Players have reported that they can’t play The Sims 4 because it shows a black screen when they start it. For example, a player described that gaming issue like this, “I go to open Sims 4 and it’s just a black screen, sometimes the Sims 4 logo will flash.” Players can’t play The Sims 4 when it starts with a black screen. This is how you can fix the Sims 4 black screen bug on Windows PCs.
Set a Windowed Launch Option for The Sims 4
Players confirm that setting a windowed launch option can fix the Sims 4 black screen bug. You can set a windowed launch option for The Sims 4 with both the EA app and Steam. This is how you can set that windowed launch option:
EA app
- Start the EA app.
- Select Sims 4 in the Library tab.
- Click the Manage button for the Sims 4 game.
- Select the View properties option.
- Enter -w within the launch options text box.
- Click on Save.
Steam
- Run Steam and open that software’s Library tab.
- Right-click on The Sims 4 game to select Properties.
- Input -windowed into the launch options box.
The General tab
Adjust the Windowed Full Screen Option
Enabling the windowed full-screen mode is a potential remedy for display conflicts that arise from the exclusive full-screen mode. You can enable windowed full screen outside the Sims 4 game with a configuration file. These are the steps for adjusting the windowed full-screen option:
- Open the Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 folder in File Explorer.
- Right-click the Options.ini file to select Open with > Notepad.
- Change the windowedfullscreen = 0 option to windowedfullscreen = 1.
- Click the File menu to select Save.
Delete Sims 4 Mods
Outdated or corrupted modes often cause the Sims 4 black screen bug. Players have confirmed they’ve fixed this black screen bug by removing certain Sims 4 mods. The best thing to do would be to delete all your Sims 4 mods like this:
- Go to the This PC > Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > Mods folder in File Explorer.
- Select all mods in that folder.
- Right-click and select the Delete context menu option.
The Mods folder
- Next, return to the Documents > Electronics Arts > The Sims 4 folder.
- Erase the localthumbcache.package file by right-clicking on it and selecting Delete.
The Sims 4 folder
Alternatively, you could try disabling mods rather than deleting them all. To do that, right-click the Mods folder and select Rename. Enter Mods_backup for the new folder title.
Select High Performance Graphics Option
If your PC has a couple of GPUs, try selecting the High performance setting for the Sims 4 game. That option will set your game to utilize the dedicated NVIDIA or AMD GPU rather than an Intel alternative. You can select the High performance option for Sims 4 like this:
- Open the file search box with the Windows logo + S key combination that activates it.
- Enter graphics settings in the search box, and select the matching result.
- Click Add desktop app to select the Sims 4 EXE file.
- Then, click on Add.
- Click the The Sims 4 game and select High performance on the GPU preference drop-down menu.
The graphics settings in Windows 11
Run a Verification (Repair) Scan for The Sims 4
Game file corruption is a potential cause for black screen bugs. So, try running a verification (repair) scan for your The Sims 4 game. To do so, check out these EA app and Steam support pages that provide instructions for verifying (repairing) game files.
The Verify integrity of game files option
Download and Install a New Graphics Driver
Outmoded or faulty graphics card drivers are another potential cause of the Sims 4 black screen bug. The best way to address that potential cause is to install a new graphics driver for your PC’s graphics card. This KeenGamer article gives you the full lowdown on how players can install new graphics drivers.
The NVIDIA graphics driver download page
Applying the potential troubleshooting methods will probably fix the Sims 4 black screen bug for most players. Yet, nothing is guaranteed, and Sims 4 has a technical support service you can always ask for more potential fixes. To do so, click Contact Us on this Sims 4 help page.
