You press the power button and nothing happens. No lights, no fans, no logo. It’s a horrible moment, but a computer that “won’t turn on” often turns out to have a simple problem. The trick is working out exactly what isn’t happening.
First: what do you actually see?
- Nothing at all: no lights, no fan, no sound. This points to a power problem.
- Lights and fans, but a black screen: the computer is on, but the display isn’t working or the system is stuck before startup.
- The logo appears, then it restarts or freezes: that’s a startup (boot) problem, not a power problem.
Each one has a different fix, so it’s worth taking a moment to notice.
If there’s no power at all
Check the obvious
- Is the plug fully in at both ends? Laptop chargers often have a second connector in the middle of the cable.
- Try a different wall socket, and skip power strips and extension leads for now.
- Is the charger’s light on, if it has one?
Laptops: let the battery recover
A completely flat battery can take 15–30 minutes of charging before the laptop will start. Plug it in, wait, then try again.
Do a power drain
This clears leftover electrical charge that can stop a computer from starting: 1. Unplug the charger and any accessories. 2. Remove the battery, if your laptop has a removable one. 3. Hold the power button down for 30 seconds. 4. Reconnect power (and the battery) and try again.
Desktops: check the power supply switch
Many desktop PCs have a small on/off switch on the back next to the power cable. Make sure it’s set to on (usually marked “I”).
If it powers on but the screen stays black
- Turn up the brightness. It sounds silly, but it happens.
- Check the monitor: is it on, and set to the right input (HDMI 1, HDMI 2, DisplayPort)?
- Try an external screen if it’s a laptop. If that works, the laptop’s own screen or its cable may be faulty.
- Wake the graphics: on Windows, press Win + Ctrl + Shift + B, which restarts the graphics driver.
- Listen for beeps. Some desktops beep in a pattern when something like the memory isn’t detected. Your PC maker’s support site will explain what the pattern means.
If it starts but won’t finish loading
- Unplug USB drives and docks. The computer may be trying to start from the wrong device.
- Windows: after two or three failed starts, Windows usually opens Automatic Repair. Choose Advanced options → Startup Repair.
- Mac: try Safe Mode. On Apple silicon Macs, hold the power button until you see startup options, select your disk, then hold Shift and choose Continue in Safe Mode.
When it’s time for a repair shop
- No lights, no fans, even after trying a different charger and socket.
- A burning smell, crackling, or visible damage. Unplug it right away.
- The computer was dropped or had liquid spilled on it.
- It works on an external screen, but the built-in screen stays black.
If your files matter, mention that first. A good repair shop can often recover data from the drive even when the computer itself can’t be saved.
The bottom line
Work out whether you have a power, display or startup problem, then go step by step: cables and sockets, a power drain, the screen, then startup repair. Many “dead” computers are back up and running within minutes.
