How to Fix the Lenovo Laptop Black Screen of Death?
Summary: The Lenovo laptop black screen of death issue may occur due to various reasons. However, if you deal it with caution, you can resolve it of your own. In this post, we have mentioned the probable causes for Lenovo laptop black screen of death and effective solutions to fix those.
Many Lenovo laptop users have reported a problematic situation, where their Lenovo laptop screen turns black. Let’s try to understand the causes behind this problem.
Causes for Black Screen of Lenovo Laptop
There are various reasons for the Lenovo laptop black screen death. Some common factors responsible for the issue are:
1. Disk Errors
Hard disk errors are one the most common causes behind the Lenovo laptop black screen issue. The typical causes for the hard disk errors, include power outages/ fluctuations, hardware failures, poor system maintenance, viruses, or manual negligence.
2. Graphics Card Errors
Another reason behind the ‘black screen of death’ could be an error or malfunctioning of the graphics card. Some early warning signs of the graphics card would be stuttering, screen glitches, blue/black screens, or excessive fan noise.
3. Windows OS Behaving Unexpectedly
Sometimes, the Windows OS starts behaving unexpectedly, like slow operation than usual, delay in command execution, making strange notification sounds, unexplained file or folder changes, etc. The reasons for such abnormal functioning happens due to abrupt power outage, power fluctuations, system crashes, updating errors, or virus/malware attacks.
4. Faulty Laptop Battery
If your Lenovo laptop is showing a black screen and not starting up, the faulty battery could be the other reason behind it. The early signs that your laptop battery is going to fail include overheating, failing to charge, short-run times and shutdowns, replacement warnings, etc.
5. Faulty Laptop Display
One of the elements that differentiate a laptop from a regular desktop is the un-detachable screen. It helps make the computer handy and portable but it takes a toll if not appropriately handled. For example, the sockets or ports connecting the screen to the laptop keyboard might get damaged, thus causing malfunction. The typical indicators of the faulty display are no display screen, lines or dots on the screen, dimmed screen, wrong color display, distorted screen, etc.
6. Virus/Malware Attack
If your laptop crashes frequently, it may be due to the above-discussed technical issues or a malware infection. Suppose, if none of the above problems are apparent, it might be possible that a virus is hindering the functioning of your laptop’s programs. You have no antivirus protection or your antivirus isn’t strong enough to counter the attack.
7. Peripheral Devices Malfunction or Corruption
Sometimes, the Lenovo laptop black screen problem occurs due to the peripheral devices connected to the laptop viz. external hard drive, printer etc. that might be malfunctioning or corrupted due to some error or infection.
Early Warning Signs or Symptoms:
There are some early signs which indicate laptop black screen problem can initiate. If these warning signs are taken seriously then problem can be avoided and will save you from lots of trouble.
- Flickering Screen
- Stuttering Screen
- Excessive heating
- Increasing fan sound
- Abrupt opening and closing of unwanted windows
- Drive full warning
Solutions to Fix the Lenovo’s Black Screen of Death Issue
Incase if you are not able to act on the early signs and got into the problem of black screen of death. Here are some solutions that can help you to overcome this issue.
Before you proceed, you must take a backup of the crucial data stored on the laptop. In case the data loss happens, you can use Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Windows to recover your data.
1. Reset the Display or Screen Mode
One of the reasons for the black screen issue in Lenovo laptops is the loss of connection between the screen display and the Windows operating system. However, you can fix it easily by resetting the display mode of your laptop. All you need to do is to press Windows () + Ctrl + Shift + B.
2. Connect the External Monitor to Test the Display
If the Lenovo laptop is not starting usually and showing a black screen, there may be an issue with the display itself. You can conduct a display check by connecting an external monitor or Smart TV or check BIOS and RAM.
3. Disconnect the Non-essential Peripherals Devices
You might also face the issue due to peripheral devices connected to the laptop, such as external hard drive, pen drive, printer, etc. Remove all the non-essential peripheral devices and check if the issue is resolved. If yes, then start connecting back the devices one-by-one to find the device that is creating the issue. When found, remove it and get it repaired or inspected.
4. Hard Reset your Lenovo Laptop
Do you see some dots spinning during the boot-up process? This means some non-peripheral devices might be responsible for the black screen issue. In this case, your system needs a hard reset. Follow the following steps:
5. Update your Graphics Card Driver
You can perform this step only by running the system in safe mode. Use the below steps to run your system in safe mode.
Once the system starts in safe mode, follow the below steps to upgrade the graphics driver:
- Press Windows () + R keys simultaneously to open the ‘Run‘ dialog box.
- Type ‘devmgmt.msc‘ and hit ‘Enter’ to open the Device Manager.
- Click on ‘Display Adapters‘. Right-click on the graphics card and select ‘Properties’.
- Press the ‘Driver‘ tab, then press ‘Update Driver‘, and hit ‘OK.’
- Click ‘Search automatically for Updated driver software’.
- Follow the instructions to update the drivers successfully.
- When completed, reboot the laptop for the changes to take effect.
6. Restart the Explorer.exe Process
Explorer.exe helps in various functions, like desktop, taskbar, etc. If it is not running on your laptop, then there are chances that the laptop screen may go black. To restart the explorer.exe process, follow the steps below:
7. Disable Fast Start-up
The Fast Start-up feature is available only with Windows 10. To disable this feature, follow the given steps:
Step 1: Press Windows + R to launch the ‘Run‘ dialog box.
Step 2: Type ‘powercfg.cpl’ in the dialog box and press ‘Enter‘.
Step 3: Press ‘What the power buttons do‘.
Step 4: Click ‘Change settings that are currently available‘ in the next window that appeared.
Step 5: Unselect the ‘Turn on fast startup (Recommended)’ option and click ‘Save Changes’. Close the window.
Step 6: Restart your Lenovo laptop and check if the screen has returned to normal.
8. Resetting the Memory Modules
Resetting the memory modules can fix the problem of the black screen. It also helps in reducing the start-up time and other complexities. Follow the below steps to reset the memory module:
- Turn off the laptop. Disconnect the power supply and remove the battery.
- Open the service door on the backside of the laptop.
- Pull the arms holding the memory slot and carefully release the memory module.
- Take out the memory module gently from the hatch.
- Use a soft and clean cloth to wipe the memory module.
- Slowly push the memory module into the slot.
- Close the service door and attach the battery.
Turn on the laptop to check if the issue is resolved.
9. Perform a System Restore
There is a probability that the black screen issue may have emerged due to some recent changes you’ve made. In this case, you need to restore your system to some earlier point. To do so, follow the steps given below:
- Click the ‘Search‘ icon on the taskbar, type restore, and click ‘Create a restore point‘.
- Click ‘System Restore‘ under the ‘System Protection‘ tab.
- Click ‘Next‘ to continue.
- Tick on ‘Show more restore points‘, select the restore point, and click ‘Next‘.
- Finish the system restore by following the instructions shown on your screen.
What to do if Data is Lost?
It’s generally seen that during repair processes, some of your valuable data may lost due during the system restore that may damage the files completely or some data may become inaccessible. In such a case, you can use Professional data recovery software to recover the lost data.
Conclusion
The Lenovo laptops are one of the best devices available and trusted by users for their optimum performance. But sometimes best of our machine like Lenovo laptops also get into problem. The Lenovo laptop black screen of death is one such issue that users have reported. We have provided the solutions with some easy steps to resolve this issue. In case you get into data loss then use of Stellar Data Recovery Professional software is recommended.
My Lenovo is 3 weeks old, I have the black screen but absolutely nothing will turn the screen on, I have a internal battery and if I open the casing I’ll lose any options I have of returning it, I’m very annoyed
Perform a hard reset by holding down the power button for 20-30 seconds. To determine if the issue is with the screen, connect the laptop to an external monitor. You could also try resetting the graphics driver with a keyboard shortcut (Ctrl + Shift + Windows + B) or checking the Caps Lock indicator. If these steps don’t work, it’s best to contact Lenovo support or the retailer for assistance, as the laptop is still within the return or warranty period.
I am having same issue of black screen on Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 16 inch AMD Ryzen laptop. I can attach external monitor (Samsung TV) but it doesn’t show BIOS settings properly get green color cast and picture is zoomed in so I can’t do anything while in BIOS. Tried Ctrl+Windows+Shift+B but only display on TV works. Tried opening whole laptop, to find CMOS battery but this laptop has no CMOS battery. Also reset the laptop by re-installing windows but same issue. Since it was a touch screen laptop so tocu still works on the screen but it doesn’t show anything. Is it the issue with Laptop screen backlight leds failing? Or what is the other issue.
The black screen issue on your Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 could be due to a failing screen backlight or other internal display components. Since the touch functionality still works, the issue is likely with the display itself. First, try shining a flashlight on the screen to check for a faint image, indicating a backlight problem. Ensure all internal connections are secure, especially the display cable. If the problem persists, consider replacing the display cable or the entire screen. If you encounter any data loss, then you can go to our stellar data recovery professionals for Windows software.
I have a IdeaPad 5 with a Intel 1235u. For a low powered CPU thin laptop it gets a bit warm under long use cases. I sort of feel that PC makers have tried to limit fan use as much as possible to avoid noise. That means setting a higher threshold for temperature to trigger fan. It may also mean more troubles for motherboard and other failures if you ask me. I have even noticed under heavier loads that this laptop cannot even maintain base clock speeds as it thermal throttles. As someone else noted, do we need a 15watt rated CPU to turbo at 55 Watts? In a thin notebook with limited cooling. I thought the Adler Lake would be more efficient thus being cooler but apparently not.
Hello, I’m currently using x1 carbon window 11. There is a black screen issue without going to the password input screen after booting the window. A LED light appears on the keyboard. If you power it back on after forcing it to end, the password input screen will appear once in a while. What is the problem?
Hello, I’m currently using x1 carbon window 11. There is a black screen issue without going to the password input screen after booting the window. A LED light appears on the keyboard. If you power it back on after forcing it to end, the password input screen will appear once in a while. What is the problem?
Hi Yongki,
The black screen issue on your Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon running Windows 11 may be due to outdated graphics drivers, incorrect power settings, or a third-party application conflict. Update graphics drivers, check power settings, and perform antivirus scans. If the problem persists, consider BIOS and Windows updates, run SFC and DISM, and use Safe Mode. Consult Lenovo support or a professional if the issue persists for a more in-depth diagnosis, including hardware checks.
Hello,
I’ve tried every trick mentioned and my screen is black. It will not turn on at all. No power at all. I’ve tested the power cord and it will charge my beats headphones so I’m assuming that it’s not the charger. I left my Lenova Yoga laptop on my bed for several days and just figured that it died. I’ve tried everything to get it to turn on. I’ve opened it and unplugged the battery and still nothing. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Classes start back on Tuesday.
It seems there can be a hardware issue but you may try the following –
1 – Try connecting an external monitor if that works, With an HDMI cable, modern TV can act as an external monitor if you don’t have one.
2 – Some Lenovo laptops have a small pinhole on the side of the laptop known as Nova button.
Use a sim opener to press that button, check system settings, and if that fails attempt a recovery from there.
kindly provide more info on the issue, like whether if black screen has a backlight? or if you see Lenovo bootup sequence?
I have a lenovo T490 with 8 Gb of soldered RAM and 32 Gb of DDR4 RAM I purchased separately in the user-upgradable RAM slot. Originally, everything worked great and I set the laptop aside for ~2 months. When I tried to restart it, I would get the black screen. After trying all of the recommended tests and key combinations and disconnecting the battery and so on, i was finally able to get the laptop to boot by removing my 32 Gb DD4 stick. So, I don’t know why my new RAM failed, but it stopped the laptop from booting.
It seems your RAM may have some fault, to identify the cause you may try the following –
1 – Sometimes dust clogs around your RAM pins and may cause issues, try cleaning it with rubbing alcohol, and after some time place it back into the laptop and reboot to see if the issue is resolved.
2 – Boot to BIOS/UEFI, look for Diagnostics then memory test under it.
Run the test and it should identify the problem.
3 – You may try MemTest86 tool, download the tool, make a bootable USB, and boot through it.
It will perform multiple passes and should identify the issue.