As a Windows user, you must have had an experience with “Windows 10 Black Screen with Cursor” at the most unexpected time. This type of error happens a lot when your Windows 10 PC system lags, thus causing the black screen with only the cursor displayed on the screen. In this case, you will not be able to see whatever you are currently working on your screen anymore. All you will see is the Windows 10 boots to the black screen with only a cursor point floating around.
While this problem may present an inconvenience over time, you can try to wait for a while until the black screen turns back to normal. In some occasions, the Windows 10 black screen with cursor only lasts for a couple of minutes or so. Afterward, the screen will turn back to a normal Windows 10 screen once the system starts to operate again.
Nonetheless, you should take some precautions in case the black screen keeps on appearing to no end. In case you turn on your Windows 10 PC and see the screen suddenly goes black, then you will have to perform the right method to fix it. If it happens right after the Windows startup, then you will not be able to get to the login screen. In return, you will not be able to access or even operate your Windows 10 PC at this point.
Whenever you experience such a discomfort caused by Windows 10 black screen, you must try to fix the problem at once with the right method. In this article, we will discuss the methods to fix Windows black screen with a cursor. Along with the complex methods, we will also provide a quick method to get the issue fixed quickly. If you happen to turn on your PC and see the BIOS screen with the Windows logo instead of the login screen, you will have to fix the issue with the system at once. The black screen with the cursor will come soon after you see the BIOS screen with the Windows logo instead of the Windows login screen.
Contents
- “Windows 10 Black Screen with Cursor” Error
- What Causes Windows 10 Black Screen with Cursor
- Methods to Fix “Windows 10 Black Screen with Cursor” Error
- Reset the Power on Your Windows 10 PC
- Switching the Windows Displays
- Disabling Windows 10 Fast Startup
- Uninstalling Problematic Graphics Card Drivers
- Resetting Windows 10 PC
- Updating Graphics Card Drivers Manually
- Updating Graphics Drivers from Manufacturer Website
- Disabling the Integrated Graphics Card
- Updating Windows 10 PC BIOS
- Performing Repair Install for Your Windows 10 System
- Methods to Fix “Windows Black Screen with Cursor” Error without Logging In
“Windows 10 Black Screen with Cursor” Error
Whenever your Windows 10 PC experiences a black screen with cursor error, your Windows boots to the black screen with nothing but a cursor. Other than a blank screen with cursor, you will not see any programs or your normal Windows desktop displaying on the screen. Despite the constant existence of the cursor on the black screen, you will not have much to do other than dragging it up and down. Besides, there are no icons or buttons you can click on the screen. The system technically freezes at this point.
If you wish to use the left and right buttons of the mouse, they will not do a thing on your Windows black screen. As the system freezes, the left and right cursor cannot click on anything. Basically, the mouse can only move without doing much in terms of a PC operation.
It also goes the same way with the keyboard. Similarly to the cursor, the keyboard will also not do anything regarding the black screen issue. Even if you try to press any alternative buttons there is, it will not even do much to the Windows PC. What’s left for you is a black screen with cursor on once your Windows 10 boots back into the desktop.
What Causes Windows 10 Black Screen with Cursor
Black screen with cursor on Windows is not as serious of a problem as a Blue Screen of Death. Nonetheless, it can still cause an inconvenience to any Windows users out there. Though the display of the problem differs, Windows boots to both black screen and blue screen share some similarities. Both of the cases can be caused by corrupt, faulty, or outdated display drivers as well as corrupt Windows or system files. Other than the corrupt drivers, the Windows boots the system back to black screen issue can also be caused by battery residue and many other things. Booting the PC into Safe Mode will not give you much of a choice if you do not know what else to do afterward. Therefore, you must look at every method possible to fix the black screen error on your Windows 10 PC.
Methods to Fix “Windows 10 Black Screen with Cursor” Error
In order to fix the Windows black screen with cursor error, you have to make sure you can log in to your Windows PC first. To ensure the safety of your data, you can perform these methods below in Windows Safe Mode with Network. Try to restart your computer and boot your Windows PC in the Safe Mode with Network. Afterward, you can perform one of the methods below.
Reset the Power on Your Windows 10 PC
The quick and easy method to fix the Windows black screen with the cursor is to unplug all the power sources and the other USB attachments. After you make sure not one single power cord or USB cable attached, you can try to press the power button and hold it for fifteen seconds. Once you do that, you can try to attach the power cord back and every USB cable you have unplugged earlier to your Windows 10 PC. Turn your Windows PC back on and see if the Windows black screen with cursor error has disappeared.
Switching the Windows Displays
Step 1: Proceed to press Windows and P buttons at the same time to open the Project menu.
Step 2: Due to the black screen, it becomes impossible to view the Project menu on your Windows screen. Nonetheless, you just have to follow the steps we have curated on this method.
Step 3: Afterward, you can press the Up or Down arrow keys for a couple of times and press Enter.
Step 4: Wait until you can see your Windows screen at a normal view again.
Step 5: If you still see the black screen with cursor on your Windows 10 PC, then you can repeat the steps we have mentioned above a couple more times.
Step 6: Keep in mind that you will need to press the Space bar in case your Windows PC is password protected. Proceed to enter your password afterward and press Enter. Do not be panic and perform things as written on this method.
Disabling Windows 10 Fast Startup
Step 1: Open the Run box by pressing Windows and R buttons at the same time.
Step 2: Afterward, you can type control and press Enter.
Step 3: Choose the option “Control Panel” from the search list and click on it
Step 4: Find the section “Hardware and Sound” and click on the “Power Options”.
Step 5: On the left window pane, find the option “Choose what the power buttons do“ and click on it.
Step 6: Then, you can click on the option “Change settings that are currently unavailable“.
Step 7: Proceed to uncheck the box next to the option “Turn on fast startup” and click on the option “Save changes”.
Step 8: At last, you can restart your Windows 10 PC and see if the Windows 10 black screen with cursor error has been fixed.
Uninstalling Problematic Graphics Card Drivers
Step 1: Go to Windows Safe Mode and press Windows and R buttons at the same time to open the Run box.
Step 2: Afterward, you can type devmgmt.msc and press Enter to open Device Manager.
Step 3: Then, you can find the section “Display adapter” and expand it.
Step 4: Next, you can proceed to right-click on the current display adapter on your Windows 10 PC and choose the option “Uninstall”.
Step 5: Check if you have a Graphics Card in your system and right-click on it. Proceed to choose the option “Disable”.
Step 6: On the Device Manager menu, proceed to choose the section “Action” and choose the option “Scan for hardware changes”.
Step 7: At last, try to reboot your Windows PC to save and apply the changes. See if the Windows 10 black screen with cursor error has been solved.
Resetting Windows 10 PC
Step 1: Open the Windows Settings by pressing Windows and I buttons at the same time.
Step 2: Proceed to click on the section “Update & Security”.
Step 3: On the left-hand menu, find the option “Recovery” and click on it.
Step 4: Find the option “Get Started” under the option “Reset this PC” and click on it.
Step 5: Proceed to click on the option “Keep my files”.
Step 6: Next, you can prepare the Windows 10 installation media on an external hard drive such as disc or USB drive.
Step 7: Follow the installation instructions and check if the Windows 10 black screen with cursor error has been fixed.
Updating Graphics Card Drivers Manually
If you do not wish to uninstall anything, you can try to update some problematic drivers in your system. By manually updating the Graphics Drivers using Device Manager, you can fix the Windows black screen with cursor error. Alternatively, you can use the best driver updater to get the job done easily.
In order to update the driver manually, you can follow the steps below.
Step 1: Open the Run box by pressing Windows and R buttons at the same time.
Step 2: Afterward, you can type devmgmt.msc and press enter to open Device Manager.
Step 3: Then, you can find the section “Display adapters” and expand it.
Step 4: Proceed to right-click on the Graphics Card your Windows 10 PC currently uses and choose the option “Enable”.
Step 5: Head to the Graphics Card again and right-click on it. This time around, choose the option “Update Driver“.
Step 6: Afterward, you can choose the option “Search automatically for updated driver software”.
Step 7: Wait for the automatic updates to finish the process.
Step 8:In case you still see the black screen, you can try to install the driver from your computer drive.
Step 9: Proceed to right-click on the graphics card and choose the option “Update Driver”.
Step 10: Afterward, you can select the option “Browse my computer for driver software.“
Step 11: Then, you can choose the option “Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.”
Step 12: Proceed to find the latest driver for the Graphics Card on your Windows 10 PC from the list and click Next.
Step 13: Wait until the installation process finishes and restart your Windows 10 PC to save and apply the changes.
Updating Graphics Drivers from Manufacturer Website
Step 1: Proceed to head to the Run box by pressing Windows and R buttons at the same time.
Step 2: Afterward, you can type dxdiag in the search box and press Enter.
Step 3: Then, look for the Display tab and click on it.
Step 4: Locate the current Graphics Card your computer is currently using.
Step 5: If you use NVIDIA, then you can download the latest version of the NVIDIA driver on the official NVIDIA site.
Step 6: Afterward, you can enter the product details of the driver.
Step 7: Proceed to search the NVIDIA driver which are compatible with your Windows 10 PC and click on the option “Agree”.
Step 8: Begin downloading the drivers.
Step 9: Once the downloading process finishes, you can install the driver.
Step 10: Wait until the NVIDIA drivers have been fully updated and see if the Windows black screen with cursor error has been solved.
Disabling the Integrated Graphics Card
Step 1: Open the Run box by pressing Windows and R buttons at the same time.
Step 2: Afterward, you can type devmgmt.msc and press Enter to open Device Manager.
Step 3: Find the section “Display adapters” and expand it.
Step 4: Then, you can right-click on the option “Intel HD Graphics” and choose the option “Disable”.
Step 5: At last, you can reboot your Windows 10 PC to save and apply the changes. See if the black screen with cursor on your Windows 10 PC has disappeared.
Updating Windows 10 PC BIOS
Just in case you have tried every method to no avail, you can try to run the BIOS update. As a critical task in Windows fixing method, this method can either fix your Windows 10 PC effectively or damage it even further. If you have no basic knowledge of operating Windows system, we do not advise you to perform this method on your own. Nevertheless, you can try to perform this method if you know some basic things about the Windows system.
Step 1: First, you must identify the BIOS version of your Windows 10 PC by opening the Run box and type msinfo32 and press Enter to open System Information.
Step 2: On the System Information window, you can find the BIOS Version/Date and write down the details of the BIOS including the manufacturer and BIOS version.
Step 3: Afterward, head to the manufacturer’s website and type your computer’s serial number. Alternatively, you can click on the “auto detect” option.
Step 4: See your type of BIOS from the list of the drivers displayed on your Windows 10 screen. Afterward, you can download the recommended update for your BIOS.
Step 5: After you get the installer for the updated BIOS, you can proceed to double-click on it and run the installer file.
Step 6: Once the BIOS finishes the installation, you can check whether or not the Windows 10 boots to the black screen with cursor issue has been fixed.
Performing Repair Install for Your Windows 10 System
When all else fails, you can try to repair install your Windows 10. This method works by using an in-place upgrade within the Windows system to fix the existing problems with the system. You do not have to worry because your user data will not be deleted and remain in the system.
Methods to Fix “Windows Black Screen with Cursor” Error without Logging In
In case you cannot log in to your Windows 10 PC due to the black screen error, you can try to perform the methods we have curated below. Since it can be difficult to log in to the Windows desktop, you can use several alternative methods to fix Windows black screen without logging in. In some cases, booting the PC into Safe Mode will not give you much of a choice if you do not know what else to do afterward. Therefore, you must look at every method possible to fix the black screen error on your Windows 10 PC without logging in.
Try to perform one of the methods below. See if it can fix the Windows boots to the black screen with cursor error on your Windows 10 PC.
Performing Windows Startup or Automatic Repair
Step 1: Prepare the Windows 10 installation media in the form of a disc and restart your Windows 10 PC.
Step 2: Automatically, you will be instructed to press any key to boot from the disc. Proceed to press any key to continue.
Step 3: Then, you can choose the language you wish to use and click Next to continue.
Step 4: Find the option “Repair your computer” on the bottom-left of the current window and click on it.
Step 5: Afterward, proceed to click on the option “Troubleshoot”.
Step 6: On the Troubleshoot screen, proceed to click on the choice “Advanced options”.
Step 7: Once you get to the “Advanced options” window, click on the option “Automatic Repair” or “Startup Repair”.
Step 8: Now, you can wait for the Windows Automatic or Startup Repair to finish the repairing process.
Step 9: At last, you can restart your Windows 10 PC and see if the Windows 10 boots to a black screen with cursor error has been fixed or not.
Performing System Restore on Windows 10
Step 1: Insert the Windows installation media you have prepared before or Recovery Drive or System Repair Disc to the Windows 10 PC.
Step 2: Then, proceed to select the language you wish to use and click Next to continue.
Step 3: Proceed to click on the option “Repair your computer” at the bottom of the list.
Step 4: Then, you can choose the option “Troubleshoot” and proceed to click on the choice “Advanced Options”.
Step 5: On the next window, click on the “System Restore” and proceed with the instructions to finish the restoring or repairing process.
Step 6: At last, you can restart your Windows 10 PC to save and apply the changes.
Running SFC and CHKDSK to Fix Windows Black Screen Error
Step 1: Open the Windows Command Prompt and get to the “Windows installation disk” window.
Step 2: Afterward, you can type the following command in the Command Prompt window and press Enter after each one.
sfc /scannow /offbootdir=c:\ /offwindir=c:\windows chkdsk C: /f /r /x
Step 3: After the commands have finished processing, you can close the Command Prompt window.
Step 4: At last, you can restart your Windows 10 PC and see if the Windows 10 black screen with cursor error has been fixed.
Running DISM
Step 1: First, you can open Windows’ Command Prompt and Enter the command below. Press Enter after you type each one.
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth cmd restore health system
Step 2: Wait for the commands finish the processing. At most, it will take twenty minutes or more.
Step 3: Alternatively, you can try to type this command below if the previous one does not work.
Dism /Image:C:\offline /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:c:\test\mount\windows
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:c:\test\mount\windows /LimitAccess
Step 4: Once everything is done, you can finally restart your Windows 10 PC. See if the Windows boots to black screen with cursor error has been fixed.
Enabling Low-Resolution Video to Fix Windows 10 Black Screen Error
Step 1: Proceed to remove every external attachment, including discs and USB drive, from your Windows 10 PC.
Step 2 :Afterward, you can reboot your Windows 10 PC.
Step 3: Then, you can press the F8 button and hold it. Soon after, the “Advanced boot options” display will appear.
Step 4: Proceed to restart your Windows 10 at once.
Step 5: Once the system restarts enter the BIOS setup, you can configure your Windows 10 PC to boot from the installation media disc.
Step 6: Afterward, you can insert the Windows 10 bootable installation disc and restart your Windows 10 PC.
Step 7: Follow the instruction to press any key to boot from the installation disc to continue.
Step 8: Proceed to choose the language you wish to use and click Next.
Step 9: Afterward, you can choose the option “Repair your computer” at the bottom-left of the screen.
Step 10: Then, you can choose the option “Troubleshoot”.
Step 11: Once you see the Troubleshoot window on display, you can proceed to click on the choice “Advanced Options”.
Step 12: Once you get to the “Advanced Options” window, proceed to click on the option “Command Prompt”.
Step 13: On the Command Prompt window, you can open type C: and press enter.
Step 14: Then, you can type BCDEDIT /SET {DEFAULT} BOOTMENUPOLICY LEGACY on the Command Prompt window.
Step 15: Afterward, you can press Enter to proceed with “Enable Legacy Advanced Boot Menu”.
Step 16: Once the enabling process finishes, you can close the Command Prompt window.
Step 17: Head back to “Choose an option” screen and click continue to restart the Windows 10 PC.
Step 18: At last, you can pull out the Windows 10 installation disc and get to the “Boot options”.
Step 19: Once you get to the “Advanced Boot Options” window, you can use click on the option “Enable low-resolution video (640×480)” and press Enter to save the setting.
