If a black screen with a cursor appears after logging in, but the desktop does not load — the problem is most often related to Windows Explorer or the graphics driver.
Below are quick recovery methods.
Method 1: Manually start explorer.exe
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc
- Open Task Manager
- Click File → Run new task
- Enter:
explorer.exe
If the desktop appears — the problem was with a hung process.
Method 2: Restart the graphics driver
Try the key combination:
Win + Ctrl + Shift + B
The screen will flicker — this is the graphics driver restarting.
Method 3: Boot in safe mode
If the screen remains black:
- Restart the PC several times in a row to enter recovery environment
- Select Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings
- Click Restart
- Choose Safe Mode
If everything works in safe mode — the problem lies with the driver or an update.
Method 4: Reinstall the graphics driver
- Open Device Manager
- Find the graphics card
- Uninstall the device
- Restart the computer
Windows will automatically install the standard driver.
Method 5: Check system files
Open the command prompt as an administrator:
sfc /scannow
If necessary, execute:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
If the problem appeared after an update
Try uninstalling the latest update through the recovery environment or rolling back the graphics driver.
Conclusion
Most often, starting explorer.exe or reinstalling the graphics driver helps. If the problem arose after an update — perform a rollback. In rare cases, system recovery may be required.