How to Turn On Laptop without Power Button [Dell]

If your laptop power button is completely damaged, you might be inclined to learn how to turn on laptop without power button. These tips are sure to make starting your laptop, even if you’re unable to work around the damage temporarily or permanently, as seamless as possible.

Many who teach tips on how to turn on laptop without power button will recommend processes that require completely opening the chassis of the laptop, and while we recommend that process, we will be showing you how to do it even without opening the lid and in some cases, how to turn on laptop with keyboard.

Note: We have found that on some laptops, the plastic power button is designed to press another button when we press it, so you’d want to see if removing the plastic power button on top leaves a pressable button under. If that is the case, you might want to get something like a screwdriver to press the button instead of tampering with the motherboard, especially if you’re not a tech-savvy user.

How to Turn On Laptop without Power Button [From the Motherboard]

• Open the chassis of the laptop and locate the port where the power button ribbon cable is plugged >> you should now disconnect the power button.
• Get a small conductor and short-circuit the 1st and 3rd pins in the power button port. If this doesn’t work for your laptop, then you can short all the pins at the same time. This doesn’t cause any damage, so you shouldn’t worry. If you correctly short the circuit, the laptop should startup in no time.

Now, opening your laptop every time or short-circuiting every time might lead to long-term hardware issues, especially if this is a computer you’re not ready to do away with, so in the meantime, before repairing the power button, there are other ways of safely starting your computer with no power button.

How to Turn On Laptop without Power Button [With Lid]

After closing your laptop and having it up and running, we would recommend that you check your BIOS and look for an option called “Power ON While Open Lid”. This is an option that most laptops have for only when the computer is asleep, so we’d want to adjust the settings for even when the computer is turned OFF.

If you wouldn’t like to use this option, then we would recommend leaving your computer turned ON indefinitely and putting it to sleep when you’re not using by closing the lid and pressing the Enter key after opening the laptop to turn it ON.

Read also: Best Laptops for Gaming and Programming

How to Turn On Laptop without Power Button [With Wall Socket or Extension]

If you’re using a Dell, HP, ASUS, Lenovo, Acer, or even Toshiba laptop, this is one option that you might want to try. It’s a pretty cool solution for users who don’t want to short-circuit their laptops to turn it on.

Find the cable that connects the power button to the motherboard >> disconnect and leave this cable unplugged >> now remove the battery from the laptop and plug the laptop into the socket >> this should power it ON >> if the laptop is powered ON, return the battery into the laptop, disconnect from the socket, if you choose to, and you should be fine.

Note: On some laptops, you might have to enter your BIOS to set the laptop to turn on when it detects AC.

How to Turn On Laptop without Power Button [With Keyboard]

For this process, you’d need to adjust some settings in the BIOS. If your system is already powered ON and fully operational, follow these steps:

Enter Settings in the Start Menu >> Update & Security >> from the options on the left, select Recovery >> from the tab that opens, select Advanced Setup >> Restart Now >> from the window that pops up select Troubleshoot >> Advanced Options >> Power Management or ACPI Management tab >> press Enter >> look for Power On By Keyboard or Wake On Keyboard >> Click the (+) or (–) buttons to enable or disable the option >> select the key you want to use to power the laptop >> Save and Exit.

Read also: Best Cheap Laptops for High School Students

If you followed the instructions and if the settings are supported by your laptop, you should now be able to turn your laptop ON using the key you selected after you shut down the system.

How to Automatically Turn ON Computer Without Pressing Power Button

To automatically turn ON a computer without pressing the power button, you can edit the BIOS settings to enable ‘wake up on lid open’, ‘power on with open lid’, ‘wake on ac’, ‘power on after power loss’, ‘wake on keyboard’, ‘power on by keyboard’, or any other options available for your laptop model and best suited to your needs. To do this:

1. Shut the laptop down and turn it ON again
2. Then, tap the Delete or F2 key once the boot screen pops up
3. Move to Advanced or Advanced Settings option on the screen using the arrow keys, then tap Enter
4. Go to the Power Management or ACPI Management option and tap Enter
5. Next, move to the available power options and tap + or ­– to change the value to Enabled
6. Save changes with F10 and exit
7. Wait for the laptop to restart, shut it down, and then test your setting by tapping any key on the laptop’s keyboard or an external keyboard

Option 2

Like the first option, you can also edit the BIOS settings to enable ‘wake on LAN’. To do this:

1. Press the Windows and X keys simultaneously and select Device Manager from the options that pop up
2. Click on the arrow next to Network Adapters and locate your network adapter
3. Right-click on it and tap Properties
4. Go to the Power Management tab and tap Allow this device to wake the computer
5. Go to the Advanced tab and enable Wake on the magic packet
6. This will allow you to use a LAN connection and a supported router or networking app on another device on your network to power on your laptop

Option 3

Turn your laptop ON with a schedule using these steps:

1. Shut the laptop down and turn it ON again
2. Then, tap the Delete or F2 key once the boot screen pops up
3. Move to Advanced or Advanced Settings option on the screen using the arrow keys, then tap Enter
4. Go to the Power Management or ACPI Management option and tap Enter
5. Select BIOS Power-on, adjust the time settings as desired, and tap F10 to save)
6. Move to the Resume by Alarm/Power on by RTC/Auto On Time/Power-on BIOS option or something similar, tap + or ­– to change the value to Enabled, and set the desired time that your laptop should automatically turn ON every day
7. Save changes with  F10 and exit
8. Wait for the laptop to restart

How to Turn OFF Laptop Without Power Button

To turn off a laptop without a power button, tap the Windows key on your keyboard or tap the icon on your taskbar. Then, tap the power icon or Power in the menu that pops up, and finally tap Shut down.

Option 2

Tap the Windows and X keys simultaneously, select or hover on Shut down or Sign out from the menu, and then tap Shut down.

Option 3

Tap the ctrl, alt, and del keys simultaneously, click on the power icon in the lower right corner of the screen and select Shut down.

Option 4

Close all open tasks and apps, then tap the Alt and F4 keys simultaneously, open the dropdown menu on the page that appears, and select Shutdown.

Option 5

Set your laptop to shut down when you close the lid. To do this:

1. Tap the Windows key or the icon in your taskbar
2. Click on the settings icon or search for Settings and launch it
3. Tap System >>Power & Sleep, then select Additional Power Settings in the top right corner
4. Select Choose what closing the lid does on the left side of the screen
5. Adjust the settings accordingly
6. After editing, tap Save changes at the bottom of the screen

How to Shut Down HP Laptop with Keyboard

To shut down an HP laptop with a keyboard, you can use shortcuts like ‘Windows + X’, ‘Alt + F4’, and ‘Ctrl + Alt + Del’.

1. Tap the Windows and X keys simultaneously and tap U to pull out the Shut down or Sign out menu. Then, tap U again to shut down, R to restart, S to sleep, I to sign out, and H to hibernate.
2. Tap the Windows and D keys simultaneously to close all windows, then do the same with the alt and F4 keys. Using your arrow keys, select Shut down and tap Enter.
3. Tap the ctrl, alt, and del keys simultaneously, click on the power icon in the lower right corner of the screen and select Shut down.

Option 2

Use the ‘shutdown’ command:

1. Tap the Windows key to open Start
2. Type out PowerShell/Command prompt/Run window and tap Enter to launch
3. Then, type shutdown/s and tap Enter to shut your laptop down
4. You can also use the shutdown/r command to restart
5. Alternatively, when using PowerShell, you can also use the Stop-Computer and Restart-Computer commands

How to Start HP Laptop Without Power Button

To start an HP laptop without a power button:

1. Ensure the laptop is properly shut down, not plugged in, and has a little bit of battery life left during this process. Also, be sure to take out the battery
2. Use appropriate tools to remove the back of the laptop, the keyboard, and the handrest to access the motherboard
3. Also, remove the motherboard carefully, making sure all connections are secure
4. Carefully remove the power button connections. There will be about 3 to 6 pins underneath
5. Then use a screwdriver or any conductor to short-circuit the first and third pins or connect them with a wire
6. If that does not work, you can try shorting the other pins
7. This will turn the laptop ON immediately

This method should be reserved for when the fixes mentioned above do not work or you cannot access the BIOS settings. It is also best to have a little knowledge of how to do it before you go ahead.

Here are some other methods of turning ON a laptop without a power button:

Smaller Button

More often than not, the power button you see is just a plastic button covering the actual button that does the work. If the plastic button is not doing its job, simply remove it. You can use the appropriate tools to take off the plastic button and then push the actual smaller button underneath. This method saves you from having to play with your motherboard.

Clock Battery

This is a faster method compared to the motherboard method mentioned above.

1. Remove the back of the laptop using the appropriate tools and take out its battery
2. Remove or disconnect the battery cable and clock battery/CMOS battery from the motherboard
3. Putting the battery back in would get the laptop ON

Disconnect Power Button

If you don’t want to have to short-circuit your laptop to get it on, you can try these steps:

1. Take the battery out of the laptop and unplug it from the power
2. Disconnect the cable connecting the motherboard and the power button
3. The laptop will now come on when you plug it back in
4. It is best to plug it in before replacing the battery

How to Turn ON Lenovo Laptop Without Power Button

To turn ON a Lenovo laptop without a power button, you can use a pin or open paper clip to push the Novo button on the side of your Lenovo laptop. Follow these steps:

1. With the laptop opened, measure 6.9cm on its left side – from the left corner to the rear
2. You should see a 1mm hole (labeled ‘Novo button’ on the features diagram)
3. Use an open paper clip or pin to push the button. This should turn the laptop ON

Unfortunately, the Novo button is not available on every model. It is mainly seen in the Idea models. However, you should note that all other fixes mentioned above will work for most Windows laptops, so it is worth it to try them out.

Docker

You can also use a docking station to power up your Lenovo laptop. Docking stations come with their own power switches and do not have to rely on that of the laptop. So, connecting the laptop to a docking station will turn it ON.

How to Turn ON Dell Laptop Without Power Button

To turn ON a Dell laptop without the power button, you can power it into BIOS recovery using the Ctrl and Esc keys.

1. Connect the power adapter to a wall socket
2. Press and hold down the Ctrl and Esc keys simultaneously and plug the laptop in at the same time
3. When it comes ON, release the keys
4. The laptop will now boot into BIOS recovery. Take note of the options displayed on the screen, as they vary with each model.
5. ONLY select the option to exit BIOS and restart the laptop. Otherwise, you might cause it to reset and develop more issues
6. If done right, your laptop should boot up as normal

You can also try some of the other fixes mentioned earlier. The majority of them will work on any laptop running Windows.

How to Turn ON Acer Laptop Without Power Button

To turn ON an Acer laptop without the power button, you can try to manually connect the microchips between the battery and power source using these steps:

1. Ensure the laptop is not plugged in and has a little bit of battery life left during this process. Also, be sure to take out the battery
2. Use appropriate tools to remove the back of the laptop, the keyboard, and the handrest to access the motherboard
3. Locate the microchips connecting the battery and power source
4. Carefully press them together with a screwdriver, wire, or any conductor

Alternatively, you can try the other fixes mentioned earlier.

How to Turn ON Asus Laptop Without Power Button

To turn ON an Asus laptop without a power button, you can try to short-circuit it with these steps:

1. Ensure the laptop is properly shut down, not plugged in, and has a little bit of battery life left during this process. Also, be sure to take out the battery
2. Use appropriate tools to remove the back of the laptop, the keyboard, and the handrest to access the motherboard
3. Also, remove the motherboard carefully, making sure all connections are secure
4. Carefully remove the power button connections. There will be about 3 to 6 pins underneath
5. Then use a screwdriver or any conductor to short-circuit the first and third pins or connect them with a wire
6. If that does not work, you can try shorting the other pins
7. This will turn the laptop ON immediately

This method is best when you have little knowledge about a laptop’s motherboard. Otherwise, you can take the laptop to a technician or try some of the earlier options.

How to Turn ON MacBook Pro Without Power Button

To turn ON a MacBook pro without the power button, press and hold the Ctrl + Other + Delete keys together until it comes ON. The newer MacBook Pro models – the 2016s – technically don’t come with power buttons. Instead, they have touch IDs and simply power ON when you lift the lid. So, if you have a newer MacBook pro model, you can simply lift the lid to turn it ON.

Here are some other ways to turn ON a MacBook Pro without the power button:

Battery

You can also try to remove and replace the battery to turn ON your MacBook Pro. To do this:

1. Carefully remove the screws on the back and take OFF the lowercase
2. Use a plastic tool or your fingers to remove the battery
3. Wait ten seconds, then reconnect the battery
4. Replace the lowercase and screws
5. Then plug it into the power
6. It should come ON as normal

Power on Schedule

If you want to avoid being stuck without a method of turning your MacBook back ON, you can set it to turn ON a schedule. To do this:

1. Go to Apple menu >> System Preferences >> Energy Server
2. Tap Schedule in the bottom right corner
3. Set the schedule by checking the box next to Startup or wake. You can decide to set a daily or specific schedule
4. You can also check the box beneath to schedule sleep, restart or shutdown time
5. After editing, click OK
6. Ensure your laptop is connected to power to allow the schedule function

Using the Internet

Your MacBook can turn ON remotely using Wake on LAN. To do this:

1. Connect your Mac to a network
2. Go to Apple menu >>System Preferences >> Energy Server
3. Check the box next to Wake for network access/Wake for Wi-Fi network access
4. Return to the System Preferences window
5. Select Network >>Wi-Fi and note down your IP address
6. On your phone, download and install Fing and connect to the same network as the Mac
7. Launch the app and tap the refresh button in the top right corner to scan
8. Locate the Mac’s IP address and name it
9. Next, scroll down and click on Wake On Lan
10. To test this feature, put your Mac to sleep and wait a few seconds
11. Open the app on your phone and locate the name of your Mac’s IP address
12. Click on Wake On Lan, and your Mac will wake
13. Asides from Fing, you can use other apps like Mocha WOL, iNet WOL, and NetStatus

How to Turn ON Toshiba Laptop Without Power Button

To turn ON a Toshiba laptop without the power button, try to short-circuit the pins beneath the power button connections using these steps:

1. Ensure the laptop is properly shut down, not plugged in, and has a little bit of battery life left during this process. Also, be sure to take out the battery
2. Use appropriate tools to remove the back of the laptop, the keyboard, and the hand rest to access the motherboard
3. Also, remove the motherboard carefully, making sure all connections are secure
4. Carefully remove the power button connections. There will be about 3 to 6 pins underneath
5. Then use a screwdriver any conductor to short-circuit the first and third pins or connect them with a wire
6. If that does not work, you can try shorting the other pins
7. This will turn the laptop ON immediately

You can also try any of the alternatives mentioned above.

How to Turn ON Samsung Laptop Without Power Button

Follow these steps to turn ON a Samsung laptop without the power button using the clock battery:

1. Remove the back of the laptop using the appropriate tools and take out its battery
2. Remove or disconnect the battery cable and clock battery/CMOS battery from the motherboard
3. Putting the battery back in would get the laptop ON

If this seems too complicated or does not work out, you can try some of the other options mentioned above to turn ON your Samsung laptop.

HP Laptop Power Button Not Working? Working Fixes and Workaround

To fix an HP laptop power button not working, you should first troubleshoot your battery to confirm if the problem is coming from the battery or the power button. Next, check that your battery is working by inserting it into a similar laptop. Ensure that the battery is charged, then attempt to turn the laptop ON – if it comes ON, your battery is fine. Alternatively, you can take the battery out, plug the laptop to a wall socket, and turn it ON as usual – if it comes ON, the battery is faulty or damaged, and you should simply replace it with a new one.

Here are some other fixes and troubleshooting to try:

External Devices

If you have external devices like a keyboard or mouse connected to your laptop, you should try disconnecting them before turning ON the laptop. They might be causing a hardware malfunction that stops the power button from working.

1. Ensure your laptop has charged for a bit. Then, with the laptop off, disconnect all external devices, including the charger
2. Try to turn it ON – if it comes on, you will need to find out which device is causing the malfunction
3. To do this, turn the laptop off again and plug in the devices one after the other to see which one stops it from coming on

Hard Reset

If none of the fixes above work, you can try a hard reset to get rid of the malfunction. To do this:

1. Unplug all external devices as well as the charger and battery
2. Then, push and hold the power button for 30 seconds
3. Plug the charger back in and connect it to a wall socket
4. Try to turn the laptop ON. If the hard reset works, the laptop should come on
5. Finally, put the battery back in

Replace the Power Button

If all else fails, you can get a replacement for the power button on amazon for about $10 or $20. If you have some technical knowledge, you can attempt to fix the new button yourself. Otherwise, you can also go to the nearest certified HP service center to allow a professional to replace the power button.

Read also: How to restart a mobile device without a power button

Power Button Connection to Motherboard – How to Connect

To connect the power button to the motherboard, first, note the following markings;

1. POWER SW – Controls the power button
2. RESET SW – Controls the restart button
3. POWER LED – Powers the light that indicates when the system is on or off
4. HDD LED – Controls the hard drive indicator
5. HD AUDIO/SPEAKER – Connector for mic and headphone
6. USB CABLE – From the USB connector

Follow these steps to establish the connection:

1. Using the manual of the motherboard or by physically checking out the motherboard, locate the front panel header
2. Next, find the pins for the power ON switch. They might be labeled +PW-
3. Get the power jumper cables. They usually come in the front panel of the case of your computer
4. Connect the power switch jumper to the pins of the power switch
5. Notice the polarity signs, and be sure to connect the positive jumper to the positive pin and the negative jumper to the negative pin

You can also watch this video for a better and more practical explanation:

How To Bypass Power Button On desktop PC

Follow the steps below to bypass the power button on a PC. You can also watch this video:

1. Take note of the markings above
2. Locate the power switch cable labeled POWER SW connected to the motherboard and gently disconnect it
3. Turn ON the power supply switch
4. Find some copper wire or any conductor and use it to connect or short the pins together carefully
5. Disconnect the wire or conductor immediately you notice the fans spinning
6. The computer will come on as normal
7. Repeat step 3 to turn it back OFF

Alternatively, you can follow the steps below and watch this video to make the reset button act as the power button:

1. Follow steps 1 and 2 above
2. Locate the reset switch cable labeled RESET SW connected to the motherboard and gently disconnect it as well
3. Then, connect the reset switch cable to the power switch pins
4. This will make the reset button power on the computer

Conclusion

This article explains many different ways to turn ON a laptop without a power button. If the power button on your laptop is damaged or faulty, you can rely on us to provide fixes ranging from technical to easy peasy. We invite you to pick your poison and get to work.

Read also: Best Laptops with Nvidia Graphics Card

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