AOMEI Partition Assistant
8 Ways to Fix Laptop White Screen Windows OS
In this post, you can check 8 methods to fix laptop white screen in Windows OS. Try them and fix your laptop by yourself now!
By Lucas / Updated on March 13, 2024
Scenario: Laptop screen is completely white screen
“The second time I booted my laptop, it merely showed a white screen. I forced the shutdown by pressing the power button again, and it still showed a white screen. I repeated that about 4-5 times and now the screen works, however, it also happened yesterday. I'm not sure why this happens. Please assist me out.”
--User from Microsoft Community
Most display issues are caused by Windows operating system defects, like BSOD, Black screen stuck on boot, and Red screen... One of them is the presence of a white screen upon startup of a Windows PC. This event, also known as the "Windows white screen crash" or "White Screen of Death" indicates a catastrophic operating system problem that causes the PC's functions to cease and display a blank white screen.
Many users report experiencing instances where their laptop screens remain blank, with occasional system crashes occurring shortly after the appearance of the white screen. While hardware issues are frequently identified as the primary cause of this problem, software-related problems can also trigger this issue. Moreover, it can lead to an unbootable operating system and potential data loss, with corrupt files and applications posing additional challenges.
Given the severity of this issue and its potential ramifications, this article aims to provide effective solutions for resolving the problem and restoring normal system functionality.
Why is your laptop screen white?
As we just mentioned above, many users reported a white screen on laptop problem, so here, we collect some possible reasons that can make white screen on Windows laptop.
▶ Hardware Issues
Faulty or loose connections between the display panel and the laptop's motherboard can lead to display problems, including the white screen issue. A defective graphics card or display driver may fail to render the screen properly, resulting in a white screen.
▶ Software conflicts
Incompatible or outdated graphics drivers can cause conflicts with the operating system, leading to display anomalies such as the white screen problem.
▶ Virus & malware harm
Malware or viruses may corrupt system files or interfere with display drivers, resulting in abnormal screen behavior.
▶ Operating system errors
System files critical for the display functionality may become corrupted or damaged, leading to the white screen issue during startup.
▶ Undue program update/installation
Software updates or installations that go wrong can cause instability in the operating system, resulting in display errors like the white screen.
▶ Hardware upgrades or changes
Incorrect installation of a new hard disk or other hardware components may disrupt the normal functioning of the laptop, leading to display issues like the white screen. Incompatible hardware upgrades or changes can cause conflicts with existing components, resulting in display abnormalities.
▶ Overheating
Excessive heat buildup within the laptop due to inadequate ventilation or malfunctioning cooling systems causing dust accumulation can damage internal components, including the graphics card, leading to display problems such as the white screen.
How to fix laptop white screen in Windows
If you’re not sure what reason makes you confront laptop white screen error, then in this part, we’ll offer you 8 solutions to fix laptop white screen in Windows.
Way 1. Force restart laptop
If you are getting the White Screen of Death when attempting to launch your computer and the real Windows login page is not accessible, try a force restart first. If the problem is caused by a specific app or a small system malfunction, a fresh restart should be sufficient.
Press and hold the Power key for a few seconds. It will aggressively shut down the computer, and the screen should go blank. Please wait a few seconds before pressing the power button to turn it back on.
After that, reboot your Windows device to see whether the white screen issue persists.
Way 2. Try to fix boot part via a third-party tool
An MBR issue may easily result in boot failures such as "Operating System not found", "System missing", "Error loading operating system", and "Windows Black screen of death". To resolve the boot issue, you might attempt to repair the MBR. Thus, doing a boot repair before you enter safe mode to modify your settings may also solve your problem.
Here's a utility that automatically fixes startup issues: AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional. It has a Boot Repair tool that can resolve the white screen issue on Windows machines. It is incredibly simple to use and welcoming to new users.
Because the white screen prevents you from accessing the operating system, you must first create a Windows bootable USB and then repair the MBR. All these needs will be solved in this handy tool.
AOMEI Partition AssistantThe Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
Step 1. Plug a USB flash drive into a working Windows 11 PC, install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard. Click "Tools" > "Make bootable Media" at the top interface, hit "Next" to proceed.
Step 2. Choose your USB flash drive after ticking "USB Boot Device". Click on "Proceed" to continue.
Step 3. Then, you'll be informed that the operation will format the USB. Click on "Yes" to move on.
Step 4. Wait until the media creation process is completed. Then unplug the bootable USB.
Step 5. Insert the bootable USB into the problematic PC, change boot Order in BIOS and boot from it. Then, you will get into AOMEI software interface directly. Right-click the system primary hard drive and select "Rebuild MBR".
Way 3. Check drivers
From this method, all solutions will need to exert in Windows via Safe Boot. So, first, we’ll show how to boot into Safe Mode.
Step 1. As the laptop boots up, press and hold the F8/Shift/F11/F12 key repeatedly until you see the "Advanced Boot Options" menu. Alternatively, for newer versions of Windows, you may need to press and hold "Shift" while clicking on the "Restart" option in the Start menu.
Step 2. Once Windows restarts, you should see the Recovery Options screen, which is blue and offers three options—Continue to boot to Windows, Troubleshoot, and Power off your PC. Select "Troubleshoot" "Startup Settings" and then press the Restart button.
Step 3. Once in the Advanced Boot Options menu, use the arrow keys on your keyboard to select "Safe Mode with Networking".
Step 4. Press "Enter" to confirm your selection.
Step 5. Your laptop will now boot into Safe Mode, which may take a little longer than usual. You'll see "Safe Mode" displayed in the corners of your screen to indicate that you're in this mode.
If prompted, log in to your laptop using your username and password.
Now we can start to check drivers.
Step 1. After your computer has started, hit the Windows key + X and select "Device Manager." Next, expand the Display adapters option by clicking the arrow next to it, then right-click the driver and select "Update driver" from the context menu.
Step 2. Select the "Search automatically for drivers" option on the pop-up window and install any available drivers.
When attempting to open particular programs in Windows 10 and 11, an outdated graphic driver may result in the White Screen of Death. In this case, check to see whether you can upgrade the drivers. You may also do it via the manufacturer's official website.
Way 4. Scan for virus and threat
If Way 3 is not work, you can reenter the Safe Mode, then use system tool to scan malware and virus.
Step 1. Type virus into the Windows search bar and click on the "Virus & threat protection" option.
Step 2. Next, click on the "Scan" option, choose a mode of scan (preferably a full scan), and click on "Scan now."
Malware can occasionally trigger the white screen of death on Windows PCs. Even better, you may utilize a third-party antivirus to remove even the most dangerous viruses.
Way 5. Remove newly installed Windows update /rollback to old update
If you started seeing a white screen on your PC after installing a new Windows update, the quickest way to resolve it is to delete the most recent update.
Step 1. To access Settings, press the Windows key + I and then click "Windows Update" on the left pane. Click "Update history" on the right side.
Step 2. Next, scroll down and click on "Uninstall updates" under Related settings.
Step 3. In the Installed Updates window, click on the recently installed update and then the Uninstall button. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
Way 6. Run SFC scan
The SFC scannow command is one of Windows' two built-in tools for repairing system files. If damaged or corrupt files are causing the PC to display a white screen upon startup, performing this check should restore normal operation.
Step 1. Boot into Safe Mode, type cmd into the Windows Start search bar, right-click "Command Prompt"(cmd.exe), and click "Run as administrator" from the drop-down menu.
Step 2. In the Command Prompt window, copy and paste the following command and press Enter: sfc/scannow
You will be alerted if there are any issues or system file corruptions. It will replace damaged files with a cached copy located in a compressed folder. After the scan is completed, check to see whether the white screen reappears.
Way 7. Disable background applications
Any of your background apps might be interfering with the system's operation, causing the problem. In this case, there are several options for dealing with the problem. If the problem began after you installed a certain program, try removing it and seeing if that works.
If you're not sure which software is causing problems, try removing any unnecessary/third-party apps in the Task Manager.
Step 1. Type Task Manager in Windows search and click Open.
Step 2. Head over to the Processes tab.
Step 3. Right-click on the targeted applications and choose End task
Once all the applications are disabled, try performing the action that was previously causing the error and check if you are still facing it.
Way 8. Check peripheral unit and external cables
As previously said, the issue might be hardware-related. To ensure that this is not the case, we will first inspect all of the cables connected to the system for any loose connections. This refers to the HDMI or VGA cable connecting to your display.
To proceed, force shut down the computer by pushing and holding the power button for a few seconds. Once the computer has been successfully switched off, ensure that the wires are correctly attached. While you're at it, we recommend disconnecting any USB peripherals that may be causing the problem.
Conclusion
If you need to fix laptop white screen in Windows system, this post will give you a lot of help. You can try them one by one, hope one of them can solve white screen on laptop. And if there are other partition and disk issues, AOMEI Partition Assistant will always be your best solution due to its various functions. You can clone disk, covnert to MBR/GPT without data loss, move installed apps, extend partition, and so on.
FAQs about how to fix a white screen on laptop
1. What are the potential causes of a white screen issue on a laptop running Windows?
The causes could vary from hardware failures such as a faulty display or graphics card to software-related issues like driver conflicts, operating system errors, or malware infections.
2. How do I fix a black screen after an update?
Please do not restart your computer once it has displayed a black screen. Instead, concurrently press Windows, Ctrl, Shift, and B. When you do this, you will hear a little beep and the screen will quickly darken; your desktop will be visible after a brief time.
3. How can I prevent encountering a white screen issue on my Windows laptop in the future?
Regularly updating your laptop's operating system and drivers can help prevent software-related issues. Additionally, practicing safe browsing habits, using reputable antivirus software, and handling your laptop with care can minimize the risk of hardware failures.
