Parallels Desktop for Mac 13 Black Screen

GavinP1

Bit poster
Hello,

I've been using parallels to run windows on my mac for school for the past few weeks and haven't had an issue until recently. For some reason whenever I start Parallels I get a black screen and can't seem to do anything. I'm using Mac OS Sierra Version 10.12.6. Does anyone have any idea how to fix this? Thanks
 
If you are saying that the window that should show Windows is black, this has happened more than once to me. You can usually fix it by forcing Windows to reboot from the Parallels Action menu.

Make frequent snapshots of your system once you get it going again. And back up your VM somewhere safe.
 
Hi I am having a similar problem,

I have just installed Parallels 13 and windows 10.
On startup the windows screen will either go black and nothing can be used or when the windows desktop opens the mouse pointer disappears and I can't use it either.... this is highly frustrating as it leaves me with a unusable computer....

I decided to upgrade from Parallels 11 and Windows 8.1 to Parallels 13 and Windows 10.... Regretting the change!!
 
Hi I am having a similar problem,

I have just installed Parallels 13 and windows 10.
On startup the windows screen will either go black and nothing can be used or when the windows desktop opens the mouse pointer disappears and I can't use it either.... this is highly frustrating as it leaves me with a unusable computer....

I decided to upgrade from Parallels 11 and Windows 8.1 to Parallels 13 and Windows 10.... Regretting the change!!
Try Actions > Reset / Stop then Restart and check if that helps.
 
Hello together,
after updating to Parallels 13 I am having more than once the same problem and the described procedures resolves it.
I am so sorry, but is it really okay to make a snapshot every time and "Try Actions > Reset / Stop then Restart" ?
What is the problem behind ? It worked without any problems (with Mac OS Sierra Version 10.12.6., Parallels 12 and Windows 10) until the update.
 
Last edited:
Hello together,
after updating to Parallels 13 I am having more than once the same problem and the described procedures resolves it.
I am so sorry, but is it really okay to make a snapshot every time and "Try Actions > Reset / Stop then Restart" ?
What is the problem behind ? It worked without any problems (with Mac OS Sierra Version 10.12.6., Parallels 12 and Windows 10) until the update.
Taking snapshots is good before troubleshooting but multiple snapshots will consume more hard disk space. Refer to this article to know the cause for this issue.
 
Not sure if this applies but occasionally I Command+TAB back to macOS and leave Windows 10 running in the background (fullscreen). I come back later and the screen is black. I can only surmise that the Windows screen blanker kicked in. Mouse / keyboard does not bring the foreground back. I simply exit fullscreen and Windows comes back. I then go back into fullscreen mode and everything is OK. Hope this helps someone. ~jeff
 
Not sure if this applies but occasionally I Command+TAB back to macOS and leave Windows 10 running in the background (fullscreen). I come back later and the screen is black. I can only surmise that the Windows screen blanker kicked in. Mouse / keyboard does not bring the foreground back. I simply exit fullscreen and Windows comes back. I then go back into fullscreen mode and everything is OK. Hope this helps someone. ~jeff
Hi oraclejavanet. Please refer this article and uncheck 'Pause Windows when possible' option which should resolve the issue.
 
Hi oraclejavanet. Please refer this article and uncheck 'Pause Windows when possible' option which should resolve the issue.
Hi! Thanks for the response. I already had this option unchecked; however it still occurs. The only solution I found was to exit fullscreen mode and the foreground is back. It only takes a second to do so maybe I should not have indicated that it is frustrating! I only use Windows to run Quicken a few times a month. (I like the Windows version better than the Mac version). ~jeff
 
Not sure if this applies but occasionally I Command+TAB back to macOS and leave Windows 10 running in the background (fullscreen). I come back later and the screen is black. I can only surmise that the Windows screen blanker kicked in. Mouse / keyboard does not bring the foreground back. I simply exit fullscreen and Windows comes back. I then go back into fullscreen mode and everything is OK. Hope this helps someone. ~jeff

I have the same problem as Jeff. And when it happens I can see in the control center that Windows is still running.
https://d.pr/i/Thvwsr
Resize the window normally works, but this is not optimal. This happens to me many times a day.
 
I have this same problem. I have tried the actions/stop/reset, restart and I still get the black screen. I have updated tools and access is upto date. This is a brutally frustrating program.
 
Also tried, the devices/keyboard/ control-alt-del/, task manager, explorer method and that does not work either.
 
I'm having the same problem as Paula4 Just started two days ago. Tried the reset process. Keyboard ctrl-alt-del doesn't work. HELP! I have project work waiting...
 
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