A lot of players have reported having black screen issues when playing Fallout 4. The screen will turn black after launching the game, and the cursor shows the loading icon. The black screen issue might occur due to outdated drivers, corrupted files, mods causing conflict, and a bunch of other reasons.
How To fix the Fallout 4 Black Screen Issue?
Below we have compiled 11 of the best methods for troubleshooting black screen errors in Fallout 4. Hopefully, by following these steps, you’ll be back to exploring the post-apocalyptic city of Boston in no time.
Install Fallout 4 and Steam on the same drive
You might be able to fix your Fallout 4 black screen issue by installing the game on the same drive. Doing this will also improve your performance and overall gameplay experience. We recommend you try this method out and see if it resolves the black screen error before jumping to other solutions.
Run Fallout 4 in compatibility mode
Running Fallout 4 in compatibility mode could also fix the Fallout 4 black screen issue. Follow these steps to enable the compatibility mode for Fallout 4.
- Right-click on the Fallout 4 executable file and select properties.
- Open the Compatibility tab.
- Checkmark the box “Run this Program in Compatible mode for” under the compatibility mode.
- Select a version of Windows older than your own.
- Apply the settings and launch the game.
Enable Borderless Window Mode
Playing in borderless window mode has helped many users fix the Fallout 4 black screen issue. This is a very common fix for black screen errors in many different games. We recommend enabling the borderless mode because it can potentially fix any black screen issues.
- Launch Fallout 4 through steam.
- Click on Options.
- Tick the Windowed Mode box and enable Borderless.
- Run the game and check if the problem persists.
Disable Antivirus Software
Sometimes third-party antivirus software on your PC could create some problems with the games you’re playing. Several users have reported that they resolved the Fallout 4 black screen errors by disabling their anti-virus software. We suggest you also disable any third-party anti-virus software that you may have installed on your computer.
Edit Configuration Files
Many players have reported that by editing the configuration files, they were able to get rid of the Fallout 4 black screen error. Follow these steps to edit the config files for Fallout 4.
- Navigate to this location in your windows explorer: C:\Users\username\Documents\mygames\fallout4.
- Locate and click on fallout4prefs.ini.
- Find the following variables and edit them as shown.
- bMaximizeWindow=0
- bBorderless=1
- bFull Screen=0
- iSize H=1080
- iSize W=1920
Save any changes made and launch Fallout 4 to see if the black screen issue is resolved.
Restart PC
Sometimes, a simple PC restart can quickly fix the problem. A restart dumps the current state of all software and helps in getting rid of the troublesome code. We recommend that you should try restarting the PC at least once before trying other solutions because it might solve the Fallout 4 Black Screen issue that you are facing.
Verify The Integrity Of Game Files
If any of your Fallout 4 game files are missing or are corrupted, they could cause the Fallout 4 Black Screen issue. To verify the integrity of game files and check for any missing files, follow these steps.
- Launch the Steam application.
- Head to the Game Library and find Fallout 4.
- Right-Click on Fallout 4 and choose Properties.
Steam Game Properties. - Navigate to the Local Files tab in the new pop-up window.
- Click on Verify integrity of game files.
Steam Local Files. - Wait for Steam to complete the verification process.
- Run Fallout 4 and see if the black screen issue is fixed.
Update Graphics Card Drivers
Outdated Graphics Card drivers could be one of the reasons for the Fallout 4 Black Screen issue. You should try updating the graphics card drivers to the latest version to fix this problem. You can find drivers for AMD and NVIDIA Graphics Cards in the links below.
Force System to use Primary GPU
If your computer does not recognize the GPU that is recommended for Fallout 4 in your computer, It might be causing the Fallout 4 Black Screen issue. This mostly happens when a user has more than 1 graphics card installed in their system. You can force your PC to use your graphics card by following these steps.
Similar Reads: Apex Legends Infinite Loading Screen
- Head over to Settings > System > Display.
- Scroll down and click the Graphics Settings option.
Display Settings. - Under Choose an app to set preference, click on the Browse button, and then locate the .exe file on your system.
- If your Steam Library is in C drive, the location would be C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4\Fallout4.
- Select the .exe file and click on Add.
- Click on Options.
- Choose the Primary GPU for the application.
How to Check Which GPU an Application is Using
To check which graphics card a game is using, Head over to Task Manager and enable the GPU Engine column on the Processes pane. You’ll then see which GPU number an application is using. You can check which number is associated with your GPU in the Performance Tab.
Remove Mods
If you have installed any custom mods in fallout 4, try disabling or removing the currently active mods and try again. Custom mods can sometimes create performance issues and other problems such as the black screen in Fallout 4. Follow these steps to disable or remove mods in Fallout 4.
- Launch Fallout 4 and select Mods from the main menu.
Fallout 4 Main Menu. - Find the mod that you want to remove or disable in your Library.
- Select the mod, and use the Disable option.
- If you want to uninstall the mods, select the mod and use the Delete option.
Contact Official Support
Still experiencing the Fallout 4 black screen issue after trying all the solutions mentioned above? Contact the Bethesda Support Center and submit a ticket. The average response time is 24 to 48 hours, so it might take some time, but they will help you as best as they can.
That was all for our guide to fixing the Fallout 4 black screen issue. We provided 11 of the best troubleshooting methods to resolve this error. Lastly, you could also try reinstalling the game from steam to get rid of any corrupted files that were not being recognized in the files verification method.
Are you experiencing random crashes in Fallout 4? Then make sure to check out our guide for the Best Methods to Stop Fallout 4 Crashes.
Thanks! Do share your feedback with us. ⚡
How could we improve this post? Please Help us. ✍
