How to fix grey screen on Windows 11

To fix a grey screen on Windows 11, press Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B to restart the graphics driver. If the screen stays grey, restart Windows Explorer from Task Manager, then restart the PC. If it keeps coming back, start in Safe Mode and roll back or reinstall the graphics driver, remove the most recent Windows update, and run SFC and DISM to repair system files.

Applies to: Windows 11. Checked against Microsoft Support on October 9, 2026.

A grey screen usually means Windows is running but the display isn’t drawing properly. The most common causes are a graphics driver crash, a stuck File Explorer process, a bad update, or a loose cable. Work through the fixes below in order; the quick ones come first.

First, check it isn’t a grayscale filter

If you can still see your desktop and apps but everything is grey instead of colored, that’s not a crash. Windows has a grayscale color filter that can be switched on by accident.

1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Color filters.
2. Turn off Color filters.
3. Also turn off the Keyboard shortcut for color filters so Windows + Ctrl + C can’t turn it on again.

Quick fixes for a blank grey screen

1. Restart the graphics driver

Press Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B. The screen goes black for a moment and you may hear a beep. This restarts the display driver without closing your apps, and often clears a grey screen straight away.

2. Restart Windows Explorer

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. On the Processes page, find Windows Explorer.
3. Right-click it and select Restart.

If Task Manager doesn’t appear, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and select Task Manager from there.

3. Check cables and the display

• Unplug and reconnect the HDMI, DisplayPort or USB-C cable at both ends.
• Check the monitor is set to the right input.
• On a desktop, make sure the cable is plugged into the graphics card, not the motherboard, if you have a separate card.
• Press Windows + P and choose PC screen only or Duplicate if you use more than one display.

4. Restart the PC

If nothing responds, hold the power button for about 10 seconds to turn the PC off, wait a few seconds, then turn it on again. Save your work first if you still can.

Fixes if the grey screen keeps coming back

5. Start in Safe Mode

Safe Mode loads Windows with basic drivers. If the screen works there, a driver or startup app is the likely cause. On the sign-in screen, hold Shift while you select Power > Restart. Then go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart and press 4. For other ways, see how to get into Safe Mode in Windows 11.

If Windows won’t load at all, turn the PC on and off during startup twice. On the third start, Windows opens the recovery environment, where you’ll find the same Troubleshoot options.

6. Roll back or reinstall the graphics driver

1. Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Display adapters, right-click your graphics card, and select Properties.
3. On the Driver tab, select Roll Back Driver if it’s available. This is the best choice if the problem started after a driver update.
4. If Roll Back isn’t available, select Uninstall Device, then restart. Windows installs a basic driver automatically.
5. Download the latest driver from your PC maker or from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel and install it.

7. Remove a recent Windows update

If the grey screen started after an update, go to Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates and remove the newest one. From the recovery environment, use Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Uninstall Updates instead.

8. Repair system files

1. Right-click Start and select Terminal (Admin).
2. Run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and wait for it to finish.
3. Run sfc /scannow.
4. Restart the PC.

More detail is in how to run an SFC scan in Windows 11.

9. Turn off fast startup

Fast startup saves part of Windows to disk at shutdown, which can carry a driver problem into the next start. In Control Panel, open Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do, select Change settings that are currently unavailable, and clear Turn on fast startup. See how to disable fast startup in Windows 11.

10. Do a clean boot

A third-party app that starts with Windows, such as screen-recording or overlay software, can cause a grey screen. Run msconfig, select Services, tick Hide all Microsoft services, select Disable all, then disable startup apps in Task Manager. Restart and turn things back on one at a time to find the culprit.

11. Use System Restore

If you have a restore point from before the problem started, open the recovery environment and select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Restore. Your files aren’t affected, but apps and drivers installed after the restore point are removed.

Check whether it’s a hardware problem

• Grey screen before Windows starts: if the screen is grey or shows lines during the maker’s logo or in the BIOS, the problem is hardware, not Windows.
• Try another display: connect an external monitor or TV. If it works, the laptop screen or its cable may be faulty.
• Look for driver crashes: open Event Viewer > Windows Logs > System and look for Display warnings with event ID 4101, which means the display driver stopped responding and recovered.
• Watch the temperature: a graphics card that overheats can crash. Clean dust from vents and fans.

Grey screen in just one app

If only one app or browser window turns grey, the app is the problem. Update it, and try turning off hardware acceleration in its settings. In Microsoft Edge, go to Settings > System and performance and turn off Use graphics acceleration when available.

Frequently asked questions

What causes a grey screen on Windows 11?

Most often a graphics driver crash, a stuck Windows Explorer process, a faulty update, or a loose display cable. Less often, the graphics hardware or screen is failing.

Can a virus cause a grey screen?

It’s uncommon, but malware can make Windows unstable. Run a full scan with Windows Security once the screen is working.

Will resetting my PC fix a grey screen?

It can fix software causes, but it removes your apps. Try every fix above first, and back up your files before you reset.

Is a grey screen the same as the Blue Screen of Death?

No. A blue screen shows an error message and restarts the PC. A grey screen usually has no message, and Windows may still be running behind it.

Why does my screen turn grey after sleep?

The graphics driver may not be waking up correctly. Update the graphics driver and your PC’s chipset drivers from the maker’s site, and try turning off fast startup. If it only happens on battery, check the power settings in your graphics software, which can reduce performance to save power.

What if Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B does nothing?

The shortcut only works while Windows is responding. If there’s no beep and no flicker, Windows may be frozen. Hold the power button to restart, then start with the Safe Mode and driver steps above.

Can I lose files when fixing a grey screen?

No. None of these fixes delete your files except a full reset with Remove everything. A forced shutdown can lose unsaved work in open apps.