Black screen
Black Screen / Won't Power On
Pressing power produces nothing: no logo, no backlight, possibly only a brief green light that fades. The screen stays completely black.
Common Causes
- Drained or dead battery. A deeply discharged or swollen battery cannot supply boot current.
- Loose battery or stick. A poorly seated battery or Memory Stick can stall the boot.
- Backlight off but system alive. On some models the display backlight toggles separately; the system may be running unseen.
- Failed flash write. A corrupted firmware region from an interrupted install can halt boot.
Fixes
- Plug in the official charger and wait 30 minutes before retrying; a flat battery shows no light at first.
- Remove the battery and Memory Stick, hold power for 10 seconds to discharge, then reseat both firmly.
- Press the screen brightness button in case only the backlight is off.
- Try a known-good battery; swollen batteries should be replaced immediately for safety.
A swollen battery is a fire and injury risk. Do not puncture or charge it. Dispose of it at a proper recycling point.
If a charged, healthy battery still yields only a black screen, the unit may be bricked from a failed flash; see the bricked-PSP recovery page.