Diagnosis
A black screen with a lit power LED typically indicates the monitor is receiving power but not a valid video signal from your PC. This is almost always a connection, cable, source selection, or graphics output issue.
How to Fix It
Follow these steps in order:
- Power cycle everything: Turn off the PC and monitor, unplug both from power for 60 seconds. Reconnect power and turn them back on.
- Inspect and reseat the video cable at both the monitor and PC. Ensure it's firmly plugged in. If using the included HDMI cable, try a different HDMI port on your PC's graphics card (not the motherboard port if you have a dedicated GPU).
- Force the monitor to check for signal. Press the monitor's menu button, navigate to System > Input, and manually cycle through the inputs (HDMI 1, HDMI 2, VGA) until you find the one your PC uses.
- Test with a different known-good cable (like another HDMI cable) if possible.
- Connect the monitor to a different device, like a laptop or game console, to isolate whether the issue is with the monitor or your PC.
If That Didn't Work
The problem likely originates from your PC. Try these steps:
- Restart your PC. During boot, repeatedly press the key (like F2, F8, or Del) to enter BIOS/UEFI. If you see the BIOS screen on the monitor, your graphics hardware is working, indicating a Windows display driver or setting issue.
- If you have a dedicated graphics card, ensure your monitor is connected to it, not the motherboard's video ports. If you only have motherboard video, try resetting your PC's CMOS memory (consult your PC manual for the jumper or battery method).
- Boot your PC and, while blind, try the Windows key + P shortcut to press "Enter" twice, which cycles display modes and can sometimes restore output.
Heads Up
If the monitor works with another device, the fault is with your PC's cable, port, graphics card, or drivers. If the monitor remains black with all devices and cables, the monitor's internal hardware may be faulty.