Windows · How-To
Laptop Won’t Turn On: What to Check First
Work through three checks before you pay for a repair: confirm the laptop is really getting power, strip it back to the charger alone and do a hard reset, then work out whether it is a no-power fault or a no-display fault. If none of that helps, or you see swelling, liquid or a burning smell, stop and have it inspected.
Confirm the laptop is getting power
Start with the boring checks, because they fix more laptops than you would expect. Try a different wall socket and remove any extension lead. Look for a charging light on the laptop or the charger. If you can borrow a charger with the same voltage and wattage, try it, because chargers fail more often than the laptops they power. Check the cable for kinks near the plug, and make sure the connector is seated fully at the laptop end.
Strip it back and do a hard reset
Unplug everything except the charger: USB drives, docks, SD cards and external screens. A faulty accessory can stop a laptop starting. Then drain the residual power. Unplug the charger, hold the power button for 15 to 30 seconds, release it, plug the charger back in and try again. If the battery is removable, take it out first, and wait a minute before powering on.
No power or no display?
These are different faults. If the lights come on and the fans spin but the screen stays black, shine a torch at the panel. A faint image means the backlight has failed rather than the whole laptop. Connect an external monitor and press Windows + P to switch the display mode, or press Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B to restart the graphics driver. If an external screen works, the laptop is alive and the problem is the panel, its cable or the graphics circuit.
If Windows starts but fails to load
If you see a logo or an Automatic Repair screen, the hardware is running and the fault is software. After a couple of failed starts, Windows normally opens its recovery menu, where you can try Startup Repair, Safe Mode or System Restore. A bad update is a common trigger, so our guide to fixing Windows Update problems is a good next stop. A factory reset is a last resort because it erases the drive, so read how to factory reset Windows 11 first.
Signs you should stop
Stop pressing the power button if the case is bulging, the trackpad lifts, there is a burning smell, or liquid has been spilled. A swollen battery is a fire risk, so do not charge it. After a spill, switch off, unplug and leave it for professional inspection, because repeated attempts to power it up can turn a repairable board into a dead one.
Protect your files first
Before any repair, think about your data. If the laptop will not start but the drive is healthy, a technician can often copy your files off. If the drive clicks, read our guide to data recovery on Windows before anything else. For the future, set up the backups in our Windows 11 backup guide, so a dead laptop is an inconvenience rather than a disaster.
Choosing a repair shop
Ask for a diagnosis and a written quote before any work starts, and ask what warranty comes with the repair. Some shops replace a whole motherboard where a single failed component would do. In Singapore, iDevice Repair Centre says on its website that it repairs at component level, offers a free diagnosis and gives a written quote before work begins, which is the approach worth looking for from any shop. More walkthroughs are in the How-To Guides hub.