It’s common to encounter various unexpected issues when using a computer. One of them is Windows 11 white screen. This post will tell you the most possible causes of it and guide you on how to fix white screen on Windows.
For about a week I have had this Windows 11 white screen issue. I have spent hours trying to figure out the issue and nothing seems to work. I've looked around online and everyone who has similar issues seem to be able to fix it easily but when trying to do the same methods it doesn't work at all. I've restarted it multiple times and always get met up with the same white screen."
- Question from Microsoft community
Since Windows 11 has released, a number of users has upgraded their system to Win 11 to enjoy the newest OS. However, some users have reported that they are sometimes facing an issue where there is a white screen after logging in Windows 11 system.
It's similar to Blue or Black Screen of Death on Windows, stopping you from getting into the OS to make any operations. If you have the same issue and don't know how to deal with it, the following content will tell you the reasons and guide you on fixing Windows 11 white screen with a couple of methods.
There are multiple reasons for the appearance of white screen Windows 11. The most possible causes are listed below.
★ Incompatible third-party applications.
★ Failure of hardware.
★ Recent Windows update.
★ MBR (Master Boot Record) error.
★ Virus or malware attack.
Suffering white screen may be a headache thing especially when you urgently need to work on an important task with a computer. Thus, finding ways to quick fix it is imminent. After a basic learning of the reasons, the methods provided below will help you fix Windows 11 white screen after login effortlessly.
Fixes with force-restart Windows 11
You may have tried restarting your Windows forcibly in the first place. Unlike the traditional force-reboot Windows, this method requires you to restart the system and boot into "Advanced Startup options" to execute the next operations. Here comes the detailed steps:
1. Force the computer to shut down 2 times and reboot it.
2. Once entering the "Choose an option" window, select "Troubleshoot".
3. Then you will see a picture like this:
The Startup Repair tool is a Windows built-in utility. It can not only fix many common problems automatically, but also repair some complex startup problems. When white screen happens, you could try it.
Step 1. On the Advanced options screen, select "Startup Repair". When the Startup Repair tool determines the cause, the tool tries to fix the problem automatically.
Step 2. After Startup Repair, select "Shutdown", then turn on your PC to see if white screen Windows 11 has been solved.
If you have installed any updates recently, it's likely to cause Windows 11 white screen of death due to the incompatibility. Thus, it's necessary to try removing the latest update.
Step 1. Just click "Uninstall Updates" on "Advanced options" interface.
Step 2. Then, select "Uninstall latest quality update". This will restart the Windows system. After that, check if it has fixed the issue.
Command Prompt is a command-line interpreter application available on most Windows operating systems. It's widely used by users to perform multiple operations including extend partition, format partition and repair PC boot issue.
Step 1. Click on "Command Prompt", type this command and hit "Enter":
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Step 2.1. Once it finishes, type this command and press "Enter":
sfc /scannow
Step 2.2. Also try boot repair commands:
bootrec /scanos
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /rebuildbcd
Step 3. Once it finishes, type this command and hit enter:
chkdsk /r
Step 4. When it completes, reboot the PC to check whether the white screen problem is fixed.
Sometimes a third-party application may lead you to receive the White Screen of Death on Windows 11 or 10. Under safe mode, only a few necessary files and drivers will be loaded normally and all third-party apps are disabled by default. That is to say, restating into safe mode is likely to remove the white screen issue.
Step 1. Under "Advanced options", click "Startup Settings" > "Restart".
Step 2. Enter Safe Mode by hitting F4, F5, or F6 in different cases by following the onscreen instructions.
Fixes without force-restart Windows 11
If the above method doesn't work for you, you should try removing all the peripheral devices connected to your computer. This is because a white screen might be caused by a fault or error in the connected devices. Therefore, it's workable to disconnect all peripheral devices including a USB keyboard, mouse, flash drives, external hard drives, etc.
After that, restart your PC again to see whether the computer can run normally. If the white screen is gone, connect the detached devices one by one to check which one caused the problem. Once you find the culprit, get it replaced in case of the reappearance of white screen.
If all the methods recommended above are not helpful, you can take rebuilding MBR into account. An MBR error can easily cause boot failure such as "Operating System not found", "System missing", "Error loading operating system" as well as "Windows 11 Black screen of death". Hence, you could try repairing MBR to get rid of the boot issue.
Since the white screen will prevent you from getting access to the OS, you need to make a Windows 11 bootable USB to boot from it, and then rebuild MBR. Luckily, a free and powerful third-party disk manager named AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard can help you finish these two tasks perfectly in only a few clicks.
Now, free download this professional disk management tool and have a try fixing Windows 11 white screen.
Step 1. Plug a USB flash drive into a working Windows 11 PC, install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard. Click "Tools" > "Make bootable Media" at the top interface, hit "Next" to proceed.
Step 2. Choose your USB flash drive after ticking "USB Boot Device". Click on "Proceed" to continue.
Step 3. Then, you'll be promoted that the operation will format the USB. Click on "Yes" to move on.
Step 4. Wait until the media creation process is completed. Then unplug the bootable USB.
Step 5. Insert the bootable USB into the problematic PC, change boot Order in BIOS and boot from it. Then, you will get into AOMEI software interface directly. Right-click the system primary hard drive and select "Rebuild MBR".
Performing clean install Windows 11 should be your last choice because this action will erase everything on your computer and you can't get them back any longer. If the Windows 11 white screen issue is still unfixed after applying all the above methods, you can follow the guide below to clean install Windows 11.
Step 1. Connect the USB with a running computer and download Media Creation Tool from the official website, choose "Create installation media（USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file)".
Step 2. Choose which media to use (USB flash drive or ISO file) and finish the settings.
Step 3. When the bootable media gets ready, connect it to your computer with white screen on Windows, and restart your computer and boot from it.
Step 4. After setting some parameters, you will get into the Setup window, click "Install now".
Step 5. Follow the prompts to finish the next settings and wait patiently until Windows 11 installation completes. Then, white screen on Windows will disappear.
Windows 11 white screen is absolutely annoying, but fixing it is also very easy. As you can see from this passage, there are a couple of ways helping you resolve it. What you need to pay more attention to is you might lose some unsaved data due to the abrupt and sudden appearance of this issue. But don't worry, AOMEI Partition Assistant is so versatile that it can not only fix the white screen on Windows, but also recover lost partition with data on back easily and quickly.