How to Fix the Valorant Stuck on Black Screen Issue

Many gamers have reported a black screen problem when booting up Valorant. Sometimes, the black screen appears and persists during gameplay. Since the game’s release, Riot Games has acknowledged various error codes and provided various solutions for gamers. 

However, the Valorant stuck on black screen problem does not have any error codes. As such, many players have been puzzling over how to solve the error so they can finally launch and enjoy the game they love. We are going to discuss a number of ways in which you can fix the Valorant back screen on startup issue.

Fixing the Valorant Stuck on Black Screen

1. Update your graphics driver

Updating your graphics driver may seem like one of those minuscule things, but it can solve many problems. Software bugs related to your graphics driver can be the cause of black screen errors. Game developers leverage the latest software when patching up games and the like. 

Using outdated drivers can cause problems with many games, including Valorant. This may also be the case if the graphics driver is corrupted, incompatible, or faulty. Checking your graphics driver and updating it if necessary can help eliminate it as a potential cause of Valorant’s black screen error.  

If you have an NVidia GPU, you can use the Smart Scan feature. It detects the graphics card model automatically and enables you to download the latest drivers. 

If you are on Team Red (AMD), you can try using AMD Software Installer. This service downloads and configures the latest software for your GPU. Note that you should always install the graphics driver that matches your particular version of Windows.

2. Scan and repair your system files

Another potential cause of the Valorant stuck on black screen error is corrupted or missing system files. Conducting a thorough scan and repairing the system files can solve the problem. 

Fortunately, Windows (8, 8.1, 10, and 11) has an in-built utility for this purpose called System File Checker (SFC). You can run SFC with administrative privileges using Windows recovery media or from within Windows. Below are the steps for running SFC as an Administrator from within Windows:

1. Press the Windows+ X shortcut key from the desktop.
2. Selected Command Prompt (Admin) in the menu.
3. Click Yes in the User Account Control prompt.
4. Type SFC /scannow in the command prompt windows and press Enter.

The SFC utility will analyze the integrity of your OS’s system files and make repairs if necessary. Restart your computer once this process is complete. 

Below are the steps for running SFC using Windows recovery media:

1. Use an OS recovery tool and an empty USB stick to create a Windows installation disk
2. Connect the USB installation disk to your PC
3. Turn on your PC and tap the F12 key repeatedly to enter the One Time Boot Menu
4. Select your USB drive from the list and then press Enter.
5. Your PC will boot using the installation disk.
6. Click Next after selecting your language.
7. Select Repair your Computer, click Troubleshoot, then Advanced Options.
8. From the list, select Command Prompt
9. Type sfc /scannow 

/offbootidr=c: \ 

/offwindir=c: \windows and then press Enter. 

SFC utility will scan the system files and make the necessary repairs. Restart your PC after this process is complete. Note that this process may take a while, depending on your PC’s configuration. Once through, you can launch Valorant to check if the black screen issue is fixed.

3. Close instances of Valorant running in the background

Sometimes, you may encounter the black screen problem in Valorant when you re-log into the game multiple times. In many cases, the culprit is usually a bugged instance of the game running in the background. 

When this happens, it prevents you from launching a new instance of Valorant, and you are, therefore, stuck with a black screen. In other cases, the game may not launch at all. Follow the steps below to fix this issue:

1. Right-click on the toolbar and select Task Manager
2. Alternatively, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete to open the Task Manager
3. Go to the Details tab and end all tasks related to Valorant. These tasks may include Riot Games launcher, the game executable file, Vanguard, and Valorant’s anti-cheat software.

Once there are no instances of Valorant running in the background, you can restart the game.

4. Run the game on a dedicated GPU

If your PC has a processor featuring integrated graphics, it may not be sufficiently powered to run graphics-intensive games. If you are running Valorant on the integrated video card, it may be causing the black screen issue. 

It’s advisable to run the game on your dedicated or discrete GPU. You may have installed the graphics card, but your system is not utilizing it correctly. If you have an NVIDIA GPU, below are steps to fix this problem:

1. Go into NVIDIA Control Panel by right-clicking on empty space on Windows. 
2. On the left pane, select 3D settings, then Manage 3D Settings. 
3. Go to the Program Settings tab and click Add.
4. Select Valorant and click Add Select Program.
5. Choose High performance NVIDIA processor as your best graphics processor
6. Save the setup by clicking Apply

Re-launch Valorant to test if the black screen issue is solved. For the AMD users:

• Right-click the Desktop and select AMD Radeon Settings
• Select System, then Switchable Graphics
• The Switchable Graphics displays the Running Applications by default
• Select High Performance from Valorant’s drop-down menu.

The change will take effect after you restart Valorant.

5. Turn off or cutback CPU overclocking

While overclocking is a powerful tool for squeezing extra performance and speed out of your PC, it can sometimes cause problems. These stability issues often arise from overheating. If you push your hardware too far, you may experience freezes, crashes, and errors. Overclocking your CPU or GPU may be causing the Valorant stuck on black screen issue. 

Turn off any overclocking utilities and set your CPU clock speeds to default to test if it’s the cause of the black screen problem. If you need the performance benefits of overclocking, you can still keep it on but adjust the settings. You can lower the multiplier or voltage. This will reduce your overclock but will also reduce heat and potential system instability. 

6. Run the game as an administrator

Running games as an administrator helps the software access various permissions that facilitate normal function. If Valorant can’t access these permissions, you may experience a black screen since the game won’t launch properly.  

To run Valorant as an admin, right-click on the launch icon and select Properties.  Navigate to the Compatibility tab and check the Run this program as an administrator box. Click OK and then restart the game to see if it starts up as intended. 

7. Modify environment variables on Windows

Environment variables refer to predefined names that represent the path to various locations within the OS, such as a specific folder, file, or drive. Environment variables are helpful when troubleshooting problems and make software easier to configure. 

Regarding Valorant’s black screen issue, one of the developers at Riot Games recommended changing the environment variable as a solution. Riot Games stated that Valorant crashing after start-up or not booting up at all could be the result of an Open SSL bug that affects some processors. 

The same bug may also be responsible for the black screen problem. Below are the steps to changing the environment variable 

• Right-click the Windows icon on the Windows taskbar, then select System. (Windows 7)
• Navigate to the Settings window, then Related Settings, and click Advanced System Settings.
• On the Advanced tab, click the Environment Variables options towards the bottom right of the tab.
• Alternatively, you can search Environment Variables on the Start menu. (Windows 8, 10 and 11)
• Next, click on Edit System Environment Variables and then Environment Variables towards the bottom of the tab. 
• Under System Variables, select New.
• In the pop-up window, type the Variable Name “OPENSSL_ia32cap”.
• Type ~0x200000200000000 as the Variable Value, then click OK.

Restart your PC for the environment variable changes to settle in before launching Valorant.

8. Uninstall and reinstall Valorant

Valorant’s black screen issue may also be caused by corrupted game files. If all other aspects of your hardware and operating system are functioning properly, uninstalling and reinstalling Valorant can help fix this and a range of other issues. It helps refresh all communications between your hardware and the game. 

Another related fix is moving the game to a different storage drive. When you move Valorant between storage devices, the launcher checks all the files automatically for corruption or faultiness. While this is not a specific solution to the black screen issue, you can whitelist it from the list of potential culprits.

9. Change the display mode

In some instances, the wrong graphics settings can overtax your GPU and cause problems in games, including Valorant. Many gamers have reported that changing the display mode of the game solved the black screen issue in Valorant. 

To switch display mode, press the Alt + Enter combination. The game will switch between fullscreen and windowed mode, which may fix the problem. This is not a definitive solution, but it does work for some players, so it is worth a try.

Conclusion:

You can try any of the above methods to fix the Valorant stuck on black screen problem. If your PC hardware and software are up to par, these solutions should work for you. If you’re still experiencing the black screen, you can contact Riot Games support staff. You can inquire if there are any Valorant follow-up patches that can solve the issue. This is often the case for widespread bugs in video games.