What to Do When Your Laptop Won't Turn On

Quick answer

When a laptop won’t turn on, the most common cause is a fully drained battery or a charger problem, not a broken laptop. Plug it into a working outlet with the correct charger, wait several minutes, then hold the power button for about 15 seconds and try again. This guide is for anyone with a Windows laptop or MacBook that seems dead or shows only a black screen.

Before you start

A few quick checks and safety points:

• Check for a swollen battery. If the case is bulging, the touchpad is pushed up, or the laptop rocks on a flat table, stop. A swollen battery can be a fire risk. Don’t charge it, don’t press on it and don’t try to open it. Contact the manufacturer or a qualified technician.
• Check for heat or a burning smell. If the laptop or charger is unusually hot or smells burnt, unplug it and leave it on a hard, non-flammable surface away from anything that can catch fire.
• Think about what happened. A recent drop, a spill or a storm changes the advice. Liquid damage needs a professional, and you shouldn’t keep trying to power it on.
• Never open the charger or the battery. Power adapters and batteries hold energy that can hurt you.

Figure out what “won’t turn on” means

Laptops fail to start in a few different ways, and each one points somewhere different. Take a close look before trying fixes.

• Completely dead: no lights, no fan, no sound. This usually means a power problem: a drained battery, a bad outlet or a faulty charger.
• Lights or fan, but a black screen: the laptop has power, but the screen isn’t showing anything. The display, its brightness or a stuck sleep state may be the issue.
• Starts, then shuts off: it may be overheating, or the battery may be too weak to finish starting.
• Shows the manufacturer logo, then stops or loops: the hardware works, but Windows or macOS is having trouble starting.

Steps to fix a laptop that won’t turn on

Work through these in order. Stop as soon as the laptop starts.

Check power and the charger

1. Plug the charger into a wall outlet you know works. Skip power strips and extension cords for now.
2. Make sure both ends of the charger are pushed in firmly. Many chargers have a cable that plugs into a separate power brick; check that joint too.
3. Look at the charging light on the laptop or the charger, if it has one. No light at all suggests the outlet, cable or charger.
4. Leave it plugged in for at least 15 to 30 minutes. A deeply drained battery may need time before the laptop will start.
5. If you have a USB-C laptop, try a different USB-C port on the laptop. Some models only charge from certain ports, often marked with a small power or lightning icon.

If the laptop never shows a charging light, read How to Fix a Laptop That Is Plugged In but Not Charging.

Do a hard reset

A hard reset clears a stuck power state, which can happen after a sleep or update goes wrong.

1. Unplug the charger and disconnect every accessory: USB drives, docks, printers, memory cards.
2. Press and hold the power button for 15 to 30 seconds, then release it.
3. Plug the charger back in and press the power button normally.

Some laptops have a removable battery or a small reset pinhole underneath. These details vary by manufacturer, so check your model’s manual on the manufacturer’s support site before trying them. On a MacBook, holding the power button for about 10 seconds and then pressing it again is the usual first step.

Check the screen

If you hear the fan or see keyboard lights but the screen stays black:

1. Press the brightness-up key a few times. Brightness may simply be set to the lowest level.
2. Close the lid, wait a few seconds, and open it again to wake the display.
3. On Windows, press Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + B, which restarts the graphics driver (the small program that controls the display).
4. Connect an external monitor or TV if you have the right cable. If a picture appears there, the laptop works and the built-in screen or its cable is likely the problem.

When it starts but Windows or macOS won’t load

On Windows, if the laptop fails to start properly a few times in a row, it usually opens the recovery screen (Windows Recovery Environment) on its own. From there, Startup Repair is the safest first choice. For more options, see Microsoft’s recovery guidance in the sources below.

On a Mac, Apple offers recovery tools that start before macOS, and the steps differ between Apple silicon and Intel models. Use Apple’s support site for the steps that match your Mac.

If this does not work

Try these next, from easiest to hardest:

1. Try another charger. Borrow one made for your exact model, or a reputable USB-C charger with enough power if your laptop charges over USB-C. A charger that is too weak may not start a drained laptop.
2. Let it cool. If it was very hot before it died, leave it off and unplugged for half an hour, then try again. See How to Stop a Computer or Laptop From Overheating.
3. Listen for beeps or watch for blinking lights. Some laptops signal problems with patterns of beeps or flashing lights. What they mean depends on the manufacturer, so look up your model on its official support site.
4. Recover your files. If the laptop powers on but won’t start the system, a technician can often copy your files off the drive. Keep regular backups going forward.

When to get professional help

Contact the manufacturer’s support or a qualified technician if:

• The battery looks swollen, or the laptop got very hot, smoked or smelled burnt.
• There was a spill or a fall.
• The laptop is completely dead with a known-good charger after a hard reset.
• It shows lights or fan activity but no picture, even on an external monitor.
• It is still under warranty. Opening it yourself may affect that coverage, so check first.

Don’t open the laptop, its battery or its charger yourself. Treat any phone call or pop-up offering to “fix” your computer remotely with suspicion.

FAQ

Why won’t my laptop turn on even though it’s plugged in?

The charger, the cable, the outlet or the laptop’s charging port may have failed. A very drained battery can also need time before the laptop responds. Try a different outlet, wait, then do a hard reset.

Will I lose my files if my laptop won’t turn on?

Usually not. Files are stored on the internal drive, which is often fine even when the laptop won’t start. A technician can typically recover them, which is one more reason to keep regular backups.

Is it safe to keep pressing the power button?

Pressing it a few times won’t hurt, but repeatedly forcing power on and off isn’t helpful. Do one hard reset, then work through the other checks. If there is heat, a smell or a swollen case, stop right away.

My laptop turns on but the screen is black. What does that mean?

The laptop has power, but the display isn’t getting a picture. Try the brightness keys and an external monitor. If an external monitor works, the built-in screen or its connection probably needs a repair.

Can a bad battery stop a laptop from turning on while plugged in?

On some models, yes. A failing battery can prevent startup even with the charger connected. Battery replacement should be done by the manufacturer or a qualified technician.