A Windows 10 black screen with cursor after login is a strange fault. You type your password, the welcome message disappears, and then there is nothing but darkness and a mouse pointer that judolbet88 still moves.
The moving cursor is an encouraging sign. It shows that Windows is running and the display is working. What has failed is the part of Windows that draws the desktop, taskbar, and icons.
That narrows the search considerably, and several fixes can be attempted using only the keyboard.
Why This Happens
- Windows Explorer, which provides the desktop, did not start.
- The graphics driver crashed or is incompatible with a recent update.
- Windows is sending the picture to a second display that is not there.
- A startup program is blocking the desktop from loading.
Start With These Basic Checks
- Press Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B. The screen blinks and the graphics driver restarts.
- Press Windows + P, then press the down arrow and Enter. Repeat up to four times to cycle through display modes.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Select File > Run new task, type explorer.exe, and press Enter.
- Disconnect extra monitors, docking stations, and HDMI cables, then restart.
If the desktop appears after step three, Explorer simply failed to start, and the cause is probably a startup program.
Give each shortcut a few seconds to take effect before pressing the next one. The screen may flicker or go completely dark for a moment while the display resets, which is normal and not a sign that anything has gone wrong.
Going a Step Further
- From Task Manager, open the Startup tab and disable non-essential items, then restart.
- If Task Manager will not open, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete, select the power icon, hold Shift, and choose Restart to reach the recovery menu.
- Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart, then press 5 for Safe Mode with Networking.
- In Safe Mode, open Device Manager, expand Display adapters, right-click the adapter, and choose Roll Back Driver or Update driver.
- Turn off Fast Startup in Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do.
A clean graphics driver from the PC or card manufacturer’s website often provides a lasting cure.
A Word of Caution
Download display drivers only from the manufacturer of your PC or graphics card. Driver updater utilities from other sources frequently install the wrong version. Your files are not affected by a black screen, but back them up once the desktop returns.
Final Thoughts
A black screen with a working cursor is nearly always a software problem involving Explorer or the display driver. Keyboard shortcuts solve many cases within a minute, and Safe Mode provides a route to fix the rest.
