A common problem that Windows 10 users encounter is when their PC shows nothing but a black screen with a cursor. This situation can be frustrating, as it stops you from using your computer. However, several solutions are available to resolve this black screen issue with just a cursor.
If you are wondering how to fix the black screen with cursor issue, this article discusses the causes of the black screen with cursor issue and a few ways to fix it.
What causes a Black screen with the cursor?
Various reasons might cause the Black screen with cursor issue on Windows 10 and 11, and they are mentioned below.
- Temporary glitch.
- Corrupted display drivers.
- Corrupted Windows or system files.
- Windows updates.
- Interference by other applications on the PC.
Also read: How to fix Windows 11 notepad crashing issue?
How to fix the issue?
Here are a few ways that might help you fix the issue.
Force shutdown the PC
If the black screen with cursor issue occurred on your Windows PC because of a temporary glitch, performing a force shutdown and restarting it might solve the issue. To do that, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Press the Power button for 10 seconds to shut down your PC.
Step 2: Disconnect all peripherals and cables from your computer, including the power cord. If you’re using a laptop, remove the battery as well.
Step 3: Reconnect the power cord and reinsert the battery if you have a laptop. Only attach essential devices like the keyboard, mouse, and monitor.
Step 4: Restart your PC and check if it works or not.
Use Task Manager to open Windows Explorer
You can use the task manager to run Windows Explorer. To do that, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Press your keyboard’s Ctrl + Alt + Del keys.
Step 2: In the options, click on Task Manager.
Step 3: In Task Manager, click on the File tab and then click on the Run new task option in the dropdown menu.

Step 4: In the Create new task box, type explorer. exe and hit Enter.

If the Task Manager is not visible
If you don’t see the task manager after pressing the Ctrl + Alt + Del keys, you must start your PC safely. If your PC doesn’t show anything other than a black screen, it’s hard to start it in Safe mode.
First, enter the Window Recovery Environment (winRE) for safe mode. To enter the Windows Recovery Environment, you must restart your device repeatedly. To start your PC in safe mode, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Hold the Power button for about 10 seconds to shut down your PC, then press the Power button again to restart your PC.
Step 2: On the first sign that the PC has started, press and hold the Power button again to shut down, press the Power button again to restart your PC.
Step 3: Again, shut down your PC as you did in Step 2; this time, let your PC fully restart. You will enter the Windows Recovery Environment (winRE).
Step 4: On the Choose an Option screen, go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
Step 5: After your PC restarts, options will appear. Select option 5 from the list or press the F5 key for safe mode.
Also read: What to do if your Backspace is not working?
Reinstall Graphics drivers
To uninstall the graphics drivers, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Press your keyboard’s Ctrl + Alt + Del keys.
Step 2: In the options, click on Task Manager.
Step 3: In Task Manager, click on the File tab and then click on the Run new task option in the dropdown menu.

Step 4: In the Create new task box, type devmgmt.msc and hit Enter.

Step 5: Double-click on the Display Adapter to expand it, and then right-click on the driver.

Step 6: Click on the Uninstall device option in the pop-up menu.

Step 7: Click on the Uninstall button to confirm.

Step 8: After uninstalling the driver, restart your PC, and when it restarts, Windows will reinstall the drivers for the display adapter automatically.
Disable App Readiness service
Many users have resolved the issue by disabling the AppReadiness service to do following the steps below:
Step 1: Press your keyboard’s Ctrl + Alt + Del keys.
Step 2: In the options, click on Task Manager.
Step 3: In Task Manager, click on the File tab and then in the dropdown menu click on the Run new task option.

Step 4: In the Create new task box, type services.msc and hit Enter.

Step 5: Find the App Readiness service and right-click on it; in the dropdown menu, click on the Properties option.

Step 6: Now, set the Start up type to Disabled and click on Apply and then the OK button.

Step 7: Restart your PC.
Also read: Error opening file for writing in Windows: Quick Fix
Perform a clean boot
You can perform a clean boot even by using the task manager; in the clean, you will be disabling all the third-party apps, so if there is any app that conflicts with your system will be disabled, and the issue will be resolved. To do that, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Press your keyboard’s Ctrl + Alt + Del keys.
Step 2: In the options, click on Task Manager.
Step 3: In Task Manager, click on the File tab and then click on the Run new task option in the dropdown menu.

Step 4: In the Create new task box, type msconfig and hit Enter.

Step 5: In the system configuration window, click on the Services tab and then check mark the box beside the Hide all Microsoft services.

Step 6: Now, Click on the Disable all button and then click on the OK button.

Step 7: Restart your PC. After the restart, if the issue is resolved, enable all the apps individually and find the main culprit.
Add a new user account
To add a new user account, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Press your keyboard’s Ctrl + Alt + Del keys.
Step 2: In the options, click on Task Manager.
Step 3: In Task Manager, click on the File tab and then click on the Run new task option in the dropdown menu.

Step 4: In the Create new task box, type netplwiz and hit Enter.

Step 5: In the user account window, click the Add button.

Step 6: Click on Sign in without a Microsoft account.

Step 7: Now, click on the Local Account button.

Step 8: On the next screen, type a username and a password if you want. after you are done, click on the Next button and then click on the Finish button on the next screen.
Step 9: In the user account window, select the newly made account and click the Properties button.

Step 10: Click on the Group Membership tab, the Administrator option, and the Apply and OK button.

Step 11: Now, press the Ctrl + Alt + Del keys on your keyboard and click on Sign out.
Step 12: Sign in using your new account.
Also read: Fix: A D3D11-compatible GPU is required to run the engine
Perform System Restore
If the problem is caused by any app you installed or it happened after you updated your Windows, system restore will take it to the point where your PC is working fine. To perform system restoration, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Press your keyboard’s Ctrl + Alt + Del keys.
Step 2: In the options, click on Task Manager.
Step 3: In Task Manager, click on the File tab and then click on the Run new task option in the dropdown menu.

Step 4: In the Create new task box, type rstrui and hit Enter.

Step 5: In the System Restore window, click on the Next button.

Step 6: Select the store point from the options and click on the Next button.

Step 7: Click on the Finish button.

Let the system restore process complete.
Repair your system
If all else fails, reinstalling or repairing your operating system is the most effective solution for resolving the error. The Windows Media Creation tool helps install Windows and repair the OS. It lets you install or repair your operating system without losing your files and data.
Also read: Fix: Updates are underway in Windows 11Â