Nothing can be as stressful as your Mac computer going black. Staring at a black screen with no response could be a sign of a software or hardware issue. It is a common problem most users encounter since Mac devices are not entirely immune to system issues.  

There are numerous reasons why your machine suddenly goes black. It could be corrupt drivers, an external display connection, or a third-party application interfering with the display setting.

Read on to find out more information about solving a black screen issue:

Power Issues

One of the common problems that might cause a black screen is the power supply. Check if the power is on and if the cables are working. Ensure your charger is in good condition because faulty cables will prevent power transfer to the machine.

You can also listen to strange noises when starting up or when it is on. There is no power problem if the drive and fan are functioning well without weird sounds.

However, if your machine is off because of a flat battery, you can charge it for a while before starting it up. 

If it does not solve the issue, then there might be another problem.

Remove Devices

Remove all the devices that are connected to your machine. It can be a printer, scanner, USB drive, or smartphone. Such connections interfere with the display settings and result in black screens when you least expect it. Only have the necessary cables like the charger or adapter to facilitate the power supply.

Such peripherals might communicate with the display setting and send corrupted information. Thus, removing the accessories will eventually solve the display problem. 

Change Screen Brightness 

You can be using your machine for a typing job and suddenly hit keys unknowingly. Within a few minutes, you are staring at a black screen. Please don’t panic; you can hold down the F1 and F2 keys, and the display will return to normal.

Force Restart Your Machine 

After using your device for a while, it might suffer from low performance due to opening various apps simultaneously. Force restarting your machine fixes some system issues immediately. 

Alter NVRAM Settings

NVRAM – non-volatile random access memory – stores several system settings for the hard disk, volume control, and screen display. Such settings might get affected, resulting in a black screen. To resolve the problem, alter the NVRAM back to the original setting. 

Reset SMC

SMC (System Management Controller) powers the system. Changing the settings will solve many issues like overheating, faulty fans, and display.

Use Safe Mode

Most users experience a black display because of corrupt data on the hard disk. Thus, one way of solving this problem is using safe mode. Check for errors by running diagnostics and starting your machine again. The chances are high that the black screen will have cleared. 

Repair Disk Permissions

Disk permissions are responsible for allowing specific programs and files to access other system settings. Such permissions might result in performance and display malfunctions. Thus, disk permission repair is among the most efficient solutions for black screens.

Let the Black Screen Not Scare You

You might encounter numerous problems while busy working on your Apple device. While a black screen might interfere with your work, let it not give you sleepless nights. Don’t panic when your machine display turns black. The above pointers can help you get a quick solution. 

However, if none of the solutions work, do not hesitate to contact an Apple expert to help you out. It could be more of a hardware or software hitch causing the issue. 

Ultimately, ensure you carry out routine maintenance on your machine for maximum durability.