HDMI cables are the most popular solution for connecting a computer to a TV or monitor, but it still faces some issues.
The most common problem is the black screen that appears whenever you connect using HDMI.
If you’re experiencing this problem, then we’re here to help.
We gathered some troubleshooting tips here that you can use so that you can solve the black screen that prevents you from setting up your display.
Let’s get right to it.
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Can HDMI Cause a Black Screen?
Faulty HDMI cables and connections can produce a black screen.
The chances of having a black screen caused by HDMI are highly likely if you bought a low-quality HDMI cable or if your ports have been damaged over time.
The black screen occurs when a signal coming from your HDMI cable is not being read by your second monitor.
But despite not reading audio or video, you will notice that your cursor will still show up on your second screen. It’s too bad it isn’t able to capture anything else.
HDMI defects and damages aren’t the only causes of a black screen. One cause can be a faulty power supply unit (PSU).
PSUs produce a black screen when the amount of voltage needed to power your monitor is not sufficient. The PSU might be faulty, or it isn’t just sending the voltage that your monitor requires.
Another cause for a black screen is a damaged GPU or an improperly connected GPU.
Over time, your GPU can get damaged from wear and tear, but the chances of that is less likely than an improperly connected GPU.
So if you are experiencing a black screen on your second monitor, it’s best to check your PSU and GPU before assuming that it’s an HDMI issue.
Why Does My Screen Go Black When I Plug in an HDMI Cable?
If the screen goes black when you connect your computer to another monitor via HDMI, then one of the assumptions is because of a faulty HDMI port or cable.
If an HDMI cable is defective, it is not able to send some or all of the audio and video signals it’s supposed to send to your second monitor. Hence, it produces a black screen.
But in an ideal scenario where you don’t have faulty components, what you should expect is that your second monitor mirrors your computer screen the moment the HDMI cables are connected.
Since that isn’t happening now, we have to fix your HDMI cable or port.
How Do You Fix an HDMI Black Screen?
When fixing a black screen caused by HDMI issues, we go through a few troubleshooting steps before concluding that the port or cable is defective.
1. Restarting Your Monitors
The first one we recommend you to do is to restart your monitor and computer. Unplug both devices and count for a few seconds before plugging them back.
The next step is to turn on your monitor and computer. The monitor should have blinking lights that would indicate that it’s turned on.
Reconnect your laptop and monitor using the same HDMI cable. Make sure that you are plugging them in the right ports—HDMI output for your laptop and HDMI input for your monitor.
The HDMI output port is for giving out signals to an external device. The HDMI input, on the other hand, is for receiving those signals.
Does the monitor mirror your computer’s desktop?
If it doesn’t, then we can move on to the other troubleshooting steps.
2. Fixing the Display Settings
Now let’s check if the monitor is being read by your computer.
To do this, go to your computer’s desktop wallpaper and right-click.
Choose ‘Display Settings’ and this will open a window.
In this window, there are two screens that should be colored blue.
Color blue screens indicate that the monitors that are connected are being read.
If one monitor is greyed, then it is not being read by your computer.
Click ‘Identify’ right below those images.
If the second monitor on the window doesn’t change to blue, then it is not being read.
3. Using a Different HDMI Cable
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If you’ve tried the other two fixes and your second monitor is still black, then it’s time to use a new HDMI cable. We recommend using a high-quality HDMI for this.
A high-quality cable will have a lower chance of defects because they’re made from high-quality materials. The manufacturer would have better quality control too.
When you have your new HDMI cable, all you have to do is connect it to your computer and monitor the same way you connected the old HDMI cable.
Don’t forget to check if you’re plugging them into the right ports.
If the monitor mirrors your computer’s screen, then that means that your old HDMI cable is damaged or faulty.
But what if it doesn’t? We will now check the HDMI port.
4. Checking the HDMI Port
To know if the HDMI port is damaged, follow these steps to troubleshoot.
Go to Computer > Properties > Device Manager. In the menu that opens, go to ‘Display Adapters’.
Your HDMI port should be listed in this section. If it’s not, then it’s likely that it’s not being read by your computer.
For issues like this, it’s best to have it checked by your computer’s service center and have it repaired or replaced.
But when your HDMI port is being read, the last option we have is to test the monitor.
Try testing your monitor with a different computer and the new HDMI cable. If it still doesn’t work, then it’s safe to assume that your monitor is the culprit.
Conclusion
Black screens happen because of several issues with your components. It can be a damaged GPU, PSU, HDMI cable, port, or monitor.
Before buying a new HDMI cable, we recommend that you check your GPU and PSU first and then check the old HDMI cable if it works with other devices.
It’s only when you’ve tried the other components and proved that they are functioning that you need to buy a new HDMI cable.
Vance is a dad, former software engineer, and tech lover. Knowing how a computer works becomes handy when he builds Pointer Clicker. His quest is to make tech more accessible for non-techie users. When not working with his team, you can find him caring for his son and gaming.