If you find yourself confronted by the infamous Valorant black screen on startup or when streaming, you probably have a lot of feelings: confusion, irritation, and sadness.
After all, it isn't what you signed up for. There you were, minding your own business, expecting to play a game of Valorant. Instead, you get a black screen. We'd be pretty peeved as well.
So in an effort to bring down everybody's blood pressure, we've assembled some suggestions to explain what you can do if this is the sticky wicket upon which you find yourself.
Here's what we know about how to fix the Valorant black screen issue, as well as why it might be happening.
How to fix the Valorant black screen on startup or streaming
If everything has faded to black on Valorant, there are several potential fixes for you to try. But before we get into those in detail, we'll mention a couple of other things to consider.
First of all, make sure your computer meets the minimum requirements to actually run the game. If it doesn't, then you are likely to encounter problems no matter what else you try.
And secondly, as with any good troubleshooting guide, it would be remiss if we didn't tell you to try restarting the game, and the device you are using to play it. Go on, we'll wait. Assuming that hasn't fixed the issue, here's what to do next.
Check for game updates
Start by checking for any outstanding game updates. If there is an update available, download and install it, to see if this makes a difference.
Check the servers
Another point worth checking is to see if there are any known issues with the servers. You can check the Riot Games Service Status page as a starting point. You can also check out their Twitter page, which will update you on any known problems, and let you know when they are resolved.
If there is a server problem, you'll need to wait for that to be resolved before trying again.
Update your graphics driver
A common cause of this error is that your video drivers need updating. Often, this will happen automatically. But if you are suddenly experiencing this issue, it's a good idea to check with your graphics card manufacturer to see if there are any outstanding updates. Typically, your graphics card will be from one of the following three manufacturers:
Update DirectX
As with your video drivers, it is also important to make sure DirectX is updated. This is especially true if you have recently updated Valorant itself, as it may no longer be compatible with an older version of DirectX. You can check for updates here.
Look at your Environment Variables
One suggestion from Riot that has worked on other errors is to change your environment variable. If the black screen error is anything to do with an OpenSSL bug, then this may work as a temporary fix:
- Click on the Start button and search for Environment Variables.
- Click on Edit the System Environment Variables.
- Navigate to the Advanced tab and select Environment Variables.
- Choose New under System Variables.
- Type or paste OPENSSL_ia32cap as the Variable Name.
- Paste or type ~0x200000200000000 for the Variable Value.
- Hit OK.
Contact Riot Games
If nothing seems to be resolving the issue, then it's time to get in touch with Riot Games Support for additional help and advice.
Read More: Valorant TPM 2.0 error: How to fix Valorant VAN9001 secure boot issue
Why does my Valorant have a black screen?
The black screen error is one that happens most commonly when players are trying to start the game. unlike other Valorant errors, this one doesn't provide an error code to help narrow things down. And as such, it makes it tricky to state definitively what the cause is.
The fact that there is a range of potential fixes, suggests that this has several possible causes. Most often, it will be down to out-of-date software that's in need of updating. Failing this, it can also be caused by software interfering with the game.
Ultimately, there is no way of knowing exactly what is causing your issue. So the best thing to do is work your way patiently through the fixes we outlined above, and wait until one of them works for you.