Computer Won't Turn On? What to Try on Windows Laptops, Desktops and Macs

Go in order, starting with the easiest checks.

Safety first: is the laptop bulging? If the case bulges, the trackpad is raised or stiff, the laptop no longer sits flat or the bottom cover has gaps, the battery may be swollen. Dell says to stop using it, don't charge it, unplug the charger, set it on a non-flammable surface away from heat and sunlight, and don't press on, puncture or try to pull out the battery. Microsoft says to stop using a Surface whose battery has visibly swollen and handle it carefully. Skip the steps below and contact the maker for repair (step 7).

1. Check the outlet, the cable and the charger

• Plug straight into the wall. Dell says to bypass power strips, extension cables and other power protection devices while you test. Lenovo says not to charge through power strips, surge protectors or docking stations. If a desktop does stay on a power strip, Dell says to make sure the strip is plugged in and switched on.
• Make sure the outlet works. Plug a lamp or phone charger into it. Dell suggests testing the outlet with another device.
• Push the cable in firmly at both ends. On a desktop, Dell says to reseat the cable at the back of the computer and at the outlet.
• Laptops: use the right charger. Lenovo says to check the charger's label to make sure it's the one made for your model. If the computer has a power light, see whether it comes on; Dell also says to check that the light on its charger is lit. If not, Dell suggests another working charger and Lenovo another Lenovo-approved one. For a Mac, Apple says to try another compatible cable or adapter if you have one.
• Give a dead battery time. Microsoft says to charge a Surface with its own power supply for at least 15 minutes. Lenovo says to charge a ThinkPad or ideapad for at least 5 to 10 minutes, because some batteries won't run until they reach a certain level (10% or more).

2. Unplug everything else

The makers' no-power steps all include unplugging accessories. Unplug USB drives, memory cards, printers, external monitors and hubs, and take a laptop off any dock. Microsoft's Surface list also includes the Type Cover keyboard. Then try the power button again. If it starts, Dell suggests plugging things back in one at a time and checking the computer each time.

3. Is it on, but the screen is dark?

Listen and look closely. If you hear a fan, Lenovo says the problem may be the display, not the power. Dell says the same if the power and keyboard lights come on but the screen stays blank.

• Turn up the brightness with your keyboard's brightness keys. Lenovo says a screen set too low can make the computer seem to have no power.
• Wake it up. Move the mouse, press a key or press the power button once. Lenovo suggests this for a computer that may be in sleep or hibernate.
• Surface: Microsoft suggests closing and reopening the lid or keyboard, then pressing the power button. You can also wake it with Ctrl + Shift + Windows logo key + B.
• Desktops and monitors: make sure the monitor is plugged in, turned on and connected to the computer. Dell also says to check that the monitor is set to the right input source. Lenovo suggests trying a different monitor if you have one.

4. Do your maker's power reset

A power reset (some makers call it a hard reset or power drain) drains leftover power from the computer, Dell says. HP and Dell both say it doesn't erase your personal files. Start by turning the computer off and unplugging the charger or power cord.

• HP: take out any discs and memory cards and unplug anything you don't need, like printers and USB drives. With the charger unplugged, hold the power button for about 15 seconds. Plug the charger back in and turn the computer on. HP says that on a business laptop, you hold the Windows key + V and then press the power button to turn it on.
• Dell: on a desktop, unplug the power cord. On a laptop, unplug the charger and take out the battery if it comes out (never a swollen one). Unplug USB drives, printers, webcams and memory cards. Hold the power button for 15 to 20 seconds, then plug everything back in and turn it on. If your Dell laptop's battery doesn't come out, Dell points you to a different reset instead (see Pro Mode).
• Lenovo (ThinkPad and ideapad): unplug the power and any devices, and take out the battery if it comes out (never a swollen one). If the battery is built in, look for a tiny emergency-reset hole: with the power unplugged, press inside it with a straightened paper clip, then plug in and turn it on. Not every model has one; your user guide shows where it is. On other models, hold the power button for at least 10 seconds. Lenovo's separate power-drain article says to hold it for about 1 minute, and that you won't see anything happen while you do.
• Microsoft Surface: press and hold the power button until the logo appears, about 20 seconds, then let go. That works on Surface Pro (5th Gen) and later, Surface Laptop, Surface Go and other recent models; older models are in Pro Mode.
• Other brands: search your maker's support site for its power reset steps.

5. Read the lights and beeps

If the computer blinks a light or beeps but won't start, that pattern is a message.

• HP laptops: the caps lock light may blink in a pattern of long red and short white blinks. Red blinks point to a bigger problem area and white blinks to a smaller one; on models without a two-color light, all the blinks are white. Not every model beeps. HP's page, "HP Notebook PCs - Computer beeps or a light blinks during startup," lists what each pattern means.
• Dell: Dell says a Dell logo that never moves on usually means the computer failed its startup self-test. On a Dell desktop or all-in-one, so does an amber or orange power light; on a Dell laptop, look for beeps or blinking diagnostic, caps lock or num lock lights. Note the pattern, then look it up in your user manual or on Dell's support site.

Our read: take a short phone video of the lights, so you can count the blinks slowly and show it to support.

6. Mac: Apple's steps

• Check power first. Apple says to make sure the cable isn't damaged and is plugged firmly into the Mac and a working outlet, and to try another compatible cable or adapter if you have one. On a Mac without a built-in screen, check that the display is plugged in, connected and turned on.
• Hold the power button for about 10 seconds, then press it again normally. Apple says every Mac has a power button; on a Mac laptop with Touch ID, press and hold Touch ID.
• Unplug all accessories, such as printers, drives, USB hubs and phones, and try the 10-second hold again.
• Something on the screen? If you see a flashing question mark or a circle with a line through it, Apple says your Mac is on but isn't starting up. Apple's article "If your Mac doesn't start up all the way" explains what each screen means and what to do. If it seems to be on but the screen stays blank, Apple says it could be a software problem, and it has a separate article for that (see Pro Mode).
• Apple silicon Macs (M-series): there's no SMC reset to do. Apple says the SMC resets by itself when you restart or shut down and turn it on again with the Mac plugged in.
• Intel Macs only: resetting the SMC, the chip that manages power, might help. The key steps are in Pro Mode.

7. Still nothing? Get it repaired the official way

• Mac: Apple says a Mac that still won't turn on might need service. Start at support.apple.com/mac-laptops/repair or support.apple.com/mac-desktops/repair and choose Get started. Apple's warranty covers manufacturing problems for one year from purchase.
• Surface: If your Surface won't power on at all, Microsoft says it has to go to Microsoft to be repaired or replaced. You create a service order online; check your warranty at account.microsoft.com/devices. A work or school Surface has separate business options.
• HP, Dell and Lenovo: go to support.hp.com, dell.com/support or pcsupport.lenovo.com and enter your model or serial number for repair options. Dell says you can send in a laptop that won't turn on for repair in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland.
• Work or school computer: your IT team.

Our read: if a repair shop or website you don't know asks for remote access or payment before it has even looked at the computer, stop and use the maker's own site instead.