Two Ways to Solve Black Screen or Freezing on Your PC Without Shutting It Down

David Adubiina -

Blank, black, and baffled — that's how I felt when my laptop screen suddenly went dark in the middle of a critical task. No warning, no error message — just a digital abyss staring back at me — made me remember a quote from a popular manga I read: "When you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you."

It felt so surreal — one moment, I was breezing through work on my Windows PC, and the next, I was stuck with a screen so black it felt like it was mocking me. And there I was, just about to cross the line into full-on panic mode until it hit me– I can always find a way to rectify this. I’m sure if tech gadgets could think, they’d find amusement in watching us scramble for solutions.

If you ever find yourself in such a situation, before you give in to that urge to force a shutdown and risk losing unsaved work, take a breath. There are smarter, less drastic ways to snap your frozen PC back to life. In this Techloy guide, you will learn two effective methods to get your screen working again.

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This is applicable to Windows 10 and 11.

Method 1: Try This Shortcut Combo

Sometimes, a black screen or freeze is just your PC crying out for a quick refresh.
To give your PC a quick refresh, press Ctrl + Shift + Win + B simultaneously. Your PC will blink twice indicating that your graphics driver has been reset. This method can help resolve minor display issues if your screen is frozen due to a temporary glitch.

Method 2: Run Windows Explorer

Windows Explorer is the process that manages your desktop, taskbar, and file management. When it crashes, your screen can go black or freeze. To fix this,

Step 1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager and click on the "File" tab.

Step 2. Click "Run a New Task" at the top of the Task Manager window. Here, you will see a dialogue box where you can type commands.

Step 3. Type "explorer.exe" and tap "OK" or "Enter". This will restart the Windows Explorer process and restore your screen to normal.

Conclusion

Experiencing a black screen or a frozen PC can be distressing, but it doesn't always mean disaster. The next time it happens, try these quick solutions before panicking. Your Laptop or PC may not be perfect, but knowing how to troubleshoot gives you a sense of control when things go wrong.

Image credit: David Adubiina/Techloy.com