Diagnostics
Laptop Has Power But No Display
4 min read
Your laptop turns on but the screen stays black. This guide covers the likely causes — from the screen to the motherboard — and what to do.
A laptop that powers on but shows nothing on the screen is a common and confusing fault. The lights are on, the fans spin, but the display stays black. The cause could be the screen, the cable, the backlight, the GPU or the motherboard.
First, check the simple things
- Connect an external monitor. If it shows a picture, the laptop itself is working and the fault is the screen or cable.
- Try the brightness keys — a backlight set to zero looks like a dead screen.
- Listen for startup sounds to confirm the laptop is actually booting.
Common causes
- A failed screen or damaged LCD cable.
- A backlight or inverter fault (the image is there but very dim).
- A GPU or display output fault on the motherboard.
- A RAM or motherboard issue preventing the laptop from completing boot.
How we diagnose it
We test with an external display, inspect the cable and screen, and check the motherboard's display output. This tells us whether you need a screen replacement or a motherboard repair.
Book a laptop repair in Sandton to get a proper diagnosis.
Related Repairs
Need a Professional Repair?
Our Sandton workshop can diagnose and fix the fault properly.