Steam is causing my screen to blink to a black screen

[chinmo]

Title says it, my screen keeps blinking black every 3-5 seconds, to the point where I can't get anything done. It's a solid black screen, not flickering, lasts about a full second before returning to my normal screen. After a while I narrowed the source of the issue to the Steam Client Bootstrapper, and when I force the task to end it immediately stops (but starts again as soon as I start Steam or any of its apps). It started happening after the last update to the client, and I thought I fixed it by reinstalling Steam. This fix lasted less than 2 days before it began happening again out of nowhere. Does anyone else have this same issue, know what's causing it, and/or know of a more permanent fix?

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Could try few of these options, no guaranteed it will fix the issue.

- Restart Steam, or Restart PC.

- If using some 3rd party software that manage that scans, or hooks into other apps, that may cause issues.

- Clear cache and cookies, Steam > settings > Web browser > Delete both cache and cookies.

- You can try these settings can help with performance a little for the client as well.
https://m.imgur.com/a/IZnvOgs

- Run Steam as Admin.

- Try opt in, or out of Steam beta, top left corner, click on Steam > settings > account > click on button change, and either opt in, or out of beta.

- Reinstalling Steam, to keep games, and screenshots, head to where you install Steam, move these two folders, "Steamapp" and "Userdata" move these two folders outside the Steam folder, once done that, uninstall Steam, ensure Steam folders gone, if not delete it, then reinstall Steam, run it to download client, don't login just exit out of Steam, move back the "Steamapp" and "Userdata" folder back into Steam folder, if ask if want to replace click yes, and now launch Steam, and test to see if issue resolved.

- If you done a recent video driver update, that might be the cause, or faulty install, and may need to use DDU "Display device uninstaller" run in Windows safemode, and only use the recommended option, once done just install your video drivers by visit the GPU main website, google for them, either AMD, if using AMD, or Nvidia if using Nvidia.

[SaviN7]

I have been having this same issue, thanks for the help man!

[Shankstah]

Just want to chime in here, that going to Settings > Interface > Unticking "Enable GPU Accelerated rendering in web views" fixed this issue for me.

[Elucidator]

Tip: Report this bug to the Steam Client Beta forum.

What you're experiencing sounds like a GPU caching related issue. (if it happens when only Steam is launched and it isn't caused by something hooked to Steam or a conflict with Steam at least)

Check your GPU driver provider for updates.

Also you may need to disable or reset windows hibernation file. (no clue if that is bugged, but it can also cause black screens)

Maybe it stops if you disable GPU Accelerated Web Rendering in Steam Settings, no clue.

good luck

(edit) (PS: this thread is 2 years old)

[ad]

I think its caused by nVidia G-Sync. This problem started when i turned it on.

[Gökü]

Shankstah solution resolved my issue! Thank you m8

[zaphodikus]

Originally posted by Shankstah:

Just want to chime in here, that going to Settings > Interface > Unticking "Enable GPU Accelerated rendering in web views" fixed this issue for me.

this ^^

[ximslammin]

Is it your entire monitor screen thats blacking out? or just the steam window?

[The_Menace707]

Originally posted by Shankstah:

Just want to chime in here, that going to Settings > Interface > Unticking "Enable GPU Accelerated rendering in web views" fixed this issue for me.

This worked for me. my whole screen was going black for 2-3 seconds

[Kev@n]

Originally posted by Shankstah:

Just want to chime in here, that going to Settings > Interface > Unticking "Enable GPU Accelerated rendering in web views" fixed this issue for me.

This has been the solution on all pc I've ever had.
Same happens with youtube or similar embedded video. Nvidia Cards.

[JumboShark]

Originally posted by Shankstah:

Just want to chime in here, that going to Settings > Interface > Unticking "Enable GPU Accelerated rendering in web views" fixed this issue for me.

Thank you so much

Even though this thread is old, your answer helped me today

[monamar]

Originally posted by Shankstah:

Just want to chime in here, that going to Settings > Interface > Unticking "Enable GPU Accelerated rendering in web views" fixed this issue for me.

Many thanks, this worked!

[dizmale]

Originally posted by chinmo:

Title says it, my screen keeps blinking black every 3-5 seconds, to the point where I can't get anything done. It's a solid black screen, not flickering, lasts about a full second before returning to my normal screen. After a while I narrowed the source of the issue to the Steam Client Bootstrapper, and when I force the task to end it immediately stops (but starts again as soon as I start Steam or any of its apps). It started happening after the last update to the client, and I thought I fixed it by reinstalling Steam. This fix lasted less than 2 days before it began happening again out of nowhere. Does anyone else have this same issue, know what's causing it, and/or know of a more permanent fix?

This is from "Hardwear Acceleration" on by default in steam .. turn it off this should fix such issue.. do the same in you web browsers too

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Originally posted by dizmale:

Originally posted by chinmo:

Title says it, my screen keeps blinking black every 3-5 seconds, to the point where I can't get anything done. It's a solid black screen, not flickering, lasts about a full second before returning to my normal screen. After a while I narrowed the source of the issue to the Steam Client Bootstrapper, and when I force the task to end it immediately stops (but starts again as soon as I start Steam or any of its apps). It started happening after the last update to the client, and I thought I fixed it by reinstalling Steam. This fix lasted less than 2 days before it began happening again out of nowhere. Does anyone else have this same issue, know what's causing it, and/or know of a more permanent fix?

This is from "Hardwear Acceleration" on by default in steam .. turn it off this should fix such issue.. do the same in you web browsers too

Just to explain for those that don't know what it does, it stop the app from using your GPU instead uses the CPU to process the app instead, this take more toll on CPU than the GPU.

If having visual effects problems such as black screen, or flickering, this means something wrong with GPU driver that requires clean install of it, or using older driver if the newest one causing the problem. For browsers like chrome, firefox, or etc this happens either GPU driver being the issue, or browser update is bad which they do update way more often than Steam ever does in last 2 years for their browser update.

Anyways for normal browsers such as chrome, firefox, or etc, some sites uses content protection that stop users from streaming their video feed such as discord, or etc which is handle by having the "Hardware Acceleration" enable. Another note if play web browser games, and wonder why got bad performance when turn off "Hardware Acceleration" that because not using the GPU to handle that workload, you pushed it onto your CPU instead.

[zaphodikus]

In my experience it's less about GPU /CPU load, than it is about software bugs. I had to turn it off on perfectly capable hardware , in more than one machine. Such a pity it is on by default.