In this guide, we will be taking a look at what you can do if you are getting a black screen or even a blank screen when trying to use your Steam Deck.
The black screen might be happening when trying to turn on your Steam Deck, or when launching a game.
Experiencing a black screen issue on the Steam Deck can be frustrating, but luckily there are things you can do that should resolve the problem.
I have listed different troubleshooting methods below that you can use.
Table Of Contents
What causes Steam Deck black screen?
There can be several causes for a black screen issue on the Steam Deck. One possibility is you need to just put your Deck on charge and leave it for a few hours, as the battery is completely drained.
Another factor could be a hardware problem and you would need to contact support, or it could even just be that the game or applications may have compatibility issues with the Steam Deck, causing the screen to go black during gameplay.
So use the below methods to Troubleshoot and fix the cause of the black screen.
How to fix Steam Deck black screen issues
Fix 1: Steam Deck charged and on
Firstly, ensure that the Steam Deck is charged and turned on
So go ahead and plug the cable into your Steam Deck and charge it, ensure that it is defiantly charging.
Fix 2: Restart the device
A simple restart might help, resolve the no display issue you are getting on your Deck.
Press and hold the power button to turn off the device
Leave it for a 30seconds
Now power it back on
Fix 3: Steam Deck brightness
Try adjusting the brightness settings by pressing the dedicated brightness buttons or checking the system settings.
Open up the Settings
Now find Display then change the slider for Brightness
Fix 4: External display
Try connecting the Steam Deck to an external display or monitor using the USB-C port to determine if the problem lies with the built-in display.
If you are able to see a display output when your Steam Deck is connected to a display, then you will need to either reach out to Steam support or you could try doing a full factory reset.
Fix 5: Check for updates
Updating the Steam Deck’s firmware and graphics drivers to the latest versions is also advisable.
Open Settings
Now go down to System and select it
You will see a Check For Updates button select it
If there is an update available then select Apply and restart your Steam Deck
Fix 6: Contact support
If none of these steps resolve the black screen issue, then you might need to contact Steam support for further assistance you could always check out the Steam support forum and see if anyone is experiencing the same issue as you.
Final thoughts
There you have at encountering a black screen issue on the Steam Deck can be annoying, but at least there are things you can do to resolve the problem. While the cause of the black screen could be caused by many different things, it’s normally related to something straight forward.
