways to fix it, whether you're using Windows 10 or Windows 11, and whether the problem occurs when resuming from sleep or when starting from scratch. We're going to show you how to fix that The PC wakes from sleep mode with a black screen.

What exactly is the “black screen” and why does it happen?

What many people call the "black screen of death" is, basically, a critical failure in the chain from when the PC turns on until the video signal reaches the monitorThe computer may be booted and running, but something in the way (drivers, hardware, firmware or Windows itself) is preventing you from seeing the image.

This black screen may appear at various times: before logging in, right after entering the password, or when waking from sleep modeSometimes a restart is enough, but other times you have to enter safe mode, repair Windows, or even check the hardware to locate the source of the problem.

Among the most common causes we find Corrupted or outdated graphics drivers, Windows update errors, conflicts with startup applications, power issues (sleep, fast startup) Or, in the hardware field, failures of cables, monitor, graphics card, RAM or power supply.

There is also a factor that is repeated in many reports from advanced users: aggressive CPU or GPU overclocking and high temperaturesForcing the computer to play games or edit video can trigger instability, and one of its manifestations is random black screens, especially when waking from sleep mode.

Determine whether the problem is hardware-related or Windows-related.

Before you start messing with system settings, it's important to determine whether we're dealing with a hardware failure or a software problem. A basic trick is Test monitor, cables, and PC separately to see who is guilty.

Always start with the obvious: check that the Ensure the HDMI/DisplayPort cable and the monitor's power cable are properly connected.These connectors do not have a locking mechanism like the old VGA/DVI connectors, and with any tug they can loosen just enough to stop the image from being displayed without it being noticeable.

If everything seems secure, connect the monitor to another computer or consoleIf you don't see an image, follow our guide to Fixing a PC that isn't displaying an imageIf it still doesn't display anything, the monitor or cable is most likely damaged. If it works on the other computer, the problem is with your main PC and you'll have to troubleshoot further.

At the table, you can do the opposite test: Connect another monitor or a Smart TV to your PCIf the TV displays an image without problems, you'll know that your original monitor is the one that's faulty; if neither screen shows a signal, the focus shifts to the graphics card, the motherboard, the RAM, or the BIOS/UEFI configuration.

Basic checks when the PC wakes from sleep and the screen is black

When your computer seems to wake up from sleep but you can't see anything, the first thing to do is try quick software solutions. Often a A simple restart of the graphics driver or a change of video output They return the image without having to abruptly turn it off.

1. Shortcut to reactivate video in Windows

Windows has a shortcut designed precisely for these situations. If the screen goes black when you wake from sleep, wait a few seconds and press Windows + Ctrl + Shift + BYou will hear a small beep and notice a flicker: that means the system has The graphics card driver has been restarted..

When the problem is a temporary video controller crash, this shortcut is usually a lifesaver and It restores the signal without restarting the deviceIf it does absolutely nothing, the fault may lie a little further down, in the firmware itself or in the power settings.

2. Switch screens with Windows + P

Another classic: if you have multiple monitors, a connected TV, or even a virtual reality headset, Windows might be sending the signal to the wrong screen. To test this blindly, press and hold the key Windows and press P once; then, press Enter.

This shortcut toggles between projection modes (PC screen only, duplicate, extend, second screen only). Repeat the sequence a couple of times (Windows + P and Enter) to change the mode, because sometimes the system gets stuck "believing" it should only use one specific output, which is why you see one completely black screen on your main monitor.

3. Try using Ctrl + Alt + Delete and the Task Manager

If when pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete If the blue screen appears with options (lock, switch user, Task Manager, etc.), that's a good sign: Windows is alive, but the desktop isn't loading properly..

From there you can do two quick things: try restarting the PC from the power icon, or enter the Task Manager To find the process that has hung up, if Task Manager opens, go to File > Run new task, and type explorer.exe and accept. This forces Windows Explorer to start, which is responsible for displaying the taskbar, icons, and windows.

If the desktop suddenly appears after launching explorer.exe, it means that The Explorer was not starting automaticallyBelow we'll see how to fix it from the Windows Registry so it doesn't happen again.

4. Wake up and restart the computer in a controlled manner

When neither keyboard shortcuts respond nor can you access Ctrl+Alt+Delete, you have to force a shutdown, but do it with some care. Hold down the power button. pressed for 10 to 15 seconds until the PC shuts down completely, wait a few seconds and turn it back on.

On many laptops, if the status light doesn't fully illuminate or remains stuck, that also helps. Unplug the charger, wait a little while, and plug it back in. Before starting again. With desktops that have a modular power supply, it's a good idea to check that all the cables from the power supply to the motherboard and GPU are secure before proceeding.

Check connections, screens and graphics card

If your PC shuts down and restarts, but you still get a black screen after each rest or even when it's cold, you need to check the hardware. Many issues can be resolved simply by fixing one problem. a loose connection, a damaged cable, or an incorrectly selected video input on the monitor..

Start by unplugging and plugging back in all the video cables (HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, VGA)Take this opportunity to gently blow into the ports and remove any dust that might be interfering with the connection. If you have another cable that you know works (for example, the one you use for the TV), try it: if you get a picture with that one, it's time to retire the old cable.

On monitors with multiple inputs (HDMI, DP, VGA, etc.), enter the monitor's menu and make sure that the The selected input source matches the port to which you connect your PC.It is surprisingly common to have the cable plugged into HDMI1 but the monitor waiting for a signal on DisplayPort or a different HDMI port.

If the monitor still doesn't display a signal with everything connected correctly, try what we discussed earlier: Take that monitor to another PC and bring another monitor or TV to your PC.This way you can immediately rule out whether the problem is with the panel, the cable, or the computer itself.

For desktop computers, also check the dedicated graphics card power supplyMany modern GPUs require one or more 6/8-pin PCIe connectors from the power supply. If these cables are missing or not making good contact, the graphics card won't work, and you'll get a black screen even if the motherboard boots up.

When the PC turns on, but there is no image and it doesn't enter the BIOS

There are more serious cases where the computer appears to boot (fans, RGB lights, etc.) but doesn't even display the BIOS/UEFI screen. Here we're talking about something at a higher level of... firmware, RAM or motherboard, rather than Windows as such.

The first thing to check is whether the motherboard emits beeps or light codes At startup. Many manufacturers use a series of beeps to indicate RAM, CPU, or GPU errors. If your PC beeps several times, check your motherboard manual to see what that sequence means.

A common suspect is RAM. Turn off the computer, discharge any static electricity, and remove the RAM modulesGently clean the contacts with a cloth lightly dampened with isopropyl alcohol, reseat them, and try booting with one module at a time. When one of the modules or slots is faulty, the computer won't even complete the POST, and the screen will remain black.

If you have a dedicated graphics card, another useful test is Remove it and connect the monitor to the motherboard's video output. (provided your processor has an integrated GPU). If you see an image with this setup but not with the dedicated graphics card, it likely points to a damaged graphics card or its connectors.

On the other hand, if your CPU doesn't have integrated graphics (for example, Intel processors with the F suffix or some AMD processors without the "G"), the only way to get video is with a decent dedicated GPU. In that case, if the computer displays nothing even with multiple monitors and cables, it's very likely that the graphics card or motherboard is faulty and you'll need to take it to a repair shop.

Check BIOS/UEFI, boot order, and primary graphics

When the PC at least displays the BIOS/UEFI screen, we're halfway there. From there, you can check several critical points that cause black screens both when booting and waking from sleep.

Access the BIOS/UEFI by repeatedly pressing the key Delete, F2 or F10 As soon as you turn it on. If you can't manage that, you can run the command as administrator from Windows. shutdown /r /fw /f /t 0 to reboot directly to firmware on many modern devices.

Once inside, locate the option to load default values (Load defaults, Load optimized defaults, or similar). This will restore the factory settings and usually fixes problems caused by incorrect overclocking settings, CSM/UEFI changes, or unusual power parameters.

In the section of Boot Priority / First Boot Device Make sure your Windows hard drive or SSD is the first boot device. If the system tries to boot from an old USB drive, DVD, or blank disk, you'll end up with a black screen or boot error messages.

It's also worth checking the primary graphics settings (Primary Display, Init Display First, etc.). If your motherboard has video outputs and you're also using a dedicated GPU, make sure the option is set to PCIe / Dedicated GPU and not forced to the iGPU. If the firmware decides to prioritize the integrated graphics card to which you don't have a monitor connected, you'll get a black screen even though the PC booted up fine.

Windows either fails to start or the screen remains black before prompting for the password.

If the BIOS progresses and you see the Windows logo but then the monitor goes black (sometimes with spinning dots), the problem is usually... within the operating system itselfThis is where automatic repair tools, safe mode, and system restore come into play.

A simple way to force entry into the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) is interrupt the start-up three times in a rowTurn on your PC, wait for Windows to start loading, and then press the reset button or hold the power button until it shuts down. On the third try, the system should display the "Automatic Repair" or "Recovery" screen.

On that screen, choose Advanced options > TroubleshootingFrom there you have several very useful tools: Startup Repair, System Restore, Startup Settings (to access safe mode) or even the Command Prompt to run SFC and DISM commands.

The option "Startup repair"It analyzes essential boot files and repairs them if possible. If the black screen is caused by damage to the boot loader or certain system files, this utility is usually enough to restore Windows without data loss."

If the automatic repair doesn't work, you can launch from the same advanced menu. System RestoreYou'll just need to choose a restore point from a few days ago, before the black screens started. Windows will revert drivers and settings to that state, which is very helpful when the problem arose after a recent update or installation.

Boot into safe mode and eliminate software causes

Safe Mode is your best friend when Windows insists on leaving the screen black in normal mode. Start WinRE as described and enter Troubleshooting > Advanced options > Startup settingsPress Restart and, when the list appears, select 5 or F5 (Safe Mode with Networking).

In this environment you'll see a very basic desktop, with low resolution and no frills. That's a good sign: it means the system is capable of booting with a minimal set of drivers and essential servicesTherefore, the culprit is almost certainly a conflicting driver, startup program, or update.

From safe mode, a logical first task is to go to Task Manager > Startup tab and disable all programs that load automatically when you log into Windows. Then you can reactivate them one by one on subsequent startups to identify which one is causing the black screen.

Another key action in safe mode is to check the graphics card, network and sound card driversIn Device Manager (right-click on the Start button > Device Manager), locate your GPU under “Display adapters”, enter its properties and try the “Roll Back Driver” option if available.

If reversing doesn't help, consider a complete driver uninstallation with tools such as Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU)This utility cleans up leftover NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel drivers that may continue to cause conflicts, especially if you've changed graphics card brands or had several problematic versions in a row.

After cleaning, reinstall the official drivers downloaded from the manufacturer's website or through their applications (NVIDIA App, AMD Software, Intel Arc/Graphics). In modern graphics cards, a corrupted driver is one of the most frequent causes of a black screen when resuming from sleep.

Update, roll back, or repair problematic drivers

In addition to the video driver, it's advisable to update other drivers that are sensitive to power and sleep management: chipset, Intel/AMD power management, Wi-Fi, USB, and BIOS/UEFIA poor interaction between the firmware, the OS, and the drivers can cause the PC to "wake up" but not properly reactivate the video output.

In the energy report generated by Windows (powercfg /energy), it is common to see warnings such as “Suspension timeout disabled”“Disk inactivity disabled” or USB device errors that fail to enter selective suspend. While these don't always directly cause the black screen, they do indicate an unhealthy power configuration that should be corrected.

Update your chipset and power subsystem drivers by downloading them from your motherboard or laptop manufacturer's official website. In many cases, after installing the latest versions, Suspension hangs and resumption problems disappearAlso take the opportunity to check for new BIOS updates, especially if the release notes mention stability or power management improvements.

If you suspect a specific driver (for example, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth adapters that appear in the Event Viewer with power transition errors), you can temporarily try disable that device from the Administrator and check if the black screens when waking from sleep stop occurring.

Windows power settings that can cause a black screen

Windows power settings play a huge role in how your computer enters and exits sleep mode. A poorly configured profile can leave the system "half-awake," causing the screen to remain dormant even though the rest of the PC is functioning.

Start by opening the Energy options (Right-click on the Start menu > Power Options, or from the Control Panel). In the active plan, go to “Change plan settings” and then to “Change advanced power settings.” Review these key points:

• In “Suspend”, make sure that the suspension time is not completely disabled If you want the computer to sleep properly, but also avoid ridiculously low values ​​that cause it to constantly enter and exit sleep mode.
• In “Hard Drive”, check that Deactivation due to inactivity should not always be set to "Never" without reason, as this may interfere with other energy-saving states.
• In “USB Settings”, check the option to selective suspension of USBIf there are very problematic devices, sometimes it's worth disabling it as a test to see if that stops the resumption from hanging.

Another adjustment famous for causing trouble with the restart is the Windows fast startup (Fast Startup). It is managed from Control Panel > Power Options > “Choose what the power buttons do” > “Change settings that are currently unavailable”. There you will see a box called “Enable fast startup (recommended)"

Uncheck that box, save changes, and test for a few days. Many users report that disabling fast startup... The intermittent black screens disappear when starting up or waking from sleep mode.especially on systems with modern hardware (AMD Ryzen, RTX graphics cards, motherboards with recent UEFI).

Software, antivirus, and newly installed applications

Beyond drivers, there are third-party programs that can get stuck during startup or system resume, leaving you staring at a black screen. Among the usual suspects are: third-party antivirus software, aggressive optimization utilities, overclocking tools, and software that hooks into Windows Explorer startup.

If the problem started right after installing something, boot into safe mode and Uninstall those apps one by oneTesting in between whether the PC boots normally again. Sometimes the conflict isn't obvious: it could be anything from a webcam program to an audio suite that injects drivers into the system.

Regarding antivirus software, while Windows Defender usually works well with the system, other security packages can cause serious problems. If you suspect your antivirus, temporarily disable it or uninstall it completely. just as a testIf the black screens disappear, you have a clear culprit and you'll have to look for a more system-friendly alternative.

Don't forget to check the Latest downloads and installations for games or large applications. Certain installers modify system libraries or install additional drivers (anti-cheat, video filters, capture cards, etc.) that may conflict with your current configuration. Using System Restore is usually the cleanest way to undo everything at once.

SFC and DISM commands: Repairing corrupted Windows files

When you suspect the problem stems from corrupted system files (a common occurrence after power outages, continuous forced shutdowns, or disk failures), you have two built-in Windows tools at your disposal: SFC (System File Checker) and DISM.

From safe mode or from WinRE, open a window of Command Prompt with administrator permissions and run first:

sfc /scannow

This command checks all protected Windows files and replaces any corrupted ones with correct copies from the cache. Once it finishes, restart and check the behavior. If there are still unusual symptoms, return to the console and run:

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

DISM checks and repairs the Windows image that SFC uses as a reference. It can take a while, so be patient, but it's a A very powerful tool for restoring system stability without formatting.

When to consider reinstalling or using another screen as a "lifesaver"

If after checking hardware, adjusting BIOS, going through safe mode, cleaning and reinstalling drivers, using SFC/DISM, restoring system and tinkering with power settings you still have a black screen when waking from sleep, it's logical to consider more drastic solutions.

An intermediate option before a complete format is to use the function of Reset this PC of Windows, choosing the option that keeps your personal files but reinstalls the system. Even so, it's always advisable to have recent backups on an external drive or in the cloudin case something goes wrong.

If the device is a laptop with a faulty integrated screen but the rest of the hardware works, a practical solution is to use... HDMI output or DisplayPort to an external monitor or TVWindows usually displays the image on that secondary screen automatically, allowing you to continue using the computer, make backups, or even live with it permanently if changing the screen isn't worthwhile.

When nothing is displayed even with an external monitor, it's almost certainly a problem with the motherboard, GPU, or video circuitry of the laptop. At that point, the sensible thing to do is to take it to a repair shop. specialized technical service with hardware diagnostics, especially if the equipment is still under warranty or its repair is worthwhile compared to buying a new one.

If you've made it this far, you'll have seen that, although the black screen upon waking from sleep is quite alarming at first, there's almost always a logical explanation: from a simple loose cable to a graphics driver that's become corrupted after an update, to overly aggressive power settings or a misconfigured BIOS. Eliminating causes step by step, starting with the simplest and ending with advanced options, is the most effective way to Recover the image without going crazy or reinstalling Windows at the first opportunity.