Friends list and messages are just black boxes..

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Kushman018 Aug 5, 2018 @ 7:28pm

So I was playing PUBG with a few friends and a few of us decided to play Rocket League, so i close PLEB G and open RL he goes to invite me and my messages are just a black box that i can not do anything with other then right click on steam on the task bar and close it by hitting the X or resize it that is all i can do with message boxes and my friends list. I have restarted steam, drivers are upto date, restarted pc, reinstalled steam and whatever other crap i found which was not much at all. Once i close the message or friends list i cant click it again in steam without closing steam and reopening it. I have ran as admin i have tried everything i can find. Not even seeing anyone with the same issue, this is def. steam related i have never had an issue and no its not down bc its working fine for friends and my girlfriends pc 10 feet from me. i have never had an issue like this. i am thinking it has something to do with the new update. Everything else on my computer is fine just the steam friends list and messages are like i said black boxes. the store works the add that pops up on start up works etc, its only chat and friend related, even going to a friends profile and clicking message it opens a black box. had them message me, opened a game and used shift tab to try and get it that way and still nothing. Steam does not even have a topic for this or something to pick for a support ticket.

anyone have any tips or fixes? Sorry if there is already a thread i looked through them and founf nothing other then one from 2013 that sounded like my issue but was different once i read the thread.

Last edited by Kushman018; Apr 27, 2023 @ 5:26pm

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Showing 1-15 of 70 comments

Glimmer Aug 6, 2018 @ 12:39am

Steam > Settings > Web Browser > Delete Web Browser Cache

Kushman018 Aug 6, 2018 @ 12:53am

This works no prob, i did end up getting it to work with the old social UI or whatever by right clicking steam>properties> and adding a space and putting "-nochatui -nofriendsui" after target but i wanted the new UI so thanks this worked!

Dr Rhino Aug 7, 2018 @ 3:18am

This helped so much thank you

NoSide Oct 15, 2018 @ 11:48pm

I have the same issue but the fixes i found here arent working.... is there any new way? my chat and friendlist is still black even if i delete browser cache and deleted the folder ing the appdata. It feels bad to have that issue

Muppet among Puppets Oct 16, 2018 @ 12:13am

Try restarting steam

Kushman018 Oct 16, 2018 @ 5:48am

restarting steam is not going to fix this dude.. its in the UI. did you try at least going back to the old UI for now?

BigOlSnek Dec 26, 2018 @ 6:15pm

Originally posted by Kushman:
This works no prob, i did end up getting it to work with the old social UI or whatever by right clicking steam>properties> and adding a space and putting "-nochatui -nofriendsui" after target but i wanted the new UI so thanks this worked!

i did this and it worked been without able to type in my steam friends for a while i just then deleted the text after i w as done and it fixed it thx!

Kushman018 Dec 27, 2018 @ 6:26pm

Proxy_J Jan 6, 2019 @ 12:31pm

Originally posted by Glimmer:
Steam > Settings > Web Browser > Delete Web Browser Cache

THAAAANK YOOOOU

Kushman018 Jan 6, 2019 @ 4:12pm

Originally posted by Proxy_J:
Originally posted by Glimmer:
Steam > Settings > Web Browser > Delete Web Browser Cache
THAAAANK YOOOOU

no prob man

#10

EOSNYX Mar 22, 2019 @ 9:11am

100% WORKS

#11

Kal'iyl May 12, 2020 @ 5:51pm

None of this has worked for me. This is a new problem for me as of today, have never seen it before.

#12

Ludicrous Dawg May 12, 2020 @ 6:01pm

Same. Happened about half an hour ago. I cant see my friends nor message them nor join games. When I open the friends window I can see only the black box. Also they see me as online apparently. I see them as offline for about 2 days while we were playing 1/2 hour ago together and they are not offline. Don't know what to do ;/
PS. They are online, steam loads its shop normally, I can see everything normally on steam app on my phone. Its like I'm offline at my friends only. Pls halp

#13

Kal'iyl May 12, 2020 @ 6:17pm

Originally posted by AgentCiemneWinogrono:
Same. Happened about half an hour ago. I cant see my friends nor message them nor join games. When I open the friends window I can see only the black box. Also they see me as online apparently. I see them as offline for about 2 days while we were playing 1/2 hour ago together and they are not offline. Don't know what to do ;/
PS. They are online, steam loads its shop normally, I can see everything normally on steam app on my phone. Its like I'm offline at my friends only. Pls halp

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/2254559919580890944/?tscn=1589332582
URL where people are discussing the current problem; this thread is over a year old.

#14