How to fix black screen of death on Xbox One

If your Xbox One’s lovely user interface has all but disappeared, you’ve likely found yourself up against the dreaded “black screen of death”.

Sounds dramatic, right? The software glitch has been plaguing Xbox gamers for a couple of years now. It takes its name from the fact that, while you might be able to navigate certain menus, the display is largely blacked out and completely unusable.

Don’t worry, though – your Xbox isn’t destined for the great console store in the sky just yet. The black screen of death is a frustrating phenomenon, to be sure. But luckily, there are a few fixes for bringing your Xbox One’s UI back from the mysterious void.

So, if you’re faced with the notorious black screen of death on your Xbox One, here are a few simple steps you can take to get it back to working order.

Quick fixes for Xbox One black screen of death

Some people have fixed the issue by switching tabs and then quickly switching back to reload the dashboard. To do this, press the Home button and immediately switch to another tab using the left or right shoulder buttons on your controller. Then return to the dashboard.

Next, try taking your console offline. The black screen of death is often attributed to issues with your connection to Xbox Live. Head to the ‘System’ menu, navigate to ‘Wi-fi settings’ and disconnect from the service. Restart your console, then head back to that menu and reconnect to Xbox Live.

You can also try performing a hard restart on your console to fix the black screen issue. To do this, hold the power button for 10 seconds while the system is on. When it turns off, hit the power button again. This should clear the cache and resolve any log-in or game start issues.

Alternatively, try the old-school method. Turn your console off and disconnect it from the power supply. Wait 10 seconds, plug everything back in and then power up your machine.

READ MORE: How to transfer games from an old Xbox One to a new one

Resetting your Xbox One console

That didn't work? Well, it’s time to carry out a factory reset on your console. If you are still able to access the guide menu (by pressing the Xbox button on your controller), you can find the options for resetting your console by navigating to Settings -> System -> Console info.

If you can’t even access the guide menu, press and hold the sync button on the front of the console and the disc eject button at the same time. While holding these down, press and hold the power button. Continue to hold all three until you hear two beeps. This should bring up a special menu that enables you to reset the system.

Both of these methods will offer you two options. First, try the ‘Reset and keep my games and apps’ option. If this doesn’t work, try the more extreme ‘Reset and remove everything’ option. This will permanently remove any files not backed up on Xbox Live, but it won’t delete your license to redownload previous online purchases.

If you’re still experiencing problems, there could be a more complex fault with the machine that calls for a more drastic solution, such as a repair or replacement. Contact Xbox Support for further advice.