How to Fix MacBook Pro Screen if it Goes Black and Unresponsive?

“John put his MacBook Pro to sleep and went on a coffee break. When he returned and tried to wake up his Mac system, he saw a black screen on an unresponsive Mac.”

Sometimes, MacBook Pro stuck on a black screen post waking up from sleep. In some cases, when MacBook Pro is turned on, you can hear the startup chime but see a black screen instead of the Apple logo and the system becomes unresponsive. This sudden incident can hamper your work and may result in loss of data.

In this post, we will discuss the reasons for the MacBook screen goes black and unresponsive issue. We’ll also mention the methods to fix the problem and ways to recover data from an unresponsive MacBook Pro.

• Factors that cause Black Screen on MacBook Pro
• Recover Data from Unresponsive MacBook with Black Screen
• Solutions to Fix the Black Screen on MacBook Pro Issue
  • Check Power Availability on your Mac
  • Force Restart your MacBook Pro
  • Reset the PRAM/NVRAM
  • Reset the System Management Controller (SMC)

Factors that may cause Black Screen on MacBook Pro

The functionality of any component on MacBook Pro primarily depends on the usage behavior and operations performed. However, the issue of the MacBook Pro screen goes black and unresponsive can be caused due to following reasons:

1. Battery is Drained or Faulty

At times, we get involved in a long task and forget that our MacBook needs continuous power. In such cases, the battery is drained and your Mac will not turn on. If your Mac is connected to the power supply and still you are facing the black screen, it may be due to a fault in your MacBook’s battery or charging cable.

2. Display Malfunction

If the MacBook’s power-on indicator light is on and you hear the startup chime and fan whirring sound but the display is black and not showing anything, then there might be an issue with the display.

3. Fault in Login Items

When you log in to your MacBook Pro, certain applications boot up first. These applications might develop some fault at times, resulting in the black screen issue.

4. Issue with an App

Bugs issue with some third-party application may also cause the MacBook screen goes black  issue.

5. Incorrect System Permissions

The incorrect permissions provided to some system processes or while configuring the user controls might hamper the MacBook Pro’s booting process, thus causing black screen.

6. Incompatible macOS

When you upgrade to a new macOS, some components of the new OS might not be compatible with your MacBook Pro. Further, there are chances of bugs and glitches if you have upgraded to a recently launched OS, like macOS Ventura. The incompatibility of OS might be the reason for the black screen and unresponsive Mac.

Recover Data from Unresponsive MacBook with Black Screen

Before trying to resolve the problem at hand, it is pertinent to safeguard your data. If you have a backup of your data on an external source, like Time Machine hard drive or iCloud, then you can start applying the solutions given below without any worry. However, if you don’t have a backup, it is better to recover the data before proceeding further. You might wonder how I can recover data when my Mac is unresponsive and not booting. There is an easy way. You can use the bootable recovery option provided by Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Mac.

To recover data from unresponsive MacBook using bootable recovery drive, see the below video:

Solutions to Fix the Black Screen on MacBook Pro Issue

As you’re now aware about the causes behind the unresponsive MacBook Pro with a black screen, move to the solutions below to resolve the problem. You can choose the solution as per the specific cause. However, if you are not sure, then start with the first solution and move down the list until your MacBook Pro gets fixed.

1. Check Power Availability on your Mac

It has been noticed that the most prominent cause behind the black screen and unresponsive Mac is power unavailability. Therefore, make sure that your MacBook Pro has an uninterrupted power supply by conducting the following checks:

• If you are using your Mac on battery power, ensure that the power indicator light is on. If not, then connect your Mac to a power source.
• Check the charger cable, if you don’t see the power indicator light on even after connecting your MacBook Pro to the charger. Make sure it is connected to an active supply point and the cable is not damaged.
• Check for any running sound from your Mac, such as the soft whirring sound of fan, drive sound, etc.

If you cannot confirm the power availability by any of the options above, it means your MacBook Pro’s battery needs replacement or there is a fault in the charger. Visit the Apple store and get it fixed by an expert.

2. Force Restart your MacBook Pro

Most of the time, a quick restart resolves minor issues that may be causing black screen on MacBook Pro. You can’t use the traditional method to restart. You need to force restart your Mac.

If you have the recent model of MacBook Pro, you can use the Touch ID to force restart your MacBook as described below.

• Locate the Touch ID button on the top right corner of your MacBook Pro.
• Press and hold the Touch ID button until a click sound appears and keep holding on to the button.
• Release the button when your MacBook Restarts.

For the earlier versions of MacBook Pro that came without the Touch ID button (or Touch Bar), you can use any of the following methods to force restart.

• Long press the power button to shut down the Mac and then again press it to restart your MacBook Pro.
• Press the Control + Command + Power buttons to restart your MacBook.

3. Reset PRAM/NVRAM

If the above two solutions have not worked, you need to reset the PRAM/NVRAM on your MacBook Pro. The NVRAM or PRAM stores the peripheral data on your MacBook Pro, such as time settings, volume, display brightness, resolution, etc. Resetting the PRAM/NVRAM will remove any anomaly in the display and other related settings. To reset the PRAM/NVRAM, shut down your MacBook Pro and follow the steps below:

Step 1: Once your MacBook Pro is shut down completely, boot it up immediately by pressing the power button.

Step 2: While your MacBook restarts, press and hold the Command + Option + P + R buttons simultaneously.

Step 3: Release the keys when you hear the second startup sound on your MacBook. If you have T2 Security Chip-powered Mac, wait until the Apple logo appears and disappears for the second time and then release the keys.

The PRAM/NVRAM of your MacBook Pro is reset. Now, try restarting the system and check if the problem still exists.

4. Reset the System Management Controller (SMC)

The System Management Controller (SMC) is an inbuilt circuit on your MacBook Pro that regulates the power management processes. Resetting the SMC will reset the power settings of your MacBook display.

Steps to reset SMC of MacBook Pro with non-removable battery

Step 1: Shut down your MacBook and make sure it is connected to power through charger.

Step 2: Press the Power button on your MacBook Pro while simultaneously holding the Shift + Control + Option keys.

Step 3: Release all the keys at once. You will see the change in color of your adapter light. It indicates that resetting of SMC is complete.

Now, power up your system and check if the MacBook Pro black screen problem is resolved.

Steps to reset SMC of MacBook Pro with a removable battery

Step 1: Shut down your Mac and remove the battery safely. Make sure that no other power source is connected to your system.

Step 2: Keep the power button pressed for 10-15 seconds and release.

Step 3: Insert the battery back into your laptop and connect it to charger.

Step 4: Power up your MacBook Pro and let it starts normally.

Your SMC will be reset after this. Unless you have any other significant issue, resetting the SMC will fix the problems related to power management on your Mac.

To Conclude

Although MacBook Pro is one of the premium products from Apple Inc., even it can develop glitches. To avoid any such issues in the future, you should do a few maintenance tasks on your Mac. Some examples are checking the updates from the Software Updates, checking the reliability of a third-party app before installing it, removing unnecessary applications and software, and checking the battery health. The normal life of a MacBook Pro’s battery is designated as 1000 cycles that translates to approximately three years. So, keep a check on the battery if your MacBook is more than one year old.

FAQ

1. How do you force restart a MacBook Pro?

You can use either of the following three methods to force restart your MacBook Pro, depending on the feature availability and convenience:

• Long press the Touch ID button.
• Long press the Power button.
• Use Control + Command + Power.

The detailed process is discussed in the present blog.

2. Why does my Mac go black out of nowhere?

The most probable reason for your Mac’s screen going black may be related to power availability. Check battery’s health, adaptor, or charging cable, whichever applies, and replace the faulty part with a working one. If power is not the issue, you can try any of the methods discussed above as per the functionality of your Mac system.

3. How do I boot my MacBook Pro into Recovery Mode?

You can boot your MacBook Pro into Recovery Mode by following the below steps:

• Click the Apple Menu and select Restart.
• Immediately hold down the Command + R keys and keep them pressed until you see the Apple logo.
• Release the keys and you will see MacBook’s Recovery Mode Utilities window.

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About The Author

Ashutosh Kumar

Ashutosh is a Senior Content Writer at Stellar with over 8 years of experience in data recovery, IoT, and AI technologies domain. He is a tech enthusiast who enjoys researching and sharing DIY solutions to resolve complex technical issues. Apart from professional writing Ashutosh is a published poet and spends his weekends building small gadgets.