Monitor Won't Turn On? Start With the (Hard-to-Find) Power Button

One of the most common "my computer is dead" calls turns out to be the monitor, not the computer. Before you assume the worst, walk through a few simple things — most black screens are fixed in a minute.

First: actually find the power button

Modern LCD and LED monitors have notoriously hard-to-find power buttons. They're often tucked underneath the bottom edge, around the lower-right corner, or on the back — and many are small touch-sensitive spots with no obvious label. There's usually a tiny status light to look for too.

Monitors also don't always turn back on by themselves after losing power or sitting idle, and a monitor in standby can look completely off. So step one is simply finding that button and pressing it — feel along the bottom edge and back if you can't see it.

Then check the three basics

Power: make sure the monitor's power cord is firmly seated at both the monitor and the wall or power strip, the strip is switched on, and the outlet works (try another one).

Connection: make sure the cable between the monitor and the computer (HDMI, DisplayPort, or VGA) is firmly plugged in at both ends. Unplug and reseat it; if you can, try a different cable or a different port.

Computer: make sure the computer itself is actually on — look for fans or lights. If it's just asleep, move the mouse or press a key to wake it.

Read the monitor's light

That little light tells you a lot. No light at all usually means no power — check the cord and outlet. An amber or blinking light usually means the monitor has power but isn't getting a picture — check the cable to the computer, and make sure the PC is on. A steady white or blue light means it's getting a signal.

One more thing to check: the input source. If the monitor is set to the wrong input (say HDMI 2 when your PC is on HDMI 1), you'll get a black screen even though everything works. Use the monitor's menu or "source/input" button to cycle inputs.

Still black?

If the monitor has power, the cable is solid at both ends, the computer is on, and you're on the right input but the screen is still dark, the issue could be the cable, the computer's graphics output, or the monitor itself. That's where we come in — we'll test each piece and tell you which one it is, no guessing.