Share this article

Improve this guide

5 Ways to Fix a Black Screen with Blinking Cursor

Blinking cursor on a black screen is no fun, so try these quick solutions

7 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

Share this article

Improve this guide

Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial teamRead more

Key notes

A black screen with a blinking cursor indicates that your PC has crashed or frozen and you can’t access your desktop. This problem is not limited to Windows but occurs in macOS and Linux too. You may also experience ablack screen with no cursor, so be sure to check out our detailed guide on the same.

What does a black screen with a blinking cursor mean?

This is where a black screen with a blinking cursor appears on your screen as a result of your computer freezing. This issue can be caused by many different things, such as:

How can I fix the black screen with a blinking cursor on Windows 11?

Before trying anything else, ensure that you perform the below checks:

If none of these prerequisite measures didn’t fix your problem, check the solutions below.

1. Change the boot order

If you only get a black screen with a cursor, the system doesn’t boot up. And that may be caused by the fact that the device is trying to boot the system from another source and doesn’t find any bootable system.

If you followed our instructions from the beginning of this guide and removed all media and external devices, this shouldn’t happen. However, sometimes,Windows ignores the boot order, and this happens.

2. Try to start up in Safe Mode

If you can boot in Safe Mode and not in normal mode, usually, it’s some corrupted drivers preventing that.

However, this issue may also be caused bycorrupted system filesor problems on your storage drive. Repairing or replacing the corrupt system files should also work when you have a black screen with a blinking cursor in Windows 7.

3. Boot your PC from a bootable media

The commands will scan the system and fix the MBR and BCD, which might be responsible for this issue.

For all we know, theMaster Boot Record might even be missingentirely, but this guide will help you fix the problem.

4. Update BIOS

BIOS is an essential system component that allows your computer hardware components to communicate with each other and perform their tasks properly without any interruption or failure.

You canupdate BIOSusing your motherboard manufacturer’s website or by using a bootable CD/DVD containing the latest version of the BIOS update file. When updating BIOS, you need to exercise caution as one wrong move could render your hardware unusable.

If you are unsure how to go about it, ask for assistance from an expert to minimize the risk of damaging your PC.

5. Change your hard drive

There is the possibility that if nothing else in this guide worked, your hard drive has failed. To know for sure, the only way is to take out the hard drive from your PC and connect it to a different machine.

However, if that voids any warranty policy, you should address the service support for your device.

You may also experience a blinking cursor when booting from a USB. This could mean that your USB flash drive is not formatted properly, yourUSB port is damaged, or a case of outdated firmware.

You can also try another USB or another computer, if possible, and test both devices on that computer. It could be an incompatibility issue between those two particular devices rather than an issue with your computer.

Should you run into ablack screen when playing games, we have covered various ways to fix the issue. You may also come across ablack screen on Remote Desktop, so be sure to check out our comprehensive article on how to go about it.

Let us know if you have managed to fix this issue in the comments section below.

More about the topics:Black screen issues,Windows 11

Claire Moraa

Windows Software Expert

Claire has a knack for solving problems and improving the quality of life for those around her. She’s driven by rationality, curiosity, and simplicity, and always eager to learn more about Microsoft’s products. With a background in teaching and reviewing, she breaks down complex topics into easily understandable articles, focusing mostly on Windows 11, errors, and software.

User forum

0 messages

Sort by:LatestOldestMost Votes

Comment*

Name*

Email*

Commenting as.Not you?

Save information for future comments

Comment

Δ

Claire Moraa

Windows Software Expert

With a background in teaching and reviewing, she breaks down complex topics into easily understandable articles, focusing mostly on Windows 11 errors.