Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is a new game for which lots of players are reporting a black screen error. A Black Ops 6 player’s Reddit post described that issue like this, “When I start a match, my screen is completely black… I can hear me walking around and shooting.” This black-screen gaming issue occurs when players try to start Black Ops 6 matches on Windows PCs and consoles. These are some possible fixes for the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 black screen error on Windows PCs.
Read also: 7 Ways to Fix Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Not Launching on a Windows PC
Close Background Apps and Restart Black Ops 6
The only official resolution Treyarch currently has for the Black Ops 6 black screen error is to restart the game. However, this is a temporary workaround rather than a resolution that will permanently fix the black screen issue. I also recommend closing superfluous background apps to free up RAM before starting Black Ops 6 like this.
- Exit the Black Ops 6 game when the black screen error occurs.
- Open Task Manager, which you can access by using the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keyboard shortcut.
- Look for superfluous third-party apps on the Processes tab.
- Disable unneeded app processes by right-clicking them and selecting End task.
The End task option
- Restart the Black Ops 6 game.
Disable Fullscreen Optimization
Some players have fixed the Black Ops 6 black screen error by disabling fullscreen optimization. The fullscreen optimization is always enabled by default but can sometimes cause graphical glitches for certain games. This is how you can turn off the fullscreen optimization feature for Black Ops 6.
- Open File Explorer and the Call of Duty installation folder for Black Ops 6. The default Steam directory path for that folder is Program Files (x86) > Steam > steamapps > common > Call of Duty.
- Right-click the cod EXE file to select Properties.
- Click Disable fullscreen optimizations to select that option within the Compatibility tab.
The Disable fullscreen optimization checkbox
- To save the settings, select Apply and OK.
Set Focused Mode to 0
Setting the Focused Mode option to 0 has fixed the Black Ops 6 black screen error for some players. Focused Mode is an in-game graphical option that displays a black overlay for the game window. You can set Focused Mode to 0 like this.
- Start your Black Ops 6 game.
- Click Settings and Graphics.
- Select the Display tab.
- Set Focused Mode to 0 by dragging the bar slider for that option to the far left.
The Focused Mode setting
- Press 3 to apply settings.
Optimize Graphics Settings With GeForce Experience
If you have GeForce Experience on your PC, try optimizing Black Ops 6 for performance with that software. It has been confirmed that optimizing graphics for performance rather than quality with that app can resolve the Black Ops 6 error for some players at least. These are the steps for optimizing graphics settings with GeForce Experience.
- Right-click the NVIDIA icon in your system tray to select the NVIDIA GeForce Experience context menu shortcut.
- Click Details for the Black Ops 6 game.
The Details option
- Press the Custom Settings (spanner) button.
- Drag the Optimize for bar slider further to the left, which will optimize Black Ops 6 for performance. Dragging this slider to the far left is your best bet for fixing the black screen issue.
- Press the Apply button.
The Performance bar
- Finally, start Black Ops 6 from GeForce Experience.
Update Graphical Drivers
A faulty or antiquated graphics driver on your PC is one of the more likely causes of the Black Ops 6 black screen error. Installing the newest driver for your graphics card will address this possible cause. You can update your PC’s graphics driver with a method from this KeenGamer guide.
Unplug Unneeded Peripheral Devices
Players confirm that unplugging controllers can sometimes resolve the Black Ops 6 black screen error. Do you have unneeded peripheral devices like gamepads, joysticks, USB sticks, and USB adapters connected to your PC when trying to play Black Ops 6? If so, try disconnecting them before starting the game.
The Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 black screen error is one of numerous technical issues that have blighted the game since its release. Such issues have convinced some players to request refunds for the game. However, the potential resolutions outlined above have fixed the black screen glitches for some PC players. You can also send a help ticket to the support service for Black Ops 6 from this Activision page if further fixes are needed.
