Google's hardware reset article covers a Chromebook whose screen stays blank: first the ordinary hard reset (turn it off, press and hold Refresh and tap Power, release Refresh when it starts), and then, if the screen is still completely blank, the verification bypass key sequence: press and hold Power, double-tap Refresh, release Power, and repeat once. Google warns that if the sequence reboots the device, user data is erased and the device has an unsecured version of firmware, that it restarts automatically after 15 minutes, and that an administrator can block it.
Before either, check the obvious: brightness may be at minimum (the top-row brightness keys), the charger may be needed, and an external monitor tells you whether the Chromebook is running. If the Chromebook starts and shows a black screen only in one app or tab, restart the app or use Safety Reset. A screen that flickers or shows lines after a drop is a display repair.
Differential
Likely causes of “Acer Chromebook Plus 514 screen is black, blank or flickering”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Brightness at minimum
What separates it The screen looks black but a faint image shows under a flashlight
How to confirm Press the brightness up key on the top row
- 2
A flat battery
What separates it The screen is black and nothing responds because of a flat battery
How to confirm Plug in the charger and wait half an hour
- 3
Hardware in a stuck state
What separates it The Chromebook seems on but the screen is blank
How to confirm Try Google's hard reset: hold Refresh and tap Power
- 4
A completely blank screen after a reset
What separates it It is on, and the screen stays black, because of a completely blank screen after a reset
How to confirm Google describes the verification bypass key sequence, which erases data
- 5
A panel or cable fault
What separates it An external monitor works and the built-in screen stays black
How to confirm The panel needs service, so contact Acer for the Chromebook
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The full model number of the Chromebook
- Whether the power light, keyboard backlight, sound or fan responds and whether a faint image shows under a flashlight
- Whether an external monitor shows a picture
- Whether the fault began after an update, a drop or a spill
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedRaise brightness
ReversibleRaise brightness, by pressing the brightness up key on the top row of the keyboard.
Check power
ReversiblePlug in the charger and wait several minutes, because a flat battery looks exactly like a black screen and needs charge before it starts.
Hard reset
ReversibleHard reset, by turning off, pressing and holding Refresh, tapping Power, and releasing Refresh when it starts.
Try an external monitor
ReversibleTry an external monitor, by connecting HDMI or USB-C, since a picture means that the Chromebook is running.
Use the bypass sequence last
ReversibleFor a completely blank screen, hold Power, double-tap Refresh, release Power, and repeat, accepting the data loss.
Recover or factory reset
ReversibleSee the startup recovery page on this site for the full walk-through of the Windows recovery environment and the repair options it offers.
Contact Acer
ReversibleContact Acer, and if the screen stays black, the panel or cable needs service, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Display
- A 14-inch 16:10 WUXGA (1920 by 1200) touchscreen per Acer's page. A cracked panel or a torn cable is a repair, not a setting.
- Repair cost
- A loose display cable is often under $20 in parts per ChromebookFixes. A panel replacement runs $80 to $200 in total there, with touchscreen panels at $90 to $150 in parts and $40 to $80 in labor; BadgerLayer's shop range is $159 to $399.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If an external monitor works and the built-in screen stays black after the resets, contact Acer for display service
- !If nothing displays on either screen and the Chromebook does not respond, contact Acer Support
- !If the Chromebook was dropped or pressed before the fault, stop using it and have it inspected
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Hard reset and the verification bypass key sequence for a completely blank screen.
The brightness keys on the top row.
Safety Reset for a setting fault.
The Chromebook and ChromeOS platform.
Shop price ranges for screen, battery, keyboard and charging-port repairs.
Exact questions
Common questions
Is a black screen with a working sound a display fault?+
Often, yes. If sound or lights respond, the Chromebook is running, so test an external monitor and check brightness before any reset.
How long does the bypass sequence leave the Chromebook restarting?+
Google says a Chromebook that used the sequence restarts automatically after 15 minutes and has an unsecured firmware version, so treat it as a last resort and plan a recovery afterwards.
How do I hard reset?+
Turn it off, press and hold Refresh and tap Power, then release Refresh when it starts up.
Will I lose my files?+
A hard reset might delete some Downloads files. The bypass sequence erases user data. Back up first where you can.
Could brightness be the problem?+
Yes. The top-row brightness keys can dim the screen to almost black. Try raising it and look under a flashlight.
Why is the screen black only in one app?+
Restart that app, or try Safety Reset, which resets Chrome settings and disables extensions without deleting local data.