Lenovo ThinkPad P15s Gen 1 Screen Is Black

If your laptop's battery is below a certain threshold, it may prevent the laptop from powering on.

• Connect your charger to a functioning outlet. If you don't know the functional status of your outlet, try using a known working appliance in the outlet first.
• Plug your charger into the USB-C port on the left side of the device. A small charging indication light should illuminate. If it doesn't illuminate, you should refer to our #Lenovo ThinkPad P15s Gen 1 Battery Is Not Charging# page for further diagnosis.
• Allow the laptop to charge for 5-10 minutes, then press the power button.

If your laptop only functions when the power adapter is plugged in, there is likely a problem with your battery.

In some cases, the BIOS settings on your computer can become corrupted for various reasons. These settings could change how your display behaves, causing the black screen.

• Unplug all cables and devices from your laptop.
• Hold the power button down for 10-15 seconds to ensure the laptop is powered off.
• Locate the emergency reset pinhole directly above the center screw on the underside of the laptop.
• Use a straightened paperclip or similar tool to depress the button inside the pinhole.
• Hold down the button for 30 seconds, then try to power on the laptop.

It is possible for your power button to disconnect due to heat or break internally due to repeated usage.

• Verify the laptop is not powering on. When pressing the power button, you should see the light in the center illuminate if it is powering on.
• Remove the back cover. See the #motherboard replacement guide step 1# for removal instructions.
• Locate the power button cable connected to the motherboard.
• Pry the retention bar on the connector.
• Disconnect and reconnect the power button cable.
• Relatch the retention mechanism and reassemble.
• Attempt to power on the device.

If the power button light remains off, the laptop may not be receiving enough power or the power button needs replacement.

Due to the constant flexing of the display cable inside your laptop, it can become disconnected or break.

• If you have an external display you can test with, you should try using it with your laptop.
• Connect your external display to the laptop using the HDMI port.
• Attempt to power on the device.

If the external display works, this rules out a motherboard failure.

• Remove the back cover. See the #motherboard replacement guide step 1# for removal instructions.
• Locate the display connector in the top left corner near the hinge.
• Pry the retention bar on the connector.
• Disconnect and reconnect the display cable.
• Relatch the retention mechanism and reassemble.
• Attempt to power on the device.

If the laptop continues to show the same symptoms, the display or cable may be damaged. Motherboard failure could also be a possibility if you did not rule it out with an external display.

If all other causes have been ruled out, then the motherboard is most likely the culprit. However, should your machine be making any beeping noises, you should try decoding them with the #Lenovo PC Diagnostic# app on iOS or the #Lenovo PC Diagnostic 2.0# app available on the Google Play Store for Android. Note: As of in fall 2026, the Android version is not available on the newest versions of Android. When using the app, you can press the Fn key on the laptop to replay the beep code. The app will give you information on the errors and how to proceed. In the case that replacing the motherboard is the next step, follow this #motherboard replacement guide#.