Thanks to Stylish multitasking add-ons Windows 11 is a joy to play on an external display. But what if your screen randomly turns black on Windows? The situation can disrupt your workflow. Here are the best ways to fix a random black screen on Windows.
Does your Windows screen automatically go black while you're gaming, on a Teams call, or working on an Excel sheet? It's a very undesirable situation that can waste hours of your work. Let's review some basics and move on to advanced tricks to fix your screen randomly turning black for a few seconds.
1. Check the cable connection.
Most users prefer HDMI cable To connect Windows computers to a display, if the connection is loose on either side, the screen may turn black for a few seconds. You'll need to ensure that none of the components are interrupting the HDMI connection. Also, make sure your HDMI cable is long enough and that it isn't clamped too tightly between the display and the computer.
2. Replace the HDMI cable
If your HDMI cable is damaged or has frayed edges, replace it with a new one. We've rounded up the best HDMI cables for you.
3. Check power settings
You should check your Windows power settings to prevent the system from putting your computer into sleep mode. Here's what you need to do.
Step 1: Click on Keyboard shortcut Windows + I To open Settings. Locate the system From the left sidebar, choose energy from the right part.
Step 2: Expand Screen and sleep menu.
Step 3: use Drop-down menu To extend the time limits for placing your device in sleep mode.
4. Update graphics drivers
Outdated graphics drivers on your computer can cause issues like random black screens. You need to download the latest graphics drivers from the official website and install them on your computer.
Download Intel HD Graphics Drivers
Download NVIDIA GeForce drivers
وDownload AMD graphics drivers
Step 1: Right click on Windows key and select Device Manager of Power User Menu.
Step 2: Expand List of display adapters Right click on Graphics Card Your own.
Step 3: Locate Update Operating system.
Step 4: tap on “Search automatically for drivers.”
Windows Update will open to search for the latest firmware and automatically install it if updated drivers are available for your computer.
5. Reinstall display drivers
Corrupted display drivers can also cause your screen to turn black during work hours. It's time to reinstall your display drivers.
Step 1: Right click on Windows key Select Device Manager From a list Power User.
Step 2: Expand Display adapters Right click on Display drivers.Select Uninstall drivers.
Step 3: Restart your Windows PC, the system will download the relevant drivers during the reboot.
The trick worked wonders for many users and fixed the black screen issue in no time.
6. Disable high contrast
The high-contrast theme in Windows 11 can mess up the display output on your external display. You may have set it to match the wallpaper or background you're using, but it may still work properly on your external display. Here's what you need to do.
Step 1: Click on Keyboard shortcut Windows + I To open an application Settings.
Step 2: Locate Accessibility From the left sidebar, choose Contrast features from the right part.
Step 3: use Drop-down menu Next to Contrast Attributes, select nothing.
You can also use Keyboard shortcut Alt + left Shift + Print Screen To turn off high contrast in Windows 11.
7. Repair corrupted files
Your computer may have been infected with fake and corrupted files. These files could affect your computer's performance on an external display. Fortunately, you don't need to use a third-party antivirus application to remove such files. You can use the default Windows security tool to repair the corrupted files.
Step 1: Click on Windows key To open the Start menu, type Windows Security in Search bar And press Enter.
Step 2: Locate Protection from viruses and threats From the left sidebar click on Scan Options from the right part.
Step 3: Locate radio button Next to Full Scan click on Clear button Now to run a full scan of your computer.
8. Uninstall applications that are causing the problem.
A recently installed application may be disrupting your computer's screen performance. If you can identify the recently installed application that's causing slow performance on your computer, you can uninstall it.
Step 1: Click on Keyboard shortcut Windows + I To open an application Settings.
Step 2: Click Applications From the left sidebar and select Installed Apps from the right pane.
Step 3: Click Three horizontal dots list next to one Applications And press uninstall of context menu.
Repeat the same for unnecessary applications on your computer.
9. Firmware update
You can update your display's firmware to the latest version to fix such issues. Take the Samsung smart display as an example.
Step 1: Click on Home button On your Samsung TV remote, slide left to Settings.
Step 2: Select all Settings.
Step 3: Scroll to Support and select upgrade software.
10. Update Windows
Microsoft has been continually updating Windows 11 to improve support for external displays. You should install the latest version of the operating system to fix the issue of a random black screen for a few seconds on a connected display.
Step 1: Click on Windows key + I to turn on Settings application.
Step 2: Click Windows Update From the left sidebar click on "Check for updates" To bring Updates.
Enjoy Windows 11 on a big screen
If the problem persists, you can try connecting your computer to another display. This is usually caused by a faulty HDMI cable or incorrect display settings in Windows 11. Fortunately, a little tinkering with the cable and settings will allow you to enjoy the glory of Windows 11 on a larger screen. We hope this article has helped you fix the random black screen issue on Windows.
