Screen Goes Black While Watching YouTube (Solved)

Larissa updated on Mar 15, 2024 | Home >Computer Instruction

Watching YouTube videos and shorts has become a regular activity in this digital age due to its wide range of entertainment and information. Since millions of videos are consumed by users worldwide, this platform is stable and reliable.

But sometimes, you may encounter the problem where the screen goes black while watching YouTube videos, especially when using the browser. This is annoying whether you're watching an exciting or important video.

screen goes black while watching youtube

For a better understanding, this article offers the reasons behind this black screen on YouTube, along with the 6 best fixes to eliminate this issue. Let's begin!

Why Screen Goes Black While Watching YouTube?

Here is a list of several factors contributing to your screen going black while watching YouTube on your computer.

  • The video may fail to load due to your unstable or poor internet service
  • Your browser can be outdated or have a lot of cache and cookies.
  • You may have installed plug-ins or extensions in your browser to enhance the features. But some of these, like ad blockers, hinder loading the videos correctly.
  • Sometimes, your computer has a software or hardware problem, thus displaying a black screen.

6 Solutions to Fix Balck Screen While Watching YouTube

Encountering the situation when your screen goes black while watching YouTube videos is undoubtedly frustrating. But no worries, as here are some practical solutions with detailed operations.

Fix 1. Check the Network Condition

A stable and strong internet connection is necessary for loading YouTube videos properly. Otherwise, you will see a black screen or, sometimes, only a black screen with audio. So firstly you should check the network. Here is a tutorial for ensuring a reliable connection:

Step 1. Click the "Wi-Fi" icon and open the connection to check its strength. If it's weak, the videos won't load correctly. Try restarting the modem or connecting to any other strong network.

Step 2. Also, check if any other program is using excess internet. If so, close the program, as it can cause video playback issues.

Step 3. Once the signals are OK, open the "YouTube" page on the browser and try refreshing it. This may resolve the black screen problem automatically.

check the network connection

Fix 2. Disable Extensions and Plug-in on Browser

Although extensions and plug-ins can enrich the browser's usability, these can conflict with the YouTube playback. So disabling them is a must to overcome the YouTube black screen issue. Let's comply with the given steps for Google Chrome:

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Step 1. Type "Chrome://extensions" in the address bar of Chrome and press the "Enter" tab.

Step 2. Now, toggle the switch for the extensions individually to identify the problem.

disable extension in chrome

Fix 3. Clear History and Cache of the Browser

As the corrupted or excessive data causes the YouTube screen to black, you can try deleting the browser history & cache to overcome this error. Below is a brief tutorial to consider:

Step 1. Click the three-dot icon at the top right of the Chrome Window and tap "Settings."

Step 2. Choose "Privacy & Security" from the left column and expand the "Clear browsing data" Window.

Step 3. Checkmark the "Browsing history" and "Cached images and files." Lastly, hit "Clear data."

clear chrome history and cache

Fix 4. Update the Browser

When your web browser isn't updated to the latest version, your screen goes black while watching YouTube shorts or videos. So below is the complete procedure for updating the browser:

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Step 1. Press the three-dots icon in Google Chrome, go for the "Help" button and choose "About Google Chrome."

Step 2. The browser will automatically search for the update and start updating if there are any. Lastly, click the "Relaunch" button.

update google chrome

Fix 5. Disable hardware acceleration

Enabling hardware acceleration in your computer improves system performance by shifting some load to the GPU. However, it often results in a black YouTube screen. Turning it off can alleviate the GPU problems. Let's find the steps on how to disable hardware acceleration:

Step 1. Tap on the hamburger icon of Google Chrome and choose "Settings." Now, click on "System" from the side column.

Step 2. Next, turn the switch off for "Use graphics acceleration when available." All done!

disable hardware acceleration

Fix 6. Open Video in Another Browser

If the issue persists, open the YouTube video in another browser. Sometimes, the YouTube black screen problem is caused by the incompatibility of your browser and YouTube. Here is how to perform this task:

Step 1. Download and install any different browser like "Opera" from its official website.

Step 2. Launch the browser and open the YouTube video to check if the issue is resolved. That's all!

open video in another browser

Written In the End

Never get worried if your screen goes black while watching YouTube. Although this situation can happen for different reasons, the above solutions can help you tackle this problem without hassle. Try each method to unlock the smooth video-watching experience on YouTube, free from the black screen!

It is always a good idea to back up Windows before you change or update your computer. EaseUS Todo Backup is a free and robust backup software that allows you to create a system image, backup files and folder, and restore them whenever you needed.

FAQs

Why is my screen going black when I go full screen?

Your screen going black in full-screen mode is often a display problem caused by outdated or corrupted graphics drivers. However, the enabled hardware acceleration option can also be a reason.

How do I stop my screen from going black when not in use?

To stop your screen from going black during inactivity on a Windows computer:

  • Open the "Control Panel" and search for the power options.
  • From the left side, select "When to turn off the display option", and from the drop-down list, set "Turn off the display" to "Never."
  • Also, choose "Never" for "Put the computer to sleep." Press "Apply" to make changes.

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Updated by Larissa

Larissa has rich experience in writing technical articles and is now a professional editor at EaseUS. She is good at writing articles about data recovery, disk cloning, disk partitioning, data backup, and other related knowledge. Her detailed and ultimate guides help users find effective solutions to their problems. She is fond of traveling, reading, and riding in her spare time.

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