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Campus Chromebook Won’t Turn On

Updated

Easy Troubleshooting Steps to Get You Back Up and Running

If your Chromebook won't turn on, no lights, no screen, nothing, don’t worry! Follow the steps below to try and bring it back to life.

What You'll Need:

  • Your Chromebook

  • The charger that came with it

  • A few minutes of patience

Step 1: Make Sure It’s Charged

  1. Plug your Chromebook into the charger.

  2. Wait at least 5–10 minutes before trying to turn it on again.

  3. Look for a small charging light near the charging port (not all models have one):

    • Orange or red = Charging

    • Green or white = Fully charged

    • No light = May not be charging (try Step 2)

Tip: Try a different wall outlet to make sure the plug works!

Step 2: Check the Charger and Cables

  • Make sure the charger is:

    • Firmly plugged into the Chromebook and the wall

    • Not frayed, bent, or damaged

  • If possible, try a different charger that works with other Chromebooks

Step 3: Do a Hard Reset (It’s Safe!)

  1. Hold down the Refresh key (⟳ — top row, looks like a circle arrow)

  2. While holding it, press and hold the Power button

  3. Hold both buttons for about 10 seconds

  4. Release both buttons

Your Chromebook should turn on or show signs of life (like the screen lighting up or the logo appearing).

This resets the hardware, but doesn’t delete your files or schoolwork.

Step 4: Try Opening the Lid All the Way

  • Some Chromebooks don’t wake up until the lid is fully open

  • Try opening and closing the lid slowly

  • Then press the Power button again

Step 5: Use a Bright Light Test (for very dim screens)

  1. Shine a flashlight directly at the screen

  2. Look very closely — do you see a faint image (like the login screen)?

    • If yes: The screen brightness or backlight may not be working

    • Let your teacher or tech team know

Don’t Try:

  • Don’t remove screws or open the Chromebook

  • Don’t try to factory reset it (this won’t help with power issues)

  • Don’t keep pressing buttons randomly

Still Not Working?

If none of these steps work:

  • Don’t worry — it may need a quick tech repair

  • Reach out to your Campus tech support team via Campuswire 

  • Let them know:

    • It won’t turn on even after charging

    • You tried the refresh + power button trick

    • The screen stays black

Need Help?

If you run into any problems, Student Technology Support (STS) is here for you:

Email: it@campus.edu

Phone: (877) 257-2834

Support Portal: campuswire.com > Tech Help

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