Has anyone else had Windows 11 show a black screen with only the mouse cursor immediately after logging in?
The computer starts normally and reaches the login screen, but after entering the password or PIN the desktop never appears. The mouse cursor may still move, and in some cases Task Manager can still be opened.
What is causing this Windows Explorer, a graphics driver, a recent Windows update, or another background process? Has anyone found a permanent fix?
This usually means Windows has logged you in successfully, but something is preventing the desktop environment from loading. Windows Explorer (explorer.exe) is a good first thing to check, especially if the mouse cursor and Task Manager still work.
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Look for Windows Explorer under Processes. If it's there, right-click it and select Restart. If it isn't listed, select Run new task, type explorer.exe, and press Enter.
If the desktop appears immediately, that points toward Explorer or something interfering with it during startup.
If starting Explorer doesn't fix it, I would troubleshoot in this order:
1. Restart the graphics driver
Press Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B. The screen may briefly flash or beep while Windows resets the graphics driver. If the display returns normally afterward, the graphics driver may be involved.
2. Disconnect unnecessary devices
Unplug external monitors, USB devices, docks and other non-essential peripherals, then restart. This can help rule out a display-output or hardware/driver conflict.
3. Try Safe Mode
If Windows loads normally in Safe Mode, that strongly suggests a driver, startup application or third-party service is interfering with the normal login process.
4. Check what changed recently
If the problem started immediately after a Windows update, graphics-driver update or new software installation, that change is worth investigating first. You may be able to roll back the affected driver or uninstall the recent update from Windows Recovery.
5. Disable unnecessary startup programs
If you can reach Task Manager, check Startup apps and temporarily disable non-essential programs. A program launching immediately after sign-in can sometimes interfere with the desktop.
6. Repair Windows system files
If the problem continues, Windows' built-in repair tools such as System File Checker (SFC) and DISM are worth trying, particularly if Explorer itself appears damaged.
I wouldn't jump straight to reinstalling Windows. The fact that you can reach the login screen, move the cursor and possibly open Task Manager suggests there are several things worth testing first.
If anyone else runs into this, it would be useful to know whether manually starting explorer.exe brings the desktop back and whether the problem began after an update. Those two details can narrow the cause considerably.
One thing worth checking after getting back into Windows is whether the problem started around the same time as a recent Windows or driver update. Updates can sometimes affect more than one device or driver.
If you're also having an issue where the Wi-Fi option disappears completely in Windows 11, we have a separate troubleshooting discussion for that here:
That issue has a different set of checks involving the network adapter, Device Manager, power management and Wi-Fi drivers.