How to fix display capture black screen in OBS studio?

OBS Studio is a great online, open-source program that allows you to effortlessly capture and stream audio and video. If you’re just getting started with OBS, though, you’ll need to spend some time getting it set up properly. When attempting to conduct a display capture, users frequently see a blank screen. The good news is that this is usually a problem with your computer’s graphics settings, which can be fixed in a matter of minutes.

Only one graphics card may be captured at a time by OBS. The black screen problem does not impact computers with only one GPU. On laptops with both ‘integrated and high-performance graphics cards,’ it is nonetheless possible to get into a situation in which OBS would merely show a blank screen when you wish to record your desktop. In this piece, I’ll go through two approaches to resolving the issue. However, before you begin, ensure that your graphics drivers are up to date.

What causes a Black Screen in OBS Studio?

We conducted a thorough investigation and reviewed all of the user scenarios in which the black screen appeared when streaming using OBS. Based on our investigation, we discovered a number of potential causes for the problem.

Dedicated Graphics Interfere: When you open an application or a game, the operating system must choose whether to use the dedicated graphics card or the motherboard integrated graphics to allocate resources. This option may have an adverse influence on running mechanics, and OBS may be unable to stream properly as a result.

• Administrator privileges: As OBS is sharing your whole screen, there may be times when the computer restricts OBS’ access, preventing it from displaying your content. Usually, the problem is solved immediately when the program is started with administrator access.
• 32-bit and 64-Bit Conflict: OBS’s program has two versions 32-bit and 64-bit. Depending on the operating system type installed on your computer, the appropriate version should be selected. If not, the app won’t be compatible and it won’t work correctly.
• Compatibility issues: In addition, we have experienced multiple cases of OBS not compatible with the newest windows version. The program is forced to start and operate as intended when it starts in compatibility mode.
• Overclocking: While overclocking might improve the performance of your PC, it can also have negative consequences for your programs. To test if disabling overclocking helps, try it.
• Conflicting software: Other capture applications may be running in the background. This program may trigger a resource race with OBS, resulting in OBS malfunctioning and failing to function correctly.
• Capturing Options: OBS provides numerous capturing choices, such as an entire screen or a specific window. When capturing content, the right one should be picked.

• PC in an error state: The possibility of the PC being in an error state cannot be held out. This is common when you haven’t shut down your computer in a long time. Simply power cycling solves the problem.

If you find yourself in a similar situation, you can refer to this article and follow the troubleshooting steps we’ve outlined for you. We’ve compiled a list of tried-and-true methods for getting around the problem.

Make sure you start with the solutions at the top and work your way down. They are arranged in descending order of difficulty and efficiency.

OBS fix Process 1: for windows 10 version 1909 or newer

The first option is for computers running Windows 10 version 1909 or newer. If you’re not sure what version of Windows you have, use “Windows + R,” type “winver,” and click OK. So, if you have a newer version of Windows on your PC;

Step by Step OBS display capture fixing for Process 1:

1. In the search box, type “Graphics Settings” and press enter.
2. Click browse after verifying that the “App Preference” is set to “Classic App.”
3. Go to “Local Disk C” > “Program Files” > “obs-studio” > “bin” > “64bit” >
4. Double-click on the OBS program in this folder to launch it.
5. The “Graphic Specifications” interface is shown once you have been selected.
6. “Power Saving GPU” and “High-Performance GPU” are the two alternatives.
7. Select the “Power Saving” option and click “Save” to have OBS capture your desktop.
8. Finally, restart OBS to see whether your issue has been resolved.

OBS fix Process 2: for windows 10 versions older than 1909

If it doesn’t work, it’s conceivable that your current Windows operating system is older than Version 1909. In that case, here’s how to solve it using the second way.

Step by Step OBS display capture fixing for Process 2:

1. Select “NVIDIA Control Panel” from the control panel by right-clicking on your desktop.
2. Expand the menu for 3D Settings.
3. Select “Manage 3D Settings” and then “Program Settings.”
4. Select OBS Studio to modify the programme.
5. Set the preferred graphics processor to “Integrated Graphics.”
6. Click “Apply” and restart OBS to see whether your issue has been resolved.
7. That should solve the problem.

OBS Fix conclusion

It should be noted that this would allow OBS to record solely using “Display Capture”. You need to switch to the High-Performance GPU if you need to use the OBS Game Capture feature, as video games are reset to be running on your dedicated graphics processor. OBS must be operating on the same GPU as the image you want to capture in order to function correctly.