A Series X or S with a blank screen has an ordered list from Microsoft, and it depends on when the screen goes blank: after startup, after the guide button, after a Blu-ray starts, behind a receiver, or after an update. For a blank screen on startup, confirm the TV input, reseat the cable in the console's HDMI OUT port, try another port and cable and another TV, hold the power button 10 seconds to power cycle, then reset display settings by holding the Xbox and Eject buttons (or Xbox and Pair on a console with no disc drive) through the second beep to start in low resolution.
Differential
Likely causes of “Xbox Series X|S (disc and digital models) turns on but has no picture”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The TV is on the wrong input or the cable is loose
What separates it The console powers on and the controller connects but the TV shows no signal
How to confirm Check the TV is on the right HDMI input and the cable is in the console's HDMI OUT (out to TV) port and firm at both ends
- 2
A bad cable, port or TV
What separates it The picture appears only with a different cable, HDMI port or TV
How to confirm Try another HDMI cable, another port on the TV and, if possible, another TV, as Microsoft lists
- 3
A display setting the TV rejects
What separates it The screen went blank after a resolution or refresh rate change or a new TV
How to confirm Hold the Xbox and Eject buttons through the second beep to start in low resolution mode, then pick a supported resolution
- 4
An AV receiver in the chain
What separates it The picture or sound is missing only through a receiver
How to confirm Turn on the TV first, then the receiver, then the console, and switch the receiver input away and back; set the TV connection to HDMI
- 5
A peripheral that keeps the console updating
What separates it The screen is blank at startup while a Storage Expansion Card, USB drive or charging station is attached
How to confirm Unplug everything except the HDMI cable, power cord and Ethernet, and let any update finish
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- When it goes blank: at startup, after pressing the guide button, after starting a Blu-ray or after an update
- The TV model and HDMI port, and any receiver in the chain
- Whether it is a Series X, a Series X Digital or a Series S
- Whether the console beeps at startup and whether a controller connects
Try in this order
0 of 8 completedCheck both devices and the input
ReversibleConfirm the TV and the console are on and the TV is set to the HDMI input the console uses. Confirm the cable is in the console's out-to-TV port, not another port.
Change cable, port and TV
ReversiblePlug the HDMI cable into a different HDMI port on the TV, use a different cable and, if you can, try the console on a different TV. Microsoft lists each as a separate check.
Power cycle the console
ReversibleHold the Xbox button on the front for about 10 seconds to turn the console off, unplug it for a moment and turn it on again. A screen that stays blank after Home is treated the same way.
Reset the display settings
ReversibleEject any disc, turn the console off, then hold the Xbox button and the Eject button until the second beep, about 10 seconds after the first. On a Series S or a Series X Digital with no Eject button, hold Xbox and Pair. The console starts at 640 x 480.
Pick a resolution the TV supports
ReversibleFrom the low resolution screen press the Xbox button, open the settings and choose a supported resolution under Display. Microsoft's TV display article lists the steps.
Try the receiver sequence
ReversibleIf a receiver is in the chain, turn the TV on first, then the receiver, then the console. Switch the receiver's input away and back, restart it and set Video fidelity and overscan to the HDMI display option.
Disconnect peripherals
ReversibleRemove Storage Expansion Cards, USB hard drives and charging stations, keeping only the HDMI cable, power cord and Ethernet. Once an update finishes you can reattach them.
Turn off Allow 24Hz for Blu-ray blanks
ReversibleIf the screen goes blank only when a Blu-ray starts, open Settings, General, TV and display options, Video modes and turn off Allow 24Hz. The Series S and Series X Digital have no disc drive.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Which buttons to use
- Series X with a disc drive: hold Xbox and Eject. Series S and Series X Digital have no disc drive: hold Xbox and Pair. Both start the console at 640 x 480.
- HDMI cable in the box
- Microsoft says the Series X ships with a 2-meter Ultra High Speed HDMI cable and the Series S with a High Speed cable; keep using the supplied cable while you test.
- Tools and supplies
- A second HDMI cable, the TV remote, a flashlight for the port and a soft cloth.
- What to tell service
- The four-digit model number, whether it is the disc or digital version and which resets you tried; not a part number.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the Xbox Series X Digital Edition, Xbox Series S (512GB and 1TB).
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the low resolution reset does not give a picture on any TV with a known-good cable, request service
- !If the HDMI port looks bent or damaged, unplug the console and stop using it
- !If the screen stays black for more than 10 minutes after an update, follow Microsoft's offline update steps
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Where the manufacturer's article stops. Microsoft writes them for the Series X|S and the Xbox One S and X together.
Out-of-warranty service fee chart by device.
Blank screen causes and fixes.
EDID, 480p fallback and HDMI setting.
Changing resolution.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why is my Xbox Series X on but the screen black?+
Check the input and cable, then power cycle by holding the Xbox button 10 seconds. If that fails, reset the display settings by holding Xbox and Eject through the second beep.
How do I start an Xbox in low resolution?+
Hold the Xbox button and the Eject button until you hear a second beep about 10 seconds after the first. On a console with no disc drive, hold Xbox and Pair. The console starts at 640 x 480.
Does the Series S have an Eject button?+
No. The Series S and the Series X Digital have no disc drive, so Microsoft's steps use the Xbox and Pair buttons instead.
Why does my screen go blank when a Blu-ray starts?+
Microsoft says it can happen if Allow 24Hz is on. Turn it off under Settings, General, TV and display options, Video modes.
Can a Storage Expansion Card cause a blank screen?+
Microsoft says storage cards, USB hard drives and charging stations can cause a blank screen if the console is updating at startup. Disconnect them and let the update finish.
Should I factory reset for a blank screen?+
Only after the other steps. A reset erases accounts, apps and any saves not synced to the cloud.