Four Possible Fixes For A Lenovo Laptop That Won’t Turn On

A frustrating experience that most Lenovo laptop owners will come across is their laptop not turning on. This is a pretty common problem and there can be a few different reasons why your laptop isn’t turning on. Some of the common culprits of this issue include:

• Power issues
• Audio issues
• Keyboard issues
• Display issues

Let’s cover some of the different reasons why your Lenovo laptop may not be turning on.

Possible Reasons Why Your Lenovo Laptop Won’t Turn On

The two main reasons why most Lenovo laptops won’t turn on are related to either power issues or display issues. Although these are the most common, other issues may also include:

• Overheating
• Improper shutdown 
• Software or hardware problems
• Faulty cables 
• Damaged power button

It’s best to first try troubleshooting and figure out if this is a power-related issue or display-related issue. Once you have eliminated those possibilities, you can move forward to other less common factors that may be causing issues with your laptop.

Power issues

Power supply and battery are the two things you must look into if a laptop fails to power up. You can examine your device by checking if the inserted charging cord is the right one. If it’s not, then it means that no power voltage comes into your laptop, so your power supply has failed. 

Remember that the wrong AC adapter damages the voltage supply, so avoid inserting random cords into your device. Make sure that every cord is appropriate for your Lenovo laptop and that it is well-connected. 

If the supply is not a concern, your battery might be the issue. A battery is an important external energy provider in your laptop’s system. Any issues with your battery can result in your Lenovo laptop not powering on.

Another power-related issue that may be causing problems with your laptop is the improper shutdown of the device. This action negatively affects the system, specifically the BIOS and Registry. Since these two are both sensitive system parts of your laptop, improperly shutting down your laptop routinely can result in permanent issues.

Display Reasons

If the power button has blinking lights, but the screen is still a full-on blackout, the laptop’s issue might be the display. Having no image flashed on the screen most of the time means the inverter is damaged and it may need replacement. 

If your laptop turns on, but the only thing you hear is the noises of the fan, you might be experiencing issues related to the motherboard of your device. This is not as common, but it needs to be addressed immediately if it’s the root cause of your issue.

Another common display-related issue is a broken brightness button. Sometimes, your laptop turns on, but you can’t see anything since the brightness is at the lowest level. And without a working button, it’s impossible to adjust this feature. 

Moreover, if your Lenovo laptop starts but no images are shown, the issue might be a broken LCD or LED panel. A busted screen is easily fixable, but it might be a costly repair depending on the unit. 

Possible Solutions To Fix Your Lenovo Laptop That Won’t Turn On

There are a couple of ways you can go about fixing your Lenovo laptop. The four different troubleshooting tips below can help you solve your concern without needing too much professional assistance. 

Try Plugging The Power Adapter To Your PC

The first and simplest step you can take is to plug your power adapter into your PC.

Since your laptop may be just experiencing a power or battery drain, plug in a charger first. Get your Lenovo laptop AC adapter and wait until charging is complete depending on the requirement. 

It’s necessary to ensure that your laptop is fully charged before starting it up again. By doing this, you can guarantee that the system is already well set up and ready to run. 

For you to be sure about your plugging steps, check this detailed troubleshooting procedure from Lenovo: 

1. Check if the charger or AC power adapter is correct. 
2. Start plugging the adapter into your laptop and power outlet. (You can distinguish power if an indicator light comes on. 
3. Ensure that the cable is inserted properly.
4. Try using a different cable and/or outlet if it’s not working. 

Verify You Have The Right Power Adapter For Your Lenovo laptop

This part emphasizes the importance of checking your power adapter’s suitability with your Lenovo laptop. Even if you constantly plug in an adapter, the device cannot achieve its desired power supply if it’s not the right one. 

Being certain about the charger you’ll use is crucial to bringing the needed power to the laptop. If possible, use an original Lenovo charger.

Additionally, you also have to remember that forcing the wrong AC adapter into your laptop could pose far greater damage. It could damage your laptop’s ports and other circuit systems that help run the computer. 

Lastly, try different power outlets if you’re already certain about the adapter, but it still won’t charge and turn on. 

Unplug All Power And External Devices

Another common troubleshooting practice is unplugging all the external devices attached to your computer. Sometimes, it largely affects the performance of your laptop’s system to run smoothly. As a result, it won’t open or start. 

Leaving a flash drive, memory card, or CD inside the laptop could also be another reason why it won’t turn on. Your Lenovo laptop might stick it inside, so remove all these and try rebooting. 

Try The Emergency Pinhole Reset Button 

Most Lenovo laptops have a reset button that helps refresh and resolve minor issues like power-related ones. The reset technique is also called a power drain. 

To do this, you can follow these steps provided by Lenovo tech support. 

1. Remove all the plugged external devices.

2. If the battery is removable, unplug it as well.

3. Pin Hole Reset is available for units that have internal batteries.

• Most Lenovo units have it placed at the bottom part. 
• You’ll need an ejector tool to reset. 

4. If the reset button is unavailable, try pressing and holding the power button for ten seconds. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the reset button on the Lenovo laptop?

It depends on the Lenovo unit that you have. For some, the reset button is located at the bottom part of the laptop, wherein you’ll need an ejector to press. 

In Ideapad and Thinkpad units, there is a NOVO button that automatically directs to Lenovo Onekey recovery. It is usually located on the laptop’s left or right side near the power button. 

The NOVO button differs depending on the unit. It can be a small button or a backward arrow pinhole. You’ll also need an ejector to press this tiny button.

How to force-start a Lenovo laptop?

As previously mentioned, you can use the reset buttons available on your Lenovo laptop to force-start the device. Ensure that you have an ejector with you, either for a sim or a pointed paper. You can’t press the Pin Hole or NOVO button by just using your finger. 

If your unit doesn’t have a reset button, try pressing and holding the power button for a couple of seconds. Wait until an image or light pops on the screen.

You can also check some abovementioned detailed steps regarding power-draining or resetting a laptop that won’t turn on. 

Don’t hesitate to reach out to Lenovo’s contact support if any of the tips don’t work for you. 

Why is my Lenovo laptop’s power button blinking?

There are multiple reasons why your power button is blinking. If your Lenovo laptop does not have any issues and works perfectly, the blinking is a Sleep Mode sign. The blinking stops when you click any keys from your keyboard. Your screen will light up as soon as you move the cursor or press keys.  

However, in cases where your power button is blinking, and the screen remains black, it might pose a power problem. If this situation happens, you can start doing the fixes provided above. 

You can begin by pressing the power button for 15 seconds to shut down the device. Wait until the blinking stops. Then press the Reset Hole or Button before turning your Lenovo laptop on again. 

Again, if you don’t have a reset button, remove all the external attachments, including the batteries, if possible. Then press the power button again. Afterward, you can replace the batteries and insert back external attachments. Turn on your laptop and check if it starts to show the display.