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Black screen after logging into Windows

When troubleshooting a black screen after logging into Windows, it is important to rule out the causes one at a time. Based on the “black screen when logging in” symptom, check the user profile, Explorer issue, or display output settings and proceed to the next step. First check if Windows is running, then check the output mode and graphics driver in that order.

Solving Order
We've organized the methods starting with the simplest and least expensive ones. Please check the solutions one by one, starting from the top.

Do you have these symptoms?

  • Black screen when logging in
  • The screen does not appear after entering the password.
  • After logging in, only the cursor

main causes

  • User profile or Explorer issues
  • Display output settings
  • Graphics driver conflict

How to solve

Please check them in order from the top. If the issue is resolved, you do not need to proceed to the next step.

1

Restart graphics driver with shortcut key

If Windows is running but the screen output stops, you can immediately reinitialize the display driver.

Difficulty Easy time 1 minute cost 0 won
  1. 1Press Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + B simultaneously.
  2. 2Check for short beeps or screen flickering.
  3. 3Once the screen is restored, proceed with checking the graphics driver.

confirmation point

After these steps, see if the “black screen when logging in” symptom decreases or disappears. If there is no change, check for possible user profile or Explorer issues in the next step as well.

2

Switching output screen mode

Windows may be sending the screen to a nonexistent second monitor.

Difficulty Easy time 2 minutes cost 0 won
  1. 1Press Windows key + P.
  2. 2Try selecting ‘PC screen only’ or ‘Duplicate’ using the arrow keys and Enter.
3

Completely restart your PC

Temporary driver and service errors can often be recovered just by restarting.

Difficulty Easy time 2-5 minutes cost 0 won
  1. 1Save the file you are working on.
  2. 2From the Start menu, select Power → Restart.
  3. 3After rebooting, see if the same symptom occurs again.

confirmation point

If it's normal right after rebooting, it's most likely a temporary software error.

4

Check the same symptom in safe mode

Safe mode loads only a minimal number of drivers and services, which is helpful in narrowing down the cause.

Difficulty Moderate time 10-20 minutes cost 0 won
  1. 1Go to Settings → System → Recovery → Advanced startup.
  2. 2After restarting, select Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart.
  3. 3See if the issue reproduces in safe mode.

confirmation point

In safe mode, if normal, third-party drivers, services, and startup programs are suspected first.

5

Update or reinstall graphics drivers

Outdated or corrupted graphics drivers can cause the symptom.

Difficulty Moderate time 10~30 minutes cost 0 won
  1. 1Check the device in Device Manager.
  2. 2Check your PC or component manufacturer's site for graphics drivers for your current model.
  3. 3If the problem started immediately after an update, consider rolling back to the previous stable version.
  4. 4After installing the driver, restart your PC.
6

Revert recent changes

If the problem started immediately after installing an update, driver, or new program, a recent change may be the cause.

Difficulty Moderate time 10~30 minutes cost 0 won
  1. 1Find out when the problem first started.
  2. 2If there are any programs, drivers, or updates that were installed just before, uninstall or roll them back one by one.
  3. 3Reboot every time you make a change and check for symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions

We've put together a list of things we frequently check regarding this issue.

Related issues

If the symptoms do not match exactly, please check the issue below.

Display

Black screen after Windows update

If the “black screen after update” occurs repeatedly, it is better to narrow it down to incompatible display drivers, incomplete updates, or conflicts rather than changing several settings at once. First check if Windows is running, then check the output mode and graphics driver in that order.

View solutions →
Display

Issue where only the mouse cursor is visible on the Windows black screen

If “only black screen cursor” occurs repeatedly, it is better to narrow the issue to Explorer or Windows process freezing or graphics driver issues rather than changing several settings at once. First check if Windows is running, then check the output mode and graphics driver in that order.

View solutions →
Display

Computer screen suddenly turns black

If you are experiencing the “screen suddenly goes black” symptoms, possible causes include a graphics driver crash or display output change. First check if Windows is running, then check the output mode and graphics driver in that order.

View solutions →
Display

The monitor is turned on but the screen is black.

When troubleshooting a monitor that is turned on but the screen is black, it is important to rule out causes one at a time. Based on the “monitor is powered on but black screen” symptom, check for problems with the input signal, brightness, or panel, then proceed to the next step. Cross-testing the input source, cables, ports, and then other monitors can help isolate output device and PC issues.

View solutions →

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