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6 quick fixes for Black Screen of Death on Windows 10
5 min. read
Updated onMarch 19, 2024
updated onMarch 19, 2024
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Key notes
The annoyingBlue Screen of Deathhas been a major headache for Windows users ever since theWindows XP era. But it seems that wasn’t enough, as its brother, theBlack Screen of Deathstarted to bother users.
Apparently, Windows 10 isn’t immune toBSOD errorseither, and some users reported this issue sometime after they upgraded their system.
Unlike Blue Screen of Death, which represents a critical hardware issue in your computer, theBlack Screen of Deathrepresents a software issue, which is reportedly easier to fix. But even a B(Black)SOD could be caused by some more serious problems, and it certainly requires your attention.
Various things could cause this issue, fromdriver problemsand incompatibility to overheating, and we will cover all the causes and solutions for BSOD in this article.
How do I fix Black Screen of Death in Windows 10
1. Use a dedicater tool to fix Windows issues
Specialized softwaretakes the guesswork out of PC maintenance by allowing you to diagnose and fix issues before you get to the black screen of death phase. All you need to do is start the scan and watch it do its magic.
2. Fix software incompatibility issues
Whilst most software incompatibilities have been already resolved, there are still some programs out there that don’t work with Windows 10.
So in most cases, when you try torun an older programthat is not compatible with Windows 10, it won’t even start. But in some cases, it might cause the Black Screen of Death, as well.
The only thing you can do to resolve this issue and prevent BSOD from appearing in the future is to run theCompatibility Troubleshooter.
What this does is check if the program can be opened in compatibility mode with a previous version of Windows. 9 times out of 10, this will solve the issue.
3. Fix driver problems
Additionally, a black screen can appear if your graphics card driver is not working correctly. If your CPU has an integrated graphics card, disconnect your monitor from the dedicated GPU and plug it in the integrated one.
If the issue disappears, then uninstall your GPU drivers and reinstall them from scratch. You can use a specialized utility likeDDUto completely uninstall a GPU driver.
Drivers are the most common causes of both blue and black screen of death. You should take the time to update your drivers to their latest versions as this greatly improves system stability and performance.
In case you need more automated support to update drivers correctly, you can get the latest drivers or fix corrupted ones with software likeOutbyte Driver Updater.
4. Fix overheating issues
If you’re using Windows 10 on a laptop, you might face the Black Screen of Death issue because ofoverheating problems.
If that’s the case, turn off your computer, wait some time until it cools off, and then turn it on again. We also recommendgetting an external coolerfor yourlaptop becauseit is very helpful in preventing it from overheating.
Dust ingress is the main cause of overheating. If you’re handy with a screwdriver, you can take the back panel off and clean the inside of the laptop of any dust. Dust tends to accumulate around the vents and inside the fans.
Of course, if you are not confident in doing this, we highly recommend taking your system to a specialized technician to be cleaned.
One thing to mention is to always keep your laptop/PC on a solid and elevated surface. This allows the air to circulate and cool the system.
On the other hand, if you’re sure that overheating is not a problem, and it didn’t cause the BSOD on your laptop, you can try some of the solutions listed above.
5. Run the built-in troubleshooter
Windows 10 also comes with a built-in Blue Screen Troubleshooter. While this guide focuses on how to fix black screen issues, it is still a good idea to run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter as well.
This tool troubleshoots errors that cause Windows 10 to stop or restart unexpectedly and may help you to fix your black screen issues too.
6. Additional troubleshooting methods
If you know about any other methods to fix a black screen on a Windows 10 system, let us know in the comments section below.
More about the topics:Black screen issues,BSoD error codes
Ivan Jenic
Windows Hardware Expert
Passionate about all elements related to Windows and combined with his innate curiosity, Ivan has delved deep into understanding this operating system, with a specialization in drivers and driver troubleshooting.
When he’s not tackling diverse driver-related problems, Ivan enjoys watching good movies and spending time hiking with his family and friends.
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Ivan Jenic
Windows Hardware Expert
Ivan has delved deep into understanding the Windows OS, with a specialization in drivers and driver troubleshooting.
