Guide
Computer won't turn on? What to try, on Windows and Mac
A computer that won't start is one of the most alarming faults, and one of the most commonly fixable. More often than not it is power, the screen or a startup problem rather than a dead machine — and the right steps differ on a Windows PC, an Apple Silicon Mac and an older Intel one. Here is how to work through it without making things worse.
"Won't turn on" is really four different problems
Before you try anything, work out which of these you actually have — the cause and the fix are completely different for each, and naming it correctly saves you a lot of wasted effort. It also lets us tell you in about ten seconds over the phone what is most likely wrong.
- Dead silent — no lights, no fans, no sound at all — this is a power problem: charger, battery, power supply or the power button
- On, but black screen — lights and fans run but nothing appears — usually the display, backlight or a boot fault, not a dead computer
- Powers on then off, or loops — it starts for a few seconds then shuts down, or restarts over and over — often heat, failing power or a corrupt startup
- Logo then stalls — it reaches a maker logo or spinner and stops — a software or drive problem, and your files are usually still fine
Start here, whatever you own
A large share of "dead" computers are really a power or connection problem, and these checks resolve them more often than anything else. Do them in order before touching anything more technical.
- Change the power source — try a different wall outlet and, if you can, a known-good charger and cable — chargers and cables fail far more often than computers do
- Let a flat battery wake up — on a laptop, leave it charging 30–45 minutes before trying again; a fully flat battery can look completely dead for the first few minutes
- Read the charging light — note whether there is a charge light and what colour it is — no light at all points at the charger, cable or the charging port rather than the computer
- Strip it back — unplug everything else — USB drives, docks, second monitors, hubs — and try to start with nothing attached but power
- Desktops: check the obvious — the switch on the back of the power supply, and that both ends of the power cable are firmly seated
From here, Windows and Mac need different steps
You have done the universal checks and it still will not start. From here the right moves genuinely differ between a Windows machine and a Mac — and, on the Mac side, between newer Apple Silicon and older Intel models. Follow the column that matches your computer.
On a Windows laptop or PC
- Hard reset (power drain) — unplug the charger, remove the battery if it is removable, hold power for 30 seconds, then reconnect and try — this clears a stuck power state
- Look and listen — fans, keyboard lights or beep codes on a desktop mean it has power and is trying to start
- Test an external screen — a picture on an external monitor means the computer is fine and the built-in screen or backlight is the fault
- Force Startup Repair — switch it off with the power button during startup three times in a row; on the third, Windows 10 and 11 open the recovery tools — Startup Repair and Safe Mode
- Silent desktop — reseat the memory (RAM) and re-check the internal power cables — this revives a lot of no-sign-of-life desktops
On a Mac — Apple Silicon vs Intel
- Read the charger — a MagSafe plug glows amber charging and green when full; USB-C has no light, so watch for the on-screen battery symbol
- Force restart (every Mac) — hold power for about 10 seconds until it fully powers off, then press once to start — this alone revives a lot of "dead" Macs
- Apple Silicon (M1–M4) — no SMC or PRAM reset to do — the force restart covers it; hold power until "Loading startup options" to reach Recovery
- Intel Macs — an SMC reset clears power and charging faults (the combo depends on the model), and Option-Command-P-R at startup resets NVRAM — the display and startup settings
- Black screen, fan running — connect an external display; a picture there means the screen or backlight is the fault, not the Mac
If it powers on but never finishes starting
Lights, fans, a logo or a spinner but never the desktop means most of the hardware works and the problem is the startup — good news for your files. First, if it loops or shuts off, suspect heat: clear the vents of dust and let it cool. Then follow the column for your machine — and do not keep force-restarting a computer that reaches the logo, because a failing drive gets worse with every try.
Windows will not finish loading
- Automatic Repair loop — stuck on "Automatic Repair" or spinning dots — boot to the recovery environment and run Startup Repair
- Try Safe Mode — from the same recovery menu, start in Safe Mode to get in with minimal drivers and undo whatever broke it
- Only boots sometimes — back up straight away — an intermittent boot is often an early warning that the drive is failing
Mac will not finish loading
- Stuck at the Apple logo — boot to Recovery — Apple Silicon: hold power; Intel: hold Command-R at startup
- Run First Aid — from Recovery, open Disk Utility and run First Aid on the startup disk before anything more drastic
- Do not keep forcing it — repeated force-restarts on a Mac that reaches the logo can turn recoverable data into unrecoverable data
When to stop and let us look
Some symptoms mean the fault is hardware, and pushing on risks the one thing that really matters — your files. Stop and call if any of these are true; phone diagnosis is free and often settles it without a visit.
- Still completely dead — no response after a known-good charger and a hard reset usually points at the power circuitry or the logic board
- Clicking, grinding or repeated beeps — a failing drive or a memory/board fault that DIY steps will not fix — and a failing drive is a reason to stop, not to keep trying
- Intermittent or getting worse — it starts only sometimes, or a bit less each day — intermittent faults are best diagnosed before they become permanent
- No backup — a machine that will not start very often has a perfectly healthy drive; we can recover the data before deciding anything else about the computer
Worked through these and still stuck? Read us the symptoms and we will tell you what is likely wrong — free, any hour.
Call 0478 953 755Common questions
My laptop won't turn on but the charger light is on — is it the battery?
Not necessarily. A charge light means power is reaching the laptop, so the fault is more often the battery, the screen or the startup than the charger itself. Try a hard reset and an external monitor before assuming the worst — the light is actually a good sign.
Is a computer that won't turn on worth repairing?
Usually, yes — if it is a power, screen, memory or startup fault, those cost a fraction of a new machine. A failed logic board on an older computer is the main exception. We tell you which of the two you are looking at before you spend anything.
My Mac's screen is black but I can hear the fan — is the screen broken?
Quite possibly. If an external display shows a picture while the built-in one stays black, the Mac itself is working and the fault is the screen or its backlight, which is a standard repair across the MacBook range.
Will I lose my files if my computer won't start?
Usually not. A computer that will not boot very often has a completely healthy drive, and the data can be recovered even when the machine itself is beyond repair — provided the drive is not pushed hard while it is failing. Stop using it and the odds stay in your favour.
Still not sure?
Describe what the machine is doing and we will tell you what is likely wrong and whether it is worth fixing — before you spend anything. Diagnosis over the phone is free, 24 hours a day.
Call 0478 953 755