12 Best Solutions For OBS Black Screen Capture Error

OBS chrome black screen

OBS Studio is one of the most popular live-streaming programs available (commonly just referred to as OBS). However, a typical issue that customers have while using it for streaming or desktop recording is a blank screen capture error.

This happens when you try to record your desktop, a window, or a gaming program and all you get is a blank screen. The OBS chrome black screen is something unexpected and annoying. Let’s get to fixing it easily on Windows 10

There are several causes of the OBS black screen capture problem, and this post will explain how to resolve each one. Switch OBS’s GPU. A common issue people have when they come across the OBS black screen capture error is when attempting to capture any windows that use hardware acceleration.

The most prevalent issue with OBS Studio is when users try to record a display and the whole preview window is grey or black. Your output recording will thereafter be nothing more than a black video. 

This can occur while attempting to take a Window Capture or a Display Capture. On a laptop, this is most likely to occur. OBS game captures the black issue by running OBS as an administrator. 

This is due to the fact that computers (particularly gaming laptops) might feature two gaming cards. One is largely responsible for rendering your desktop and windows, and it is the only one that is in power-saving mode. The second is for use in performance (like gaming).

In power-saving mode, this enables the laptop to disable the more powerful graphics hardware. The issue here is that if you tell OBS to capture your display, it may collect output from the dormant graphics card. As a result, The blank screen capture fault with the OBS appears on your screen.

OBS capture windows

The Most Common Causes of OBS Black Screen Capture Error

The PC’s error: If you haven’t used or shut down your computer in a long time, the PC may be in an abnormal condition, causing software like OBS to behave improperly.

ABOUT THE OBS STUDIO: This captured picture does not show the screen issue that may occur with any old or incorrect version of OBS. In addition, OBS may be incompatible with your system version at times, or you may encounter an unknown performance fault.

  • If your system settings prevent OBS from capturing, it will not read the display material at all.
  • The operation of some other (screen recorder) programs may interfere with OBS’s regular function, including but not limited to screencasting and displaying.
  • The most typical reason for game capture, laptop capture, browser capture, and so on is a multi-GPU recording scenario. OBS will be unable to detect the picture if it is not on the same graphic card as the intended capture material.
  • The recording’s target material is copy-protected: Encrypted streaming videos, such as Netflix movies, are all incompatible with standard screen recorders such as OBS. Most of the time, you will just receive a blank screen recording with sounds. From the above, we can see that the various causes of the OBS black screen are many. Because neither we nor you know what the underlying problem is, you should first confirm that you’ve followed the proper screen recording technique using OBS, and then proceed.

How to Repair a Black Screen in OBS Studio

  1. Restart OBS and your computer
  2. Disable Hardware Acceleration in Chrome
  3. Use your OBS as an administrator
  4. OBS should be downgraded
  5. Adjust the graphics settings for OBS
  6. Stop any background software that is running.
  7. Change the Capture Mode or Capture Method.
  8. Turn off Game Mode.
  9. Modify the Drive Permissions
  10. Choose the Best GPU for Your Needs
  11. Activate multi-adapter compatibility
  12. Turn off Overclocking

Restart OBS and your computer

Many unexpected behaviors can be resolved by restarting applications or rebooting the system as a general remedy. So don’t take that as a casual remark. Just be patient with yourself.

You may also check and update OBS if there is a new software version, or reinstall it from the beginning to eliminate the cause of a software problem. It is entirely dependent on you.

It is recommended for Windows users to verify that the bit version they installed is compatible with their operating system. 

Before we get too further into troubleshooting, it’s a good idea to reboot your computer. In other situations, merely power cycling resolved the OBS black screen instantaneously.

Power cycling your computer entails totally shutting it down and disconnecting it from its power supply. This forces the computer to delete any temporary configurations, ensuring that everything is reset when you restart it.

Make a proper shutdown of your PC.

Take out the power outlet or, if you’re using a laptop, the battery once it’s been switched off.

Push the power button and hold it for a few seconds. This will verify that all of the power has been depleted.

After 2-4 minutes, reconnect everything and see if the problem has been resolved.

Disable Hardware Acceleration in Chrome

If OBS records other windows correctly, such as VLC, Photoshop, or some games, but the black screen issue only occurs when you record a Chrome tab, your OBS is most likely incompatible with Chrome.

It is, however, quite simple to resolve; simply uncheck one checkbox in Chrome to restore compatibility.

  • Enter Settings on your Chrome browser and select Advanced from the Settings panel. Scroll down and deselect the ‘Use hardware acceleration when available option.
  • Restart your OBS and Chrome to begin recording. It should record correctly.

Use your OBS as an administrator

OBS is a powerful screen recorder with a plethora of functions. However, certain functionalities will be disabled if you start OBS on a frequent basis by double-clicking the desktop software.

To allow OBS to act like a total to record a video, right-click on the software and select Run as administrator.

Then, you may use OBS Window Capture to capture a video of your choice.

Use your OBS as an administrator

OBS should be downgraded

When a new version of OBS is released, there are always users who claim that after upgrading, OBS will no longer record. If you are in the same circumstance, you are most likely: Your PC is incompatible with the most recent version of OBS. Alternatively, the installed software may include unidentified bugs.

In this scenario, downgrading your OBS is the simplest method to resolve the OBS Window Capture not recording issue. However, this is only a temporary solution because you will be unable to use OBS’s most recent services.

Tip: If you are unable to locate the previous installation package, you can visit the website of OBS Studio Package, a less complicated OBS on your computer.

Adjust the graphics settings for OBS

If your machine has two graphics cards, both will most likely work together to design and encode the OBS recording. You could believe it’s beneficial for your OBS recording efficiency, but with both graphics processors running at the same time, your OBS will be trapped in confusion and won’t know which processor to reply to.

Such a condition will result in one significant problem: your OBS will display a dark screen and record nothing.

To summarise, OBS must be supported by a single GPU. Now, let’s change the GPU settings for your OBS in order to resolve the black screen issue.

  • To begin, right-click your desktop and select Display settings from the drop-down menu. Then, scroll down and click on the Graphics settings option in the Display settings box.
  • To adjust OBS’s graphics settings, go to the new Graphics settings window and add it to the list.
  • Click Browse and look for OBS, then navigate to This PC > C:/ > Program Files > obs studio > bin > 64bit. To finish, choose obs64 from the 64bit folder and click Add.
  • After that, click Options and choose High Performance, then click OK to apply.
  • If you complete all of these procedures, your OBS recording will be handled by a particular graphics card, and you will no longer have the black screen issue.
Adjust the graphics settings for OBS

Stop any background software that is running

In rare cases, the program operating in the background impairs OBS’s performance, and this is referred to as a software conflict. Close all extraneous programs from the taskbar, especially those related to screening recording, or broadcasting. You can also use the Task Manager to end processes on your computer.

Some OBS users have noted that the Game Mode, which is created specifically for optimum gaming or Game Bar capture performance on Windows 10, may produce a black screen, therefore check and uncheck Game Mode if it is active under Settings -> Gaming -> Game Mode.

Settings Game Mode

Change the Capture Mode or Capture Method

If you can’t view the captured image in a certain capture mode, such as Window or Game capture, try changing the resource option. For Game Capture, make sure the game is running first, then add Game Capture in OBS Studio.

Also, if the Mode on Game Capture Properties is “Capture any fullscreen program,” the game will run in full-screen mode rather than windowed or borderless mode. When your computer has two (NVIDIA/AMD) graphic cards built in, another option on this Properties panel – “SLI/Crossfire Capture Mode” – might also aid to maintain a regular capture. 

There are now three capture technique options for Window Capture in its properties: Automatic, BitB1t (Windows 7 and higher), and Windows Graphics Capture (Windows 10 1903 and up). You should select one based on the state of your system.

Game Mode settings

Turn off Game Mode

Overlocking is another Game-Mode-like method that many computer geeks use to increase gaming speed. If the CPU or GPU does not come with locked multipliers, it can be overlocked to boost the clock rate of the component. If you’ve given it permission on your PC.

Some gamers would like to adopt Windows 10’s Game Mode to improve their gaming experience. However, it may interfere with broadcasts and result in an OBS black screen during game capture. If you’re currently using it, try turning it off.

  • To launch the Settings app, press Windows + I.
  • Select the Gaming category, then select Game Mode.
  • In the right pane, deactivate the button labeled “Use Game Mode.”

After that, restart your computer to ensure that the modification takes effect. Then, check to see whether the OBS game capture dark screen issue has been resolved.

Modify the Drive Permissions

If your OBS is installed on your main disc (C), chances are your user does not have complete access to change and alter its data. This is the typical circumstance, and the reason why a standard user is denied access to the disc is for security concerns, as all of the fundamental operating system files are there.

However, according to some user accounts, updating the drive’s ownership settings immediately resolved the issue. Before proceeding with this solution, ensure that you are logged in as an administrator.

  • Select the Security tab, then click the Edit button next to permissions.
  • Now, choose Authenticated users and check the box next to Full Control.
  • To save your changes and quit, click Apply. Restart your computer and launch OBS once again. 
  • To open File Explorer, press Windows + E. Now, right-click on your C drive (or the drive that is set as your primary operating system disc), and select Format.

Choose the Best GPU for Your Needs

Another intriguing phenomenon we discovered was that not selecting the right GPU for the capture you were utilizing created various difficulties, including the blank screen. The breakdown of the GPU to choose from based on the display is as follows:

Game capture: Dedicated graphics (NVIDIA or AMD).

Monitor/display capture: Intel’s stock GPU

Please keep in mind that this solution is exclusively for people who have a dedicated graphics card installed on their PC.

  • Select NVIDIA Control Panel by right-clicking anywhere on your screen.
  • Navigate to Manage 3D settings and then click on Program Settings once in the control panel.
  • Select the OBS display capture option once you’re in program settings. If you can’t find the item, click Add and look it up by browsing the software’s installation directory and choosing the executable from there.
  • Select the appropriate graphics processor for the application based on the sort of capture you’re conducting (game or monitor). NVIDIA’s CPU is used in the example below.
  • Save your changes and then depart. Restart your computer and launch OBS once again. Check to see whether the black screen problem has been rectified.
  • If none of the preceding ways work and you still want to capture film, you may need to utilize another tool.

The program itself offers many capture modes that are handy for a variety of applications. For example, the software’s Display Capture feature allows you to capture the whole display, while the Window Capture feature allows you to capture a single window or app running on your computer, and the Game Capture feature does the same.

Once you’ve determined whatever sort of capture you require and added it to your OBS, you’re ready to begin broadcasting. This may be utilized in a variety of circumstances.

For example, if you are in the showcase and want to share only the presentation with the audience, you can use Window Capture to broadcast only a single tab to your audience.

OBS makes it extremely simple for anybody to use the program and begin broadcasting. All of this can be accomplished with only a few mouse clicks, and you’re ready to go.

However, according to numerous questions on the OBS Forums, many novices who want to get started have encountered the typical problem of Window Capture Black Screen. This implies that even after you’ve installed the Window Capture or Game Capture, that specific window will remain dark.

Activate multi-adapter compatibility

OBS features an option for Multi-adapter compatibility, which is intended for systems that use SLI or Crossfire technology. SLI/Crossfire are NVIDIA/AMD technologies that enable users to connect two graphics cards instead of one and use them both in games or apps. Enabling this function seems to have immediately resolved the issue of a black screen in OBS.

The strange part is that this repaired the black screen in PCs that didn’t even have SLI/Crossfire technology installed. To summarise, this is a problem in OBS, and you must activate multi-adapter compatibility whether or not you have SLI/Crossfire. You may simply enable this option by picking the stream and clicking on the gears symbol. A new window will open.

Turn off Overclocking

Overclocking allows you to boost the clock rate of your CPU until it meets the manufacturer’s temperature threshold. When it reaches the temperature, the clock speed returns to zero, allowing it to cool down.

When it reaches the ideal temperature, the clock speed is increased again, and the cycle is repeated. Overclocking helps users to get higher framerates and performance, but it is not without drawbacks.

We discovered that PCs with overclocking enabled were experiencing the black screen issue in OBS. You should disable overclocking and any overclocking-related software, such as MSI Afterburner, and then relaunch OBS. If the black screen issue has been rectified, you should try permanently disabling overclocking whenever you use OBS.

Conclusion

Another reason you may be seeing a black screen on your OBS software is if you have other applications linked to screen capture and video recording running in the background.

This is a relatively typical scenario for consumers in which they ‘believe’ that other third-party software is not operating but, in fact, it is running in the background. In this method, we will go through all of the software installed on your computer and delete any unnecessary software that may be causing the problem.