5 Quick Ways to Fix the DirectX 12 Black Screen

If you’ve enabled DirectX 12 but when you launch a game you are met with a black screen, it could be an issue of insufficient system resources, outdated drivers or incorrect settings that trigger the black screen.

DirectX 12 is an advanced version so you must ensure that your graphics card is compatible to run games smoothly. or else you’ll get the DirectX 12 is not supported on your system error.

How do I fix a black screen on DirectX 12?

1. Roll back to an earlier driver version

1.1 If the Roll Back Driver option is available

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
   

   

2. Type devmgmt.msc and click OK to open the Device Manager.
3. Locate and click Display adapters to expand it.
4. Right-click the NVIDIA driver and choose Properties.
   

   

5. Go to the Driver tab, and select the Roll Back Driver option.
   

   

6. On the Driver Package rollback page, select the reason for the rollback and click Yes.
   

   

7. Restart your computer to complete the process.

If the Roll Back Driver button is greyed out, it means Windows can’t find any NVIDIA driver to which it can roll back. You’ll need to manually download and install an older version of an NVIDIA driver.

1.2 If the Roll Back Driver option is greyed out

1. Go to the NVIDIA official website and download the desired version of the NVIDIA driver at the desired location.
   

   

2. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
   

   

3. Type devmgmt.msc and click OK to open the Device Manager.
4. Locate and click Display adapters to expand it.
5. Right-click the NVIDIA driver and choose Update driver.
   

   

6. Click Browse my computer for drivers.
   

   

7. On the Update drivers window, click Browse, navigate to the folder where you saved the downloaded file, and click Next.
   

   

8. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the process.

1.3 Use the Display Driver utility

NOTE

Before proceeding with this method, it is recommended that your computer be run in safe mode to avoid conflicts when running the application.

1. Go to the NVIDIA official website and download the desired version of the NVIDIA driver at the desired location.
   

   

2. Download the Display Driver Uninstaller and double-click the installer file to run the setup.
3. On the Installer wizard, click Next to initiate the installation.
   

   

4. Follow the onscreen prompts to complete the process.
5. Once it is installed, the app will launch.
6. From the right side, from the first drop-down, select GPU and choose NVIDIA in the second one.
7. Now click the Clean and restart button. The tool will remove the NVIDIA driver and restart your computer.
   

   

8. Now go to the downloaded driver and double-click it to initiate the installation.
9. Choose Custom (Advanced), then click NEXT. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation.
   

   

2. Perform a clean install of your GPU drivers

NOTE

This step is for NVIDIA graphic cards.

1. Go to the NVIDIA Driver Downloads Page and select your product type, series, and operating system. Choose either the Game Ready Driver or Studio Driver based on your needs, then click Search and Download the driver installer.
   
2. Close all open programs, especially GPU monitoring utilities (like EVGA Precision X or MSI Afterburner), and any aggressive antivirus programs that might interfere with the installation.
3. Right-click the downloaded driver installer and select Run as administrator.
4. Click Yes if prompted by Windows User Account Control.
5. Choose the default path for temporary driver files by clicking OK.
6. Click Agree And Continue.
7. Choose Custom (Advanced) and click Next.
8. Tick the Perform clean install option and click Next.
   
9. Once the installation completes, reboot your PC to finalize the process.

3. Run the Windows memory diagnostic tool 

1. Press the Windows key, type Windows Memory Diagnostic, and click Open. 
2. Click Restart now and check for problems.
3. The computer will restart and the tool will run the memory test. 
4. You can change the test options by pressing F1.
5. Once the scan is complete, you can check for errors under Event Viewer. 

4. Turn off features on NVIDIA Control panel

4.1 Instant Replay

1. Open the GeForce Experience app.
2. Press Alt + Z to launch the Share overlay.
3. Click Instant Replay and disable it.
   

   

4. To exit the Share overlay, press Alt + Z again.

4.2 Turn off the Anti-Aliasing feature

1. Right-click the space on the desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel.
2. Click Manage 3D settings from the left pane, and go to the Global Settings tab.
3. Locate Antialiasing and select Off from the drop-down.
   

   

4. Switch to Program Settings and turn off Antialiasing.
5. Click Apply to save the changes and reboot your computer.

These are some of the features that we found were causing the black screen issue when launching games on DirectX 12. Anti-aliasing helps improve the visuals of your game while instant replay allows you to record your gameplay.

While they enhance your overall experience, your GPU may not be cut out to withstand the load especially if it is an integrated one. If it consumes too much GPU memory, a black screen is inevitable. Disabling them lightens the load and may resolve the black screen error.

5. Repair/reset the NVIDIA Control panel

1. Hit the Windows key and click on Settings.
2. Click on Apps on the left pane then Apps & features on the right pane.
3. Locate the NVIDIA C0ntrol panel app.
4. Click on Repair.
5. Go back and click on Reset if the repair option failed.

Remember that resetting restores the app to default settings so if this fixes the black screen on DirectX 12, you can start enabling the settings one by one until you find the culprit. We have the best DirectX 12 settings that guarantee an elevated performance so don’t miss out on this.

You can also try reinstalling DirectX 12 and see if the black screen issue persists. Sometimes the app is buggy and just needs a reset.

That’s a wrap from us but we’d like to hear about any other solutions that worked for you but missing from our list. Drop us a line below.

Claire Moraa

Windows Software Expert

Claire has a knack for solving problems and improving the quality of life for those around her. She’s driven by rationality, curiosity, and simplicity, and always eager to learn more about Microsoft’s products.
With a background in teaching and reviewing, she breaks down complex topics into easily understandable articles, focusing mostly on Windows 11, errors, and software.