5 Fixes For Dell XPS 15 Screen Not Turning On

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Laptops are a wonderful thing to have today. They’re portable, have great RAM, and are convenient. When shopping for laptop computers, Dell is one of the best brands. Unfortunately, computers break, but there are always solutions. 

So if you have a Dell XPS 15 whose screen is not turning on, you’re in luck. The biggest issue people have is with the computer not turning on after going to sleep or being powered down.

Fixes for Dell XPS 15 Screen not Turning on

There are many reasons your Dell XPS 15’s screen might not be turning on. It could be a problem with the driver, an issue with the LCD screen, or something having to do with a power cord. When it comes to fixing the issues, there are lots of fixes. The best five are

  1. Resetting your computer
  2. Disconnecting and reconnecting the outside cords
  3. Updating your drivers
  4. Performing an LCD/Built-In Self-Test
  5. Replacing the backlight

Keep on reading to learn how to do each of these fixes in detail.

Resetting your Computer

The first thing to try when your computer has gone black is to try to reset it. As they say in the technology world, “Have you tried turning it off and back on again?” So, if your Dell XPS 15 laptop goes black, the first thing to try is resetting it.

  1. Find the power button on the side of the laptop
  2. Press and hold the button for about 8 seconds

This should resolve the issue, and if not, there are a few more fixes below that will also help with troubleshooting. 

Disconnecting the Adapter

If your computer is plugged in to an adapter, with the screen black, you might want to try this next fix. 

  1. Disconnect your power adapter from the Dell XPS laptop and your main power
  2. Make sure all of your USBs are unplugged from your laptop as well. This means your wireless mouse, USB drives, etc. 
  3. Wait two minutes
  4. Reconnect all the wires to your computer and the power 
  5. Hold down the power button for 8 seconds and let it go

This should especially help if you have put your computer into sleep mode, and it doesn’t turn back on afterward. If this is consistently an issue, there are ways to prevent your laptop from going into sleep mode.

While doing this, you should also ensure that your Dell XPS 15 is fully charged and that there are no breaks or kinks in the charger. If there are, it might need to be replaced.

Updating your Driver

The next thing to try is to update your driver. The driver allows you to update operating systems and fix video or graphic issues. You want to make sure you update your device driver once you restore your computer, especially if there is an issue going on with your computer. 

The driver you are going to make sure you install is BIOS. BIOS helps with your keyboard, monitor display, disk drivers, and other such systems. Just make sure you disconnect all external devices before you update the BIOS. 

  1. Go to the Dell Drivers & Downloads page
  2. Look for the XPS 15 driver
  3. Go to the Operating System
  4. Look for your System BIOS
  5. Download the file to your computer
  6. Open the downloaded file and follow the instructions 

To find the manual for your monitor, just make sure you have the model number or service tag for that monitor. These can be found at the bottom of your computer. 

According to the manual, when you restart the computer, press F2 when it comes to the Dell icon. That should take you straight to the BIOS system. The BIOS system acts as the merger between the computer’s hardware and the system’s software.

Trying the LCD Test

The next thing to try is to do an LCD test. This is also called the BIST test or “Built-in Self-Test). All Dell laptops have this diagnostic tool to see if there are any issues such as

  • Distorted colors
  • Dead pixels
  • Image burn or black patches
  • Distorted images 

There are two ways to access the LCD BIST. See the chart below to see what to do for each method.

Method 1Method 2
Turn off laptopDisconnect everything connected Make sure the laptop is plugged into the chargerClean your LCD screenPress & hold the D key until you see the color bars on the LCD screen. You should see colored bars Look for screen abnormalitiesPress the ESC key to exitTurn off the laptopDisconnect all devicesMake sure it’s connected to the chargerEnsure the screen is cleanPress and hold the FN key and turn on the computer to preboot diagnostics modeKeep holding FN until the diagnostics screen appearsIt will ask if you see the color bars. Press N to enter the LCD BISTLook for abnormalitiesThe computer will restart after the tests are completed.

These issues might happen for a multitude of reasons, including an outdated driver, an issue with the BIOS (the Basic Input and Output System), a problematic video chip, or even a faulty video cable. 

Replacing the Dell XPS 15 Screen:

If you’ve done all of the above and still are having trouble turning on your screen, the backlight might have burned out. A great way to test this is to plug an HDMI cable into your laptop and another screen to screen mirror it. You can use a TV that has an HDMI port. 

If the screen shows up on the TV, then there’s your issue; you need to replace your backlight. The best and safest way to do this is to check your laptop’s warranty first. If it’s still under warranty, you can send your laptop to Dell, and they can fix it. If not, you can go to a local technician to replace it. 

The Five Fixes

Each of these fixes can help with issues such as a faulty video chip, problematic cord, problem with the LCD screen, or even the driver. Try out these fixes first and see if they fix your issue.

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