How to fix the Xbox One “black screen of death"

If you've ever turned on your Xbox One® console only to find yourself face-to-face with a black screen, then you know how frustrating the so-called “black screen of death" can be. This software glitch blacks out large portions of the dashboard, effectively rendering the console unusable.

Here at Asurion, we find and fix tech issues fast. Our experts can help no matter what the problem is—from fixing an Xbox One that won't connect to Wi-Fi to securing your phone from hackers. Here are their tips for troubleshooting the Xbox One black screen of death.

What is the black screen of death?

A black screen typically occurs because of a glitch in the console dashboard. You'll know it's happening if your screen appears entirely black (or black only on the right side) or if you see flashes across your dashboard that eventually fade to a black screen. This can occur for a variety of reasons: a failed startup, a power glitch, software bugs, a connection problem, and more.

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How do you fix the black screen of death?

There are multiple ways to troubleshoot the problem.

Restart your Xbox One

Although it may seem obvious, a restart can be the fastest and easiest fix for the black screen of death. Follow these steps:

1. Press and hold the Xbox button on your console for 10 seconds until it turns off.
2. Unplug the system and wait at least 10 seconds.
3. Plug it back in and press the Xbox button on your console to turn it on.
4. If you don't see the green startup animation when the console restarts, repeat steps 1–3, checking that you hold the Xbox button until the console completely shuts down.

Try offline mode

Since the black screen of death is often an Xbox Live problem, you can set your console to offline mode by disconnecting from Xbox Live. You can do this from your Wi-Fi Settings:

1. Press the Xbox button on your controller.
2. Select Profile & system > Settings > General > Network settings.
3. Select Go offline.

Once you disconnect, the dashboard should reappear with full functionality. Sometimes connecting to Xbox Live after rebooting in offline mode can fix the problem too.

Factory reset your Xbox One

Resetting your Xbox One restores the system back to factory settings and should take the black screen of death away. Keep in mind, however, that doing so will delete your accounts, saved games, settings, and home Xbox associations. So be sure to sync with the Xbox network to back up your information before doing a reset. Then, follow the steps in our guide to factory resetting your Xbox One.