Fixed: Computer Suddenly Turns off and Won't Turn Back on (8 Ways)

Why did my PC just shut off and won't turn back on?

There are a lot of reasons that can cause a desktop computer or laptop turned off suddenly and won't turn on, including improper power connection, faulty display, bad/loose hardware, unusual BIOS settings, software errors, etc. But don't worry. The article covers several essential tips to fix the abrupt turning-off of your computer issue. It also features an efficient way to back up your computer for free for disaster recovery.

Easily solve computer suddenly turns off and won't turn back on in 8 methods

If your laptop or desktop suddenly turns off and won't turn back on, you can try the 8 useful solutions below to get your computer up and running properly again.

👉 Solution 1. Check power connections🔥
👉 Solution 2. Disconnect external devices
👉 Solution 3. Check your monitor
👉 Solution 4. Make sure hardware is connected correctly🔥
👉 Solution 5. Watch out for overheating
👉 Solution 6. Run a virus scan
👉 Solution 7. Check BIOS or UEFI Settings
👉 Solution 8. Boot computer into safe mode🔥
👉 Safety tip: Create computer backup regularly to avoid data loss🔥

Solution 1. Check power connections

The most common reason for suddenly desktop/laptop turned off and won't turn back on is the power problem.

#1. Check your power cable. Sometimes, your PC suddenly turns off and won’t turn back on could be a possible result of a faulty power cord. You can utilize a multimeter to test for an open circuit. If there's a proper electrical connection, the multimeter will beep; otherwise, it indicates a potential issue with the power cords. In the case of a faulty power cord, it would be best to replace it with another power cord.

#2. Check the battery. If the non-responsive computer is a laptop, and you recently depleted its battery, it may fail to start even when connected to the power. Plug in the laptop and allow the battery to charge for at least thirty minutes. Attempt to turn it on again afterward. Or, you can remove the battery, dust it off if required, and reconnect the battery to have a try.

Solution 2. Disconnect external devices

Often, when you connect any incompatible device to your computer, it may result in the sudden shutting off of computer. In this case, you can remove everything that you do not need for the proper functioning of your computer, like a printer cable, scanner, webcam, and external display.

Solution 3. Check your monitor

For a computer that seems operational, like making some noise, but displays nothing on the screen, please ensure that the monitor is turned on and correctly connected to your computer.

It's also one way to check the brightness settings on the monitor to ensure it is not accidentally set to zero, causing a dark or blank screen. If possible, you can plug the computer into a different display to identify whether the issue lies with the current monitor or the computer itself.

Solution 4. Make sure hardware is connected correctly

In some cases, your PC suddenly turns off and meets boot failure due to a component on your computer having been loose. If you can open your computer up, a methodical approach involves removing and reinstalling individual elements like RAM, graphics card, motherboard cables, and the CPU heatsink.

Solution 5. Watch out for overheating

Numerous laptop processors incorporate built-in thermal protection mechanisms, triggering automatic shutdowns to prevent overheating. If your computer shuts off while playing a game and won't turn back on, or you are using computer on a soft surface like a bed or pillow, make sure the computer's vents aren't blocked and that the hot air is being displaced correctly.

In cases of a notably heated laptop, exercise patience and let it thoroughly cool before attempting a reboot.

Solution 6. Run a virus scan

Viruses, Trojan horses, and worms sometimes are created to cause the issue of computer suddenly turns off and won’t turn back on. If you recently installed new programs or connected new devices, it is highly recommended to run a full virus scan on your PC. You can get it done with the Windows native anti-virus software or a professional third-party one.

Solution 7. Check BIOS or UEFI Settings

The BIOS or UEFI settings can also result in a conflict and refuse a proper start of PC. You could go to BIOS with the following steps to resolve computer randomly turns off and won't turn back on:

Step 1. Power on your computer.

Step 2. Swiftly press the designated boot key for your computer to enter BIOS/UEFI, which commonly includes ESC, Delete, F1, or F2.

Within the BIOS or UEFI interface, confirm that the computer is configured to boot from the primary hard drive, deactivate Fast Boot, and look for any other unusual settings that might be causing startup issues. Additionally, consider resetting the BIOS or UEFI to factory defaults as a potential resolution.

Solution 8. Boot computer into safe mode

Utilizing Safe Mode proves instrumental in addressing various computer issues, offering access the unique boot options on Windows and performing system restore. While accessing Safe Mode may pose a challenge, it is a worthwhile endeavor to resolve problems such as laptop shuts down suddenly even with full battery and won’t turn back on.

Step 1. Force shutdown your Windows PC by holding the Power button for 10 seconds. Power on the PC, and during the startup, force shutdown again by pressing and holding the Power button (Repeat 3 times).

Step 2. After the third interrupted reboot, you'll enter WinRE. Navigate to Advanced options in the Automatic Repair screen.

Step 3. Within the Choose an option window, proceed to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup settings > Restart.

Step 4. Upon restart, choose Enable Safe Mode with Networking by pressing the F5 key on your keyboard.

Safety tip: Create computer backup regularly to avoid data loss

You cannot predict when computer problems, like suddenly turning off and won’t turn back on will occur, and you may not want to experience data loss as a result of these problems. Therefore, it is highly recommended to use the free professional backup software AOMEI Backupper Standard to help you back up your computer regularly.

🍀 It offers various backup options: System/Disk/Partition/File/Cloud Backup, which can meet your diverse needs.
🍀 You are allowed to restore computer to an earlier date effortlessly using the backup image in the event of unforeseen accidents.
🍀 You can customize backup frequencies to back up your Windows PC regularly, such as daily, weekly, and monthly intervals.
🍀 If your computer fails to boot, you can restore your computer under WinPE using the Windows recovery disk created with AOMEI Backupper.

Click the download button below to install and run AOMEI Backupper Standard on your computer. Then follow the graphic tutorial below to create a Windows backup easily.

Step 1. Run this software and click Backup > Disk Backup. You can also use System Backup to only backup your Windows system or File Backup to create a copy of your important files and folders.

Step 2. Click + Add Disk to choose the source disk that contains the data you wish to backup. You can click the + button to select multiple drives.

Step 3. Choose a backup destination to save the backup image. Various backup destinations are supported, such as internal or external hard drives, cloud drives, network locations, and NAS devices.

Step 4. Click Start Backup to begin the backup process.

Notes:✎...

Options: You can write comments, select the compression level, or set email notifications for your backup task.

Schedule Backup: It offers 5 different backup frequencies to back up your data, including Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Event triggers, and USB plug in.

Backup Scheme: Three different backup methods are available. You can upgrade to the Professional version to enjoy the differential backup method and enable automatic backup cleanup feature to save backup disk space.

Concluding words

If your computer suddenly turns off and won’t turn back on, it’s a sign that something is hindering its smooth performance. The 8 tips mentioned in the article will help you fix the problem.

What's more, to avoid system failure or data loss caused by PC sudden shutdown, you can use the reliable backup software AOMEI Backupper. This versatile tool enables regular backups of your Windows system, inclusive of features like file backup, partition backup, and disk backup, ensuring comprehensive protection for your data.