Black screen with "Sessions" in the center.

Question

On Win 11 and in an Edge browser, I get a black screen of death with the word "Sessions" in the center. It does not respond to ctrl-alt-del and I must reboot the computer. It rolls thru the boot up process and I get my Edge opening page. It functions normally for 5 to 60 seconds and the back to the black screen. How do I fix this problem? Trend Micro has worked on it with no success.

Answer 1

Hi, good day!

• When was the last time it worked properly?
• Have you made any changes to your computer recently?

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Please try this if it helps.

Open the Task Manager then make sure Microsoft Edge isn't running as a background process. If it is running, End Task all Edge processes.

After that, press Windows key+R to open Run then copy and paste the path below.

%localappdata%\Microsoft

Find Edge folder and rename it to Edge.old

Please try to open Edge browser again

I look forward to receiving your update and I'm willing to collaborate with you till we resolve the issue. Do keep me informed by clicking "Add comment" below.

Answer 2

Use the following steps to narrow down and resolve the black “Sessions” screen issue on Windows 11 with Edge:

1. Reset the graphics/display path
   • When the black screen appears, press Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + B to reset the graphics driver. The screen should flicker or a beep should play if the reset is triggered.
   • Press Windows logo key + P, then tap P once and press Enter to cycle display modes (PC screen only / Duplicate / Extend). This ensures Windows is not sending output to a non‑existent display.
2. Check if Windows is still responsive
   • Press Ctrl + Alt + Del. If the security options screen appears, Windows is still running and the issue is likely with the shell or a specific app (such as Edge).
   • If the security screen appears, choose Task Manager, go to Processes, locate Microsoft Edge, and select End task. See if the black screen stops appearing when Edge is not running.
3. Test without Edge auto‑starting
   • Temporarily prevent Edge from opening automatically at startup (for example, remove it from startup apps and disable any “continue where you left off” or “open specific pages” behavior in Edge settings once you can keep the desktop visible long enough).
   • Restart the device and sign in. If the system stays stable until Edge is launched, the problem is likely tied to Edge or a specific Edge feature/extension.
4. Run Edge‑specific troubleshooting
   • Close all other tabs, extensions, and apps to reduce load, then reopen Edge and test.
   • Make sure Edge is fully up to date: Settings and more (⋯) > Settings > About Microsoft Edge and apply any available update.
   • If the problem persists, download the latest Edge installer and run it to reinstall Edge on top of the existing installation. This can repair a damaged Edge installation without needing to fully remove it first.
5. If the entire shell goes black after sign‑in If the whole desktop goes black (not just Edge) shortly after sign‑in:
   • Press Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + B again to confirm it is not just a display driver stall.
   • Press Ctrl + Alt + Del and open Task Manager. On the Details tab, check whether explorer.exe is running.
     • If explorer.exe is not running, select File > Run new task, type explorer.exe, and press Enter.
     • If explorer.exe is running but the desktop is still black, follow the shell troubleshooting steps:
       1. Press Windows logo key + R, type regedit, press Enter.
       2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon and verify the Shell value is set to explorer.exe.
       3. Compare permissions on this key with a working device if available.
6. If the black screen persists beyond Edge
   • Perform a clean boot to see if a third‑party startup app or service (for example, something that integrates with Edge or the shell) is causing the black screen. If the issue disappears in a clean boot, re‑enable items gradually until the culprit is found.
   • If even in a clean boot the shell/desktop goes black after sign‑in, collect diagnostic data (for example, process dumps of explorer.exe as described in the black‑screen‑after‑sign‑in guide) and contact Microsoft Support for deeper analysis.

These steps separate a pure Edge rendering/extension problem from a broader Windows shell or graphics issue and provide a path either to repair Edge or to troubleshoot the post‑sign‑in black screen.

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References:

• Troubleshooting black or blank screens in Windows
• Troubleshooting blank screens in Windows
• Scenario guide: Black screen after you sign in to the system
• What to do if Microsoft Edge isn't working
• Microsoft Edge will not start. - Microsoft Q&A