If your laptop won’t turn on after a system update, there may be a few ways to resolve the issue. Some issues may be relatively straightforward to resolve whereas others may require professional assistance. Windows users are sometimes affected by this, but MacBook users have also experienced this issue.
Naturally, if you cannot turn on your laptop at all then you’re probably reading this on your mobile phone or another device. This troubleshooting guide will provide you with concise and practical tips on how to resolve various causes of a laptop not turning on.
Step 1: Check Power and Battery Issues
One of the most common reasons why a laptop won’t turn on is from power and/or battery issues. Check that your device is securely connected both to the power supply and to your laptop. If a socket isn’t working, try another in your home or office. If none are working, the problem may be the AC adapter cable which can be replaced.
When a dead battery laptop won’t turn on, the device may still be able to work with the AC adapter. Remove the battery and reconnect the laptop to the AC adapter. Old batteries can be replaced with new ones if necessary.
Step 2: Perform a Hard Reset
It’s always a good idea to perform a full hard reset as this can reveal power issues such as a charged laptop that won’t turn on. Start by removing the battery if practical to do so and ensure the device is plugged into the AC adapter.
Windows laptop users can typically hold down the power button for 10-30 seconds and then release the button to turn on the device again. This is sometimes called a forced restart and it isn’t the same as a factory reset or safe mode boot, but it can often resolve system update causes of laptops not turning on.
MacBook owners can perform a System Management Controller (SMC) reset by holding the right Shift, left Control, and left Option keys for seven seconds, then (while keeping fingers on these keys) press and hold the power button for a further seven seconds.
Step 3: Verify If the Screen Is the Issue
It very well could be the case that your laptop is turning on but you simply can’t see anything due to a display issue. Depending on your laptop, determine where the hotkeys are to increase screen display brightness or dim your lights to see if anything is coming out of the display.
Consider connecting your laptop to an external monitor to see if video is being output. If the laptop outputs video just fine but nothing is visible otherwise, the issue is probably a display problem.
Step 4: Check for Signs of Life
Similar to the previous point, try to listen to your laptop for any noise that would indicate it’s actually able to turn on. If you cannot switch on your laptop but it’s making noise and/or the keyboard is lit up, fans are spinning, etc., then the problem may not be a power issue at all.
This means that your laptop is working but the problem may be due to errors in the installation of the system update, operating system issues, or in some cases motherboard or component failures, e.g. display.
Step 5: Boot in Safe Mode (Windows & macOS)
If you’ve tried the above and still can’t turn on your laptop, you may wish to try booting the device in safe mode. This can bypass system start-up programs or faulty drivers that could otherwise prevent you from using the laptop. It can also let you diagnose and resolve system update issues from your device.
On Windows laptops, power off the device and restart it following Step 2 above. If the laptop turns on, repeatedly press F4 or shift and F8 during the system boot (depends on your laptop). If done correctly, your device should boot in safe mode. Keep in mind that many features you may be used to will be turned off, but you ought to be able to create backups or uninstall drivers if these are the causes of the system update error, for example.
MacBook users, booting in safe mode depends on your chipset. Silicon MacBook safe mode requires holding down the power button and selecting your startup disk, then holding Shift and selecting “Continue in Safe Mode.” For Intel-based MacBooks, press and hold Shift when the device is restarting and release it when you get to the login screen.
Step 6: Reset BIOS/UEFI (Windows Only)
Another safe method of booting your laptop which keeps all of your data but restores the default values of your system is to perform a BIOS/UEFI reset. Windows laptop users can enter the BIOS/UEFI settings by restarting the device as shown in Step 2 above.
During the booting process, you must repeatedly press either the F2, F10, Del, or Esc keys (depending on your laptop manufacturer). If done correctly, you should see the BIOS/UEFI menu pop up.
Using the arrow keys, navigate to an option that looks like “Load Defaults,” “Load Settings,” or something fairly similar. Confirm this (buttons are normally shown on the menu) and your laptop ought to boot up using BIOS defaults so that you can diagnose and resolve the system update issue.
Step 7: Consider a Replacement – Refurbished Laptops as a Fast & Affordable Solution
While it’s rare that a brand new laptop won’t turn on and you ought to have warranty protection for these sorts of problems, it can happen with older devices which are perhaps no longer supported (hardware and/or operating system).
Repairs are usually the best option if your laptop isn’t too old, provided that repair costs are reasonably priced and they don’t take too long. That’s not always a given, however, and there are some circumstances where it’s best to cut your losses and sell/recycle the laptop and move onto a new one.
Of course, buying a new laptop can be quite expensive, so consider purchasing refurbished laptops as a fast, affordable solution. You can often get laptops that are “just like new” with all of the modern features and specs you need at a fraction of the price of buying brand new.
Get Refurbished Laptops and More at Wisetek Market EU
If you’re asking yourself why “my laptop won’t turn on” after a system update, the good news is that there are many quick and easy solutions to resolve the issue. Unfortunately, sometimes it only highlights a deeper problem such as faulty components or power supply issues that might not be worth your time to repair.
Professional repair can be worth it so long as the cost is reasonable, and at the very least you can often sell off the laptop for components and ensure it gets recycled when sold to a qualified repair shop.
If your laptop won’t turn on and you’ve exhausted your options, consider replacing it with ‘as-new’ Refurbished Laptops and Refurbished MacBooks from Wisetek Market EU.