How To Fix ‘YouTube Black Screen’ Error

YouTube was developed by three former employees of PayPal: Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim. They wanted a creation where users could upload view and share content and talent with the world.

Today’s internet domain name www.youtube.com was introduced on 14 February 2005. But as every creation is not perfect. YouTube users started to come across a problem named a black screen. YouTube videos Black screen is an issue that involves the video to show a blank black screen.

Instead of moving pictures that originally show. At times this black screen is for few seconds or would be for more than a few seconds. This can happen for multiple reasons as of some example: wrong configurations of the Browser, extension, or hardware accelerations.

YouTube Black Screen

Over time as YouTube saw its face of popularity, people started to face this black screen more and more. So, there were some popular solutions found later to this widespread problem. There are some discussed in details:

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Meaning of YouTube Black Screen:

The YouTube Black Screen is an issue where, instead of seeing the video content you expect, your YouTube player displays a blank black screen. While audio and other elements may still work, the absence of video can be frustrating.

This error can manifest in various ways, such as a completely black screen, a black box within the player, or intermittent flickering.

Causes of YouTube Black Screen Error:

The YouTube Black Screen error can occur due to a range of factors, including:

  1. Browser Issues: Incompatibility between your web browser and YouTube can lead to display problems.
  2. Browser Extensions: Certain browser extensions or add-ons can interfere with YouTube’s video playback, causing the black screen error.
  3. Outdated Browser: Using an outdated version of your web browser may result in compatibility issues with YouTube’s features.
  4. Cache and Cookies: Accumulated cache and cookies in your browser can cause playback problems, including the black screen error.
  5. Adobe Flash Player: If your browser relies on Adobe Flash Player for video playback, issues with Flash can lead to display problems.
  6. Video Quality: Selecting a video quality that your internet connection cannot handle may result in a black screen.
  7. Hardware Acceleration: Enabling hardware acceleration in your browser can sometimes lead to playback issues.
  8. Graphics Driver: Outdated or incompatible graphics drivers can affect video rendering, causing the black screen error.

5 Ways to Fix YouTube Black Screen Error

SOLUTION 1: CHECK THE ACCESS OF THE INTERNET CONNECTION

As YouTube is formerly an online page to search for content. It is essential to see whether the internet connection is firm and fast. If not, there are high chances that the site or the Browser would not be able to load the whole video. And would display a black screen or in rare cases only load the audio.

After the fast internet access, it is best to reload and check whether the video plays smoothly or not. Another thing that should be kept in mind to avoid the black screen is internet traffic. While searching content online on a computer, most of the other internet consuming apps should be closed.

So, there is no division of the internet that is flowing throughout the system, and the Browser would be free to use the internet. Checking the network status of other devices would help in getting fast internet.

For instance, if they are connected to one common source, then there are high chances of getting slow and poor internet for the computer, doing the research. Therefore, it is better to check the source of the internet has less connected devices for fast and smooth working.

SOLUTION 2: CLEAR BROWER’S DATA

When the cache and history of the Browser are left unclear, then it can cause the Browser to get stuck and YouTube video to have a black screen. There is a way that can help in clearing the data.

NOTE:  The steps are used to clear data in Google Chrome this method would delete all the Browser’s history and formal applications to use task manager. Therefore, after deleting these data. Users would have to input all the formal applications to use the task manager again.

STEP 1: Press CTRL + SHIFT + DEL on the keyboard. A “clear browsing data” will launch on the windows. Then on clicking the Advanced” tab present on its top. Select all the boxes. Finally, click on clearing browsing history.”

STEP 2: Now on restarting the Browser and ending all the formal applications to use the task manager. Check if now the video would play smoothly. And streaming online wouldn’t lead to any glitch or black screens.

SOLUTION 3: DISABLING AD BLOCKERS AND EXTENSION

If YouTube videos would not respond. The user could update the Browser’s extension/ plug-ins to see if YouTube starts working If it does not. The next thing a user could do is disable extensions of the Browser.

For example: In Chrome for disabling the extensions. The user has to type “chrome;//extension” in the address bar and press enter. The user could disable any extension by “unchecking the ‘enable’ box. This process would automatically disable extensions for making any changes from the computer’s UI.

If the user decides to restart the Browser. They could ensure that they would “disable all ad-blockers.” Ad-blockers are people who cause problems while users stream YouTube online videos, as it tries to remove the ads from the video and in response, the video refuses to display.

It is mostly favored to disable all extensions for determining whether the problem lies in the Browser or the server. After disabling all the extensions, the user could restart the Browser and check whether the video plays smoothing.

SOLUTION 4: STREAMING ONLINE WITHOUT LOGGING IN OR IN INCOGNITO MODE:

Sometimes when people face the black screen problem during, they are logged in their YouTube accounts. But they could steam online usually again when they are logged off. This kind of problem could solve by opening a new Incognito window.

Where users could stream videos there and find if the videos play as expected.

For example: For opening a new incognito window in chrome. Users couldright-click” on thebrowser’s icon” and select“New incognito window.”

 SOLUTION 5: CHECK ADOBE FLASH PLAYER/JAVASCRIPT

Being a pre-installed player: Adobe Flash Player, it is used in many web browsers where JavaScript is a necessary part for the Browser to let any feature work well. Therefore, it is essential to have the latest versions of Flash Player and JavaScript.

When a browser uses more than one player to display videos online, it can create conflicts between the two players. For example, YouTube had made Firefox users switch from Adobe Flash Player to HTML5 player by default.

However, there are add-ons available in many browsers where Flash pushes to serve to YouTube for the users when HTML5 couldn’t work correctly. Like in Firefox. Therefore, users could have less trouble if they check the Browser supports other players or not. If not, then it would have high chance of having a black screen.

Using Some Easy Methods to Fix YouTube Black Screen Error:

  1. Refresh the Page:
    • Start with a simple step by refreshing the YouTube page. Sometimes, a temporary glitch can be resolved by reloading the content.
  2. Try a Different Browser:
    • If you’re experiencing the black screen error on one browser, switch to another (e.g., from Chrome to Firefox) to see if the issue persists.
  3. Update Your Browser:
    • Ensure your web browser is up to date. An outdated browser may not support the latest YouTube features.
  4. Disable Browser Extensions:
    • Temporarily disable browser extensions or add-ons to check if they are causing the error. Re-enable them one by one to identify the culprit.
  5. Clear Cache and Cookies:
    • Regularly clear your browser’s cache and cookies to ensure smooth YouTube playback. Access this option in your browser’s settings.
  6. Enable HTML5 Playback:
    • YouTube offers HTML5 video playback as an alternative to Adobe Flash. Enable it in YouTube’s settings under “Playback.”
  7. Check Video Quality:
    • Lower the video quality by clicking the gear icon in the YouTube player and selecting a lower resolution, especially if your internet connection is slow.
  8. Disable Hardware Acceleration:
    • In your browser settings, disable hardware acceleration and relaunch the browser to see if it resolves the issue.
  9. Update Graphics Drivers:
    • Visit your graphics card manufacturer’s website (e.g., NVIDIA, AMD) and update to the latest graphics drivers compatible with your system.
  10. Try Incognito/Private Mode:
    • Open a new incognito or private browsing window and access YouTube. This mode disables extensions and may help identify extension-related issues.
  11. Check Internet Connection:
    • Ensure you have a stable and sufficiently fast internet connection. Slow or intermittent connectivity can lead to video playback problems.
  12. Use a Video Download Tool (Temporary Solution):
    • If all else fails, consider using a video download tool to download the video and watch it offline.
  13. Seek Professional Assistance:
    • If you’re unable to resolve the issue despite trying the above methods, consult a tech expert or the YouTube Help Center for further assistance.

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Conclusion

The YouTube Black Screen error may interrupt your video streaming enjoyment, but armed with the knowledge and solutions from this article, you can swiftly tackle it.

Whether it’s adjusting browser settings, disabling extensions, or refreshing the page, you now have a comprehensive toolbox to conquer the YouTube Black Screen and get back to watching your favorite videos without a hitch.

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