The panel stays black or does not start

Go through these in order:

1. Wait two minutes. The first start after new software takes longer.
2. Power: use the official power supply (5 V, 3 A). A weak supply is the most common cause of a black or flickering screen.
3. Display cable: switch off, then push the flat cable of the display firmly into both ends. The contacts must face the right way.
4. Memory card: push the card in fully. If it still fails, ask us for fresh panel software for the card.
5. Green light on the Pi: if it never blinks, the Pi is not reading the card.
6. The panel shows “Looking for your home…”: the box is off or on another network. Check the box, then press Settings → Network.

If none of this helps, write to us and tell us what you see.