This guide will (hopefully) provide you with a couple of methods on how to fix a black screen on startup in Valheim.
The main reason for a black screen at startup is that the game’s graphics settings may be interfering with and causing some problems for certain video cards or graphics drivers. The two methods below have worked well for many Valheim players, so they may work for you as well!
How to Fix Black Screen on Startup in Valheim
Method 1: Switch to Windowed Mode
Most players prefer to play their games in full screen mode, but Valheim doesn’t have a genuine full screen mode and runs in either “windowed full screen” or simply “windowed.” This is the main setting that causes black screen issues for many players.
Try the following:
Start the game Press Alt+Enter when the black screen appears Wait for windowed mode to activate
To avoid this problem in the future, switch to permanent full screen mode by following these steps:
Go to Steam Right-click on Valheim in your game library Select the “Properties” option Go to the “General” tab Add the following line to the launch options: -screen-fullscreen 1
Close the Properties tab and launch the game. This setting should now always launch your game in full screen mode.
Method 2: Switch Between Windows
If the previous method didn’t work, you’ll need to switch between windows when launchingValheim. Here’s how:
Open any window (e. g. the Steam app) Launch Valheim Press Alt+Tab during the black screen Press Alt+Tab again to go back to the game’s window
This simple switch between windows should help eliminate the black screen effect. But you will have to repeat this process during each startup, before playing Valheim.
That’s all you need to know on how to fix Valheim’s black screen on startup. For more on this Viking survival world from Iron Gate AB and Coffee Stain Studios, consider heading over to our guides on deflecting attacks, mining copper ore, and how to get rid of unwanted items.
