Computer won't turn on: the 5-minute checklist
Dead laptop or desktop? Power, display and reset checks that rule out the simple stuff, and what the symptoms tell a technician.
Last updated 2026-06-12 · 4 minute read · Applies to: Windows laptop, MacBook, Desktop PC, iMac
'Won't turn on' is actually three different problems: no power at all, powers on but no display, or starts then dies. Five minutes of checks tells you which one you have, and gets you a much faster diagnosis when it does need the bench.
1. Prove the power path
Different power point, different cable/charger if you have one, and remove any power board from the chain. Laptops: charge 30 minutes before judging; a deeply flat battery shows nothing at first. Look for *any* sign of life: charge LED, fan twitch, keyboard backlight.
2. Separate 'no power' from 'no display'
Fans spinning, lights on, maybe a chime, but a black screen? That's a display/graphics problem, not a power one. Shine a torch at the screen on an angle: if you can faintly see the desktop, it's a backlight fault. Tell us which; it changes the diagnosis entirely.
3. Do the reset that fixes more than it should
Laptops: hold the power button 15–30 seconds, then try again. Intel MacBooks: SMC reset (hold Shift+Control+Option+power 10s). Apple Silicon: hold power 10s. Desktops: unplug, hold power 15s, replug. This clears wedged power states, a surprisingly common cure.
4. Strip it back to basics
Unplug every accessory: USB drives, hubs, external displays, even the mouse. A shorted USB device can hold a whole machine in a dead state. Desktops: re-seat the video cable and confirm the monitor input source.
5. Note the symptoms and bring it in
What happens when you press power (nothing / lights / fan-spin-then-stop / logo-then-restart) is exactly what we need to know. With that, boot troubleshooting is faster to diagnose. Assessment is free, and if bench diagnostics are needed the fee rolls into the repair.
Warning: Liquid: don't keep trying to power it. That's water damage first aid territory; the same rules apply to laptops. Storm/surge: unplug it and mention the storm at assessment; surge damage has its own pattern.
Frequently asked questions
It starts, shows the logo, then restarts forever. Same problem?
That's a boot loop, usually software or a failing drive rather than power. Don't reinstall anything if there's data you care about; we can usually save it first.
Is a dead machine's data gone?
Almost never. The drive usually outlives whatever killed the machine. Data recovery onto a new machine or drive is one of our most common jobs.
Is it worth fixing or should I replace it?
Depends what failed. A dead charger or power circuit on a good machine: fix it. A failed board on a 9-year-old budget laptop: we'll tell you straight, and can move your data to whatever's next.
Related guides
- Laptop running slow? What actually helps — Skip the registry cleaners. The real causes of a slow laptop (startup load, full drives, old hard disks) and the fixes that work.
- Laptop hot and loud? Cooling problems explained — Why laptops overheat, the difference between 'working hard' and 'something's wrong', and the service that brings temperatures down.
- Phone won't charge? Try this before booking a repair — Cable, charger, port, software: the four-step elimination that solves half of 'dead charging port' cases at home.
- How to back up a Windows laptop or PC — File History, OneDrive and a proper external-drive routine. A realistic backup setup for Windows machines, without paid software.