Forza Horizon 4 Black Screen on PC and Xbox Consoles: Forza Horizon 4, released in 2018, is an open-world racing multiplayer video game created by Playground Games and distributed by Microsoft Studios.
Initially launched for Windows and Xbox One, it made its debut on the Xbox Series X/S in November 2020. Despite receiving numerous accolades from players and critics alike, many users are currently facing a frustrating black screen issue on both PC and Xbox consoles.
This black screen problem is a common occurrence in video games, significantly disrupting the gaming experience. It can manifest during various moments, such as the game’s introduction, cutscenes, or even during active gameplay, leaving players with only audio while the visuals vanish.
While it is essential for the developers to address and resolve this concern swiftly, there has been no official statement acknowledging the issue as of now. Fortunately, we have compiled a few potential solutions that may help alleviate the problem.
About Forza Horizon 4
Forza Horizon 4 is a racing video game that emphasizes car customization and open-world experiences. Players control their own vehicles and race for experience points, reputation, and in-game cash.
The game features several game modes, including “making money,” “unlimited laps,” “missions,” and “challenges.” Players can also engage in “race club” activities, which allow them to meet other players and compete in races with prizes.
In addition to performing tasks that require skills, farm life in Forza Horizon 4 also offers a number of challenges that reward you with in-game currency.
These challenges are separate from the normal game, and as such, you cannot complete them during normal gameplay. Each challenge offers three levels of difficulty, and completing a challenge rewards you with XP, in-game currency, and the new car unlocks.
Forza Horizon 4 Black Screen on PC and Xbox Consoles: How to Fix
There are several potential factors that might be causing the black screen issue for players on PC or Xbox consoles.
These include inadequate system specifications, outdated graphics drivers, missing or corrupted game files, an outdated version of the game, problems with overlay applications, incorrect in-game graphics settings, and possibly other issues.
Disable Full-Screen Optimizations on PC
To begin, it’s important to examine the full-screen optimization settings for Forza Horizon 4. If this feature is activated, it could lead to various problems during gameplay. Therefore, it’s advisable to turn it off.
- Start by navigating to the directory where Forza Horizon 4 is installed on your computer.
- Locate the ForzaHorizon4.exe file, right-click on it, and select Properties.
- Next, head over to the Compatibility tab and find the option labeled “Enable Fullscreen Optimizations.” Make sure to uncheck this box.
- Finally, click Apply, then OK to confirm and save your changes.
Run the game as an Administrator on a PC ( Forza Horizon 4 Black Screen )
To prevent any user account control issues related to permissions, it’s important to execute the game’s executable file with administrative privileges. Here’s how you can do that:
- 1. Locate the Forza Horizon 4 shortcut on your desktop or in your file directory and right-click on it.
- 2. From the context menu, choose ‘Properties‘ and then navigate to the ‘Compatibility’ tab.
- 3. Look for the option labeled ‘Run this program as an administrator‘ and ensure the checkbox is selected.
- 4. Click ‘Apply‘ and then hit ‘OK‘ to confirm your changes.
Additionally, it’s advisable to run the Steam client with administrative rights as well. You can apply the same steps to the Steam shortcut for consistent performance.
Check Graphics Driver Update
It’s important to verify whether your graphics driver is up to date on your computer, as an outdated or corrupted driver can lead to various issues. This can be particularly relevant if you’re experiencing black screen problems with games or applications. To check and update your graphics driver, follow these steps:
- 1. Press the Windows + X keys simultaneously to access the Quick Link Menu.
- 2. From the options presented, select Device Manager.
- 3. In the Device Manager window, locate and double-click on Display adapters to expand the section.
- 4. Find your active dedicated graphics card, right-click on it, and choose Update driver.
- 5. Select the option to Search automatically for drivers.
- 6. If an update is available, your system will download and install it automatically.
- 7. After the installation is complete, restart your computer to ensure the changes take effect.
By keeping your graphics driver updated, you can help resolve potential display issues and enhance your overall system performance.
Update Forza Horizon 4 Game
If you haven’t updated your Forza Horizon 4 game recently, it’s important to ensure you have the latest version installed. Follow the steps outlined below to check for and install any available updates:
- 1. Launch the Steam client on your computer.
- 2. Navigate to the Library section.
- 3. Select Forza Horizon 4 from the list on the left side of the screen.
The Steam client will automatically look for any available updates. If an update is found, be sure to click on the “Update” button to begin the installation process. This may take a few moments to complete.
Once the update has been installed, close the Steam client. To finalize the process, restart your PC to apply the changes, and then attempt to launch the game again.
Check System Resources on a PC ( Forza Horizon 4 Black Screen )
If you’re experiencing slow loading times or prolonged startup while playing Forza Horizon 4 on your PC, it’s important to monitor your system resources. Follow these steps to assess whether your RAM or CPU usage is unusually high after launching the game:
- 1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
- 2. Navigate to the Processes tab and identify the tasks you wish to close.
- 3. Select each task individually, then click on “End Task” to terminate it.
- 4. After you’ve finished closing unnecessary tasks, restart your computer to apply the changes effectively.
This process can help improve your game’s performance by freeing up system resources.
Try Disabling Overlay Apps on a PC
Certain widely-used applications may have their own overlay features that can operate in the background, potentially impacting gaming performance or even preventing games from launching properly. To resolve these issues, consider disabling the overlays by following the instructions outlined below:
**Disabling Discord Overlay:
- 1. Open the Discord application and click the gear icon located at the bottom.
- 2. Navigate to the Overlay section under App Settings, and toggle off the “Enable in-game overlay” option.
- 3. Go to the Games tab and select Forza Horizon 4 from the list.
- 4. Ensure the “Enable in-game overlay” toggle is turned off.
- 5. Restart your computer to apply these changes.
**Disabling Xbox Game Bar:
- 1. Press the Windows + I keys simultaneously to access Windows Settings.
- 2. Select the Gaming option, then go to Game Bar.
- 3. Disable the option that says “Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using Game Bar.”
- 4. If you have trouble locating the Game Bar settings, you can search for it directly in the Windows Settings search bar.
**Disabling Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay:
- 1. Open the Nvidia GeForce Experience application and navigate to Settings.
- 2. Under the General tab, turn off the “In-Game Overlay” feature.
- 3. Restart your PC to ensure the changes take effect, then attempt to launch Forza Horizon 4 again.
Additionally, it’s advisable to disable other overlay applications such as MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB control software, or any other third-party overlays that may be running in the background, as they can also interfere with your gaming experience.
Check Windows Updates
It’s quite likely that your Windows operating system version may become outdated over time, which can significantly affect your gaming experience, leading to potential performance drops, bugs, or stability issues. To ensure optimal performance, it’s advisable to regularly check for and install any available Windows updates. Here’s how you can do this:
- 1. Press the Windows key and the letter ‘I‘ simultaneously to access the Windows Settings menu.
- 2. Navigate to the “Update & Security” section and click on it.
- 3. Under the Windows Update section, select the option labeled “Check for updates.”
- 4. If an update is available, click on “Download and install.”
- 5. Allow some time for the update process to complete.
- 6. Finally, restart your computer to implement the changes right away.
Staying up to date with Windows updates can greatly enhance your gaming performance and overall system stability.
Lower in-game Graphics Settings on a PC
Consider adjusting the graphics settings within the game menu to see if this improves performance.
It may be beneficial to turn off features such as V-Sync, shadow effects, and anti-aliasing. Additionally, lowering the display resolution might help resolve any black screen problems you are experiencing.
Update DirectX ( Forza Horizon 4 Black Screen )
An old or missing version of DirectX can lead to various problems when trying to launch a game or during gameplay itself. To resolve these issues, consider following these steps to update DirectX:
- 1. Visit the official Microsoft website to download the DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer onto your computer.
- 2. Proceed to manually install or update your DirectX version.
- 3. After the installation is complete, restart your computer to ensure the changes take effect.
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Press ALT+TAB Key Combo
Several users experiencing issues on their PCs have reported that utilizing the ALT + TAB keyboard shortcut allows them to toggle between open applications.
By repeatedly pressing ALT + TAB, you can seamlessly navigate back to your game and determine if the issue has been resolved. This action effectively transitions the display from full-screen to windowed mode and back to full-screen, which may help rectify the black screen problem.
Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime
To resolve various gaming problems or errors, it is essential to reinstall the Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime on your computer. Here’s how you can do it:
- 1. Begin by pressing the Windows key to access the Start Menu.
- 2. In the search bar, type “Apps & Features” and select it from the results.
- 3. Scroll through the list to find the Microsoft Visual C++ programs installed on your system.
- 4. Click on each program and choose the Uninstall option.
- 5. Next, navigate to the official Microsoft website to download the latest version of the Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime.
- 6. After the download is complete, install the program on your computer. Finally, restart your system to apply the changes.
Following these steps will help you effectively address any gaming-related issues.
Verify Game Files and Repair on a PC ( Forza Horizon 4 Black Screen )
It is advisable to check the integrity of your game files and, if necessary, utilize the automatic repair feature provided by the game client. Issues can often arise from corrupted or missing files.
To do this on Steam, follow these steps:
- 1. Launch the Steam application and navigate to your Library.
- 2. Locate Forza Horizon 4 in your game list and right-click on it.
- 3. Select ‘Properties‘ from the context menu, then proceed to the ‘Local Files‘ section.
- 4. Click on ‘Verify Integrity of Game Files…‘
This action will initiate a verification process that checks all installed game files for any corruption or missing components. Allow this process to complete fully. After verification, close Steam and restart your computer to implement the changes.
Once your computer is back up, reopen Steam and attempt to launch Forza Horizon 4 again.
One more solution
One solution is to shut down the game, delete the three files, and then reinstall the game. If the problem is with the data files, you can always re-download them, but errors can occur if one or more of the .ini files are not there. In this case, you must repair the game.
The computer you use to play your games probably isn’t as fast as the one you use to check out the latest celebrity gossip or go online. But if the computer you use for gaming is too slow, or you have problems downloading and installing games or patches, you might have a problem with your computer’s operating system.
If you’re not sure whether your OS is the problem, or if your PC is infected, you can usually run a tool that will check your PC for viruses and other malware.
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Forza Horizon 4 Black Screen on Xbox Consoles Fix
Forza Horizon 4, the latest racing game from developer Playground Games, has taken the Xbox community by storm. The open-world racing series has been wildly successful for Microsoft, and Forza Horizon 4 is expected to be no different. But, like any game, Forza Horizon 4 may have problems from time to time. If you’ve run into this issue while playing the game, here are a few ways to fix the problem.
While most of the latest games have been great, there have been some that are just awful. Sometimes even games released for the PC can crash and cause problems on Xbox consoles. Today we’re hoping to show you how to fix a black screen on an Xbox console caused by the Forza Horizon 4 game.
Check for Game Updates
Using an old version of a game can lead to various compatibility problems instead of just bugs. Therefore, it’s advisable to ensure your game is always updated. Here’s how you can check for updates:
- 1. Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the menu.
- 2. Navigate to My games & apps, then select See all.
- 3. Go to Manage, followed by Updates.
- 4. If there are any available updates, your console will automatically begin downloading and installing the latest patch.
Check System Updates ( Forza Horizon 4 Black Screen )
- To access the Dashboard menu on your Xbox console, begin by pressing the Home button.
- From the menu that appears, navigate to the Settings option located at the bottom and select All Settings.
- Next, proceed to the System section and then choose Updates.
- If an Update Console option is available, select it and follow the instructions displayed on your screen to finish the update.
- After the update is complete, it is recommended to restart your console to ensure that all changes take effect.
Uninstall and Reinstall Forza Horizon 4
If you’re still experiencing issues after trying other solutions, a complete uninstall and reinstall of the game may be your best option. This can help resolve any problems caused by corrupted or missing game files. Here’s how to reinstall Forza Horizon 4 on your console:
- 1. Begin by pressing the Xbox button on your controller to access the Guide menu.
- 2. Navigate to “My games & apps” and select “See all,” then choose “Games.”
- 3. Next, go to the “Ready to install” tab and select “Queue.”
- 4. Locate Forza Horizon 4 from the list of games available for reinstallation.
- 5. Press the Menu button on your controller to open additional options.
- 6. Choose “Manage game & add-ons” or “Manage app.”
- 7. From the options, select Forza Horizon 4 and click on “Uninstall all.”
- 8. Confirm your choice by selecting “Uninstall all” once more.
- 9. Allow some time for the uninstallation to finish.
- 10. After the process is complete, restart your console to apply the changes.
- 11. Once your system is back on, press the Xbox button again to access the Guide menu.
- 12. Return to “My games & apps,” select “See all,” and go to “Games.”
- 13. Find the “Ready to install” tab again and click “Install” next to Forza Horizon 4.
- 14. Wait for the installation to finish, and then restart your console one last time.
Following these steps should help you successfully reinstall the game and resolve any lingering issues.
Reset the Console
If the previous troubleshooting methods haven’t resolved your issue, you may want to consider resetting your Xbox console. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through the process:
- 1. Begin by pressing the Xbox button on your controller to open the Guide menu.
- 2. Navigate to **Profile & system**, then select **Settings**, and proceed to **System**.
- 3. In the System menu, go to **Console info** and choose **Reset console**.
- 4. A prompt will appear asking if you want to reset your console. At this point, select **Reset and remove everything**. Be aware that this option will erase all user data, including accounts, saved games, settings, and any installed applications or games.
- 5. Although there is an option to **Reset and keep my games & apps**, this may not effectively resolve the issue in many instances.
- 6. Once you make your selection, your Xbox will begin the process of deleting data and restoring factory settings.
- 7. Allow some time for the process to finish, and then restart your console.
That’s all there is to it! We hope you find this guide useful. If you have any additional questions or need further assistance, feel free to leave a comment below.
Final Verdict ( Forza Horizon 4 Black Screen )
The Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 have a number of exclusive games, including Forza Horizon 4. The game has stunning graphics, loads of customization options, and an immersive open-world to explore.
But, due to a technical glitch in the game, players have experienced a black screen when they attempt to play. That’s why we have presented a brief guide to fixing this issue.
Are you playing Forza Horizon 4 on an Xbox console or PC? If you are, you will probably be frustrated at getting a black screen after starting your very first game. While this issue is somewhat common, it can be very frustrating and you easily solve them by taking some steps that i already covered in this article.