Fix Black Screen while playing a video on Windows 11/10

In this article, we will see what you can do if you see a Black Screen while playing a video on Windows 11/10. A black screen while playing a video means you cannot see anything on your screen but hear the audio and see captions (in some cases). If you notice such a thing on your computer, use the fixes explained here.

Why are videos showing up black?

You may see a black screen while playing a video due to a corrupted or outdated graphics card driver, unsupported hardware (in case you are playing a high-quality video like 4K), etc. In addition to this, the black screen while playing the videos also occurs if the video codec is not supported by the media player. Whatever the cause is, the solutions provided below will help you fix this issue.

Fix Black Screen while playing a video on Windows 11/10

If you see a black screen while playing a video on Windows 11/10, we suggest you use the following fixes to resolve the problem.

1. Install the latest Windows Update
2. Run Video Playback Troubleshooter
3. Turn on Accelerated Graphics
4. Install HEVC Video Extensions
5. Update or reinstall your graphics card driver
6. Try another Media Player

Let’s see all these fixes in detail.

1] Install the latest Windows Update

First of all, make sure that your system is not missing the important updates released by Microsoft. Microsoft also recommends installing the latest Windows Updates. Open Windows 11/10 Settings, go to the Windows Update page and check for Windows Update manually. If an update is available, install it and then open the video. If you see the black screen again, the problem lies somewhere else. Use the other fixes.

Related: The bottom half of screen is black on my laptop

2] Run Video Playback Troubleshooter

Windows 11/10 has built-in troubleshooters. Each of these troubleshooters is developed to address different types of issues. Running the Video Playback Troubleshooter can fix video-related problems on a Windows device.

Follow the steps written below:

1. Open Windows 11/10 Settings.
2. Go to “System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.”
3. Scroll down and click Run next to Video Playback.

Do not interrupt the troubleshooting process. If the Video Playback Troubleshooter finds any problem, it will fix it.

3] Turn on Accelerated Graphics

This trick worked for some users. It may work for you. Follow the steps written below to turn on Accelerated Graphics and see if it brings any changes.

1. Press the Win + R keys to open the Run command box.
2. Type inetcpl.cpl and click OK.
3. The Internet Properties window will appear.
4. Go to the Advanced tab.
5. Under the Accelerated Graphics section, select the “Use software rendering instead of GPU rendering” checkbox.
6. Click Apply and then click OK.

Now, play the video and see if the black screen goes away or not. If not, you can revert the changes and try the next solutions.

4] Install HEVC Video Extensions

One possible cause of the black screen while playing videos is the unsupported hardware. If you have unsupported hardware, you may see a black screen while playing some high-quality videos, whereas the issue may not happen while playing low-quality videos. HEVC Video Extensions are the solution to this problem.

The HEVC extensions provide software support to play HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Coding) videos on unsupported hardware. These extensions also let you encode HEVC content on devices with no hardware-based video encoder. You can install HEVC Video Extensions from Microsoft Store.

This should work.

5] Update or reinstall your graphics card driver

If you still see the black screen while playing videos, the problem may be associated with your graphics card driver. Open the Optional Updates page of your Windows 11/10 Settings and see if an update for your graphics card driver is available. If yes, install it.

Alternatively, you can try uninstalling and reinstalling the graphics card driver. Go through the following instructions:

1. Visit the manufacturer’s website and download the latest version of your graphics card driver.
2. Open the Device Manager.
3. Expand the Display Adapters node.
4. Right-click on your graphics card driver and select Uninstall device.
5. Now, open File Explorer and go to the location where you have downloaded the graphics card driver from the manufacturer’s website.
6. Double-click on the driver and install it manually. If the driver is saved in INF format, use the Device Manager to install it.

6] Try another Media Player

It is possible that the Media Player that you are using to play the video does not support the video format or does not have th required video codecs. Try another Media Player and see if it helps. You can use VLC or any other Media Player.

Can hear video but not see it?

A black screen while playing a video means you cannot see anything on your screen but hear the audio and captions (in some cases). You can fix this issue by running a video playback troubleshooter, updating or reinstalling your graphics card driver, etc.

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