A Windows 10 problem that sometimes occurs is when you see a black screen with no prompt. error, with just a cursor over it.

As strange as it may seem, many users have experienced this. The error can occur due to various issues ranging from reduced screen brightness to hardware issues.

Without an error code or clear message, troubleshooting can be tricky. If you have Windows 10 black screen with cursor problem, try the solutions in this article.

Solving black screen problem with Windows 10 cursor

Check screen brightness

First, you need to adjust the brightness if only the slider is visible. The remaining screen may not be visible because it is extremely dark.

If you’re using a laptop, you’ll be able to adjust the screen brightness using a combination of the Fn key. Typically, you will need to press the Fn key + the key with an image of the sun and an up arrow.

You can also use the brightness bar at the bottom of the notification panel, but the Fn key is better because you can’t see anything on the screen.

If you’re on a desktop computer and you don’t see the brightness settings under the notification panel or the keys on your keyboard, try adjusting the brightness settings using the buttons on your monitor.

Reset your laptop

If you experience this issue on a laptop, reset your laptop by turning it off and removing the battery. Press and hold the power button for 60 seconds. Reinsert the battery and reboot.

If that doesn’t work, try the following fix.

Change view

If your display mode has changed to Second screen only, follow the steps below to resolve the issue.

• • If required, type your password and press Enter.
  • Once connected, press Win + P to bring up the Project panel. It looks like the screenshot below,
  • Press the down arrow and press enter.

If that should solve the problem.

Log in with another user account

If a corrupted user profile is the cause of the black screen with cursor issue, this may be an easy fix.

• • Start Windows 10 in Safe Mode.
  • Sign in using a different user account than the one you’re having the problem with.
  • Paste this path in file explorer and press enter:

    C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Caches

    Replace { username } with the username.

• • Copy all files in this folder by pressing Ctrl + A and Ctrl + C .

You can also access this folder manually, but you will need to show the hidden AppData folder. Switch to the View tab in the top ribbon and check the box next to Hidden Items in the Show/Hide group to show hidden folders.

• • Go to C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Caches

Replace { username } with the name of the user account you are trying to repair.

• • Paste the copied files into this folder by pressing Ctrl + V.

only one USER account?

If you are the only user of a computer, you may not have other user accounts. Create a new account if you are an administrator. Go to the Settings app by pressing Win + I and selecting Accounts.

• • Select other users in the left pane and select Add another user to this PC.
  • Follow the instructions to create the user account and log in to the new account to see if the black screen with cursor error disappears.

What if you are not the administrator?

If you are not an administrator, enable the built-in Windows administrator to create a new account.

• • Open a command prompt by searching for cmd in the start menu and selecting Run as administrator.
  • Run the following command:

net user administrator /active:yes

Restart your PC and you should now be able to log in as an administrator. Follow the steps above to create a new user account and copy the user account files. Do not forget to deactivate the user account if you do not use it with the command: net user administrator /active:no

Run SFC scan

If the issue is still not resolved, you can try checking your system for file integrity issues using the System File Checker. This method should work even if you can’t use the start menu because of the black screen, because you can open the command prompt using the task manager.

• • Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to launch the Task Manager.
  • Select File –> Run a new task .
  • Type cmd in the window field Create a new task and check the box next to the text Create this task with administrative privileges.
  • Press OK to launch an elevated command prompt and run the following command:

    sfc/scannow

When the scan is complete, you will either see a message that no system file integrity violations were found, or a message that the violations have been fixed. Restart your PC to see if the error has been resolved.

Update device drivers

Keeping your drivers up to date is a good solution even without a black screen with cursor issue. Corrupted or outdated drivers can cause this issue, so updating them may fix the issue.

Since you can’t see anything on your screen, you must first boot into safe mode with networking. When you boot into Safe Mode, simply select the option: Enable Safe Mode with Networking in the Startup Settings screen and follow the steps below:

• • Download the latest drivers from the graphics hardware manufacturer’s website.
  • Do search –> cmd and run as administrator.
  • Type devmgmt.msc and press Enter to launch Device Manager.
  • Find and right-click your graphics drivers and select Update Driver.
  • If you have already downloaded the drivers, select the second Browse my computer for driver software option. Otherwise, choose Search automatically for updated drivers.

Once you’ve installed the latest graphics drivers, reboot and see if that helps fix the problem. If not, try selecting Uninstall device instead of Update driver. When you restart the PC, the driver will reinstall automatically.

Disable 2nd graphics card

While you’re in device manager, it might be a good idea to turn off any secondary outputs and see if that fixes the problem. To do this, select View in the top ribbon of Device Manager and select Show hidden devices.

Expand the list of display drivers and if you see a 2nd graphics card, right click on it and select Disable.

Change display output in BIOS

Many users claim that changing the BIOS display output could help fix the black screen with cursor issue. If you haven’t solved the problem yet, you can try to see if it helps.

• • Enter the BIOS by pressing the F12 key or the Del key (the key differs between manufacturers).
  • Find the display output setting in the BIOS. You may have to navigate a bit to find it.
  • Replace it with IGFX to use integrated graphics as the first display.
  • Save changes and exit.

Disconnect Additional screens

If you had additional screens such as another monitor or TV connected to your PC when you installed Windows, the operating system may be using another screen as your primary display. Try disconnecting all other displays and see if that fixes the problem.

Switch to HDMI from DVI

Some users claim that using HDMI instead of DVI solves black screen with cursor issue. Once you have connected your display via HDMI:

• • Launch the Settings app by pressing Win + I .
  • Select System.
  • Go to View in the left pane.

If you have more than one display connected, you will have the option to choose a display and select Make this display my primary display. Choose the view you want to use.

Remove suspicious programs

Certain programs could potentially cause this problem on your PC. If the black screen is preventing you from accessing anything on the PC, use Task Manager.

• • Launch Task Managers by pressing Win + Shift + Esc .
  • Select File –> Run a new task.
  • Type appwiz.cpl and press Enter.

You should now see the Programs and Features windows. If the black screen with cursor problem started after installing a specific program, uninstall it by right-clicking the program and selecting Uninstall.

Sometimes there may be remnants of an uninstalled program in certain directories, such as the System32 directory. Consider using a third-party program like the IObit uninstaller to completely remove programs and their files.

Run File Explorer as Administrator

On occasion, simply launching File Explorer as administrator seems to have solved the problem for some users.

• • Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch Task Manager.
  • Select File –> Run a new task .
  • Type %localappdata% and check the box next to the text that reads Create this task with administrative privileges.

Disable fast startup

Fast startup caused black screen with cursor issue in some cases. Disable fast startup by following the steps below.

• • Press Win + R , type control and press Enter to launch the Control Panel.
  • Power Options –> Choose what the power buttons do .
  • Select Change settings that are currently unavailable.
  • Uncheck the box next to Enable fast startup (recommended).
  • Select Save changes and exit.

Use multiple connectors

Here is another solution: some users claim that connecting their displays with HDMI and DVI connectors solved the black screen with cursor problem. For this to work, of course, your monitor must have both HDMI and DVI connector options.

By the same token, also try connecting another monitor to your PC if you have one. If another monitor works, you can at least use it to troubleshoot the first monitor.

Disable dual or multi-monitor BIOS features

You will need to access your BIOS to disable these features when you start your computer by pressing the F12 or Del key (or another key depending on the manufacturer).

• • Once in the BIOS, look for the Dual Monitor feature or the CPU Graphics feature.
  • Save changes and exit BIOS.

Update BIOS

Updating the BIOS is a drastic step. First, check your BIOS version and download the latest version from the manufacturer’s website if it is outdated.

Note that the process is not suitable for beginners. If you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s best to seek expert help. If you’re sure you can do this, make sure you familiarize yourself with the options you have for updating the BIOS.

Hopefully one of these solutions worked for you and now you can see the whole screen instead of just the cursor on a black background! Feel free to leave your comments below.