Computer won't turn on
Don't worry, a computer that seems dead is very often just out of power or stuck, and these simple checks fix it more often than you'd think.
Be careful: If you smell burning, see smoke or sparks, or the computer is very hot or the battery looks swollen, unplug it right away, don't charge it, and take it to a repair shop.
What to do
Pick your kind of computer:
Not sure? How to tell which computer you have
Step 1: Plug the charger or power cable into a wall outlet you know works, like one where a lamp works.
Step 2: Check both ends of the cable are pushed in firmly, including where it goes into the power box in the middle of the cable, if there is one.
Step 3: If it's a laptop, leave it charging for at least 30 minutes before trying again. A very empty battery can take a while to wake up.
Step 4: Hold the power button down for 15 seconds, let go, wait a few seconds, then press it once normally.
Step 5: If you hear the fan or see lights but the screen stays black, press the brightness up key, or plug in a different screen if it's a desktop.
Step 6: Unplug everything extra, like USB sticks, printers and memory cards, then try again.
Step 7: If it's a desktop, check the switch on the back of the computer (near where the power cable goes in) is turned on, and the screen is plugged in and switched on too.
Step 1: Plug in the charger that came with your Mac, into a wall outlet you know works.
Step 2: Leave it charging for at least 30 minutes. A very empty battery can take a while to wake up.
Step 3: Press the power button (or the Touch ID button at the top-right of the keyboard) once.
Step 4: If nothing happens, hold the power button down for 10 seconds, let go, then press it once normally.
Step 5: Press the brightness up key in case the screen is just turned all the way down.
Step 6: Unplug any extra cables, hubs or drives and try again.
Step 7: If you have a desktop Mac, unplug its power cable for 15 seconds, plug it back in, then press the power button.
Step 1: Plug in the Chromebook's own charger and leave it charging for at least 30 minutes.
Step 2: Look for a charging light near the charging port or on the side. If there's no light, try a different wall outlet.
Step 3: Hold the power button for a few seconds to turn it on.
Step 4: If nothing happens, do a hard reset: hold the Refresh key (the circle arrow on the top row) and tap the Power button, then let go of Refresh when it starts.
Step 5: Press the brightness up key in case the screen is just very dark.
Step 6: Unplug any USB sticks, hubs or memory cards and try again.
Still stuck? If it still shows no sign of life, take it to the maker's support or a trusted repair shop, as the charger, battery or power part inside may need replacing.