OBS Game Capture Black Screen? 12 Proven Fixes That Actually Work (2026)

Part 1. Why is Game Capture showing a black screen in OBS

OBS relies on a hooking mechanism to inject itself into a game rendering process. If OBS cannot attach correctly, the result is a black screen instead of gameplay. This can happen due to permission conflicts, GPU mismatches, outdated hooks, or interference from overlay and monitoring software.

In many cases, users notice that OBS makes both screens black when full-screen preview is enabled, even though the game runs normally. Anti-cheat systems, multiple GPUs, and incorrect graphics preferences are the most frequent culprits.

Typical Games Where This Issue Usually Occurs

Certain games are far more likely to trigger OBS Studio black screen game capture problems due to how they render graphics or protect memory:

• Valorant
• Roblox
• League of Legends
• CSGO / CS2
• Minecraft
• Apex Legends

These games often block traditional hooking methods, which is why OBS game capture black screen issues appear immediately when launching them.

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Part 2. Quick Fix Checklist (Fix 80% of Cases in 2 Minutes)

Before diving into advanced fixes, quickly try the following common solutions. These steps alone resolve most OBS game capture black screen issues.

• Close MSI Afterburner and other apps, then run OBS as Administrator
• Set OBS to High Performance GPU
• Switch from Game Capture to Display Capture
• Change capture mode to Capture Specific Window
• Delete the OBS hook cache folder
• Change the hook rate from normal to fastest
• Enable the SLI/Crossfire capture mode (Slow) in Game capture settings
• Enable Microsoft Detours API Hooking in RT SS

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Part 3. How to Fix OBS Game Capture Black Screen Issues in Minutes

Fixing problems like OBS Studio black screen game capture should be simple and easy if you take the right steps. So, in this section, we will share the detailed steps to fix these issues.

Fix 1. Close All Apps (Including MSI Afterburner) & Run OBS as Administrator

Many background apps inject overlays or hooks that conflict with OBS game capture. Running OBS without elevated permissions also prevents it from attaching to games correctly.

• Close MSI Afterburner, RivaTuner, Discord overlays, and FPS monitoring tools.

• Right-click OBS Studio and select “Run as administrator”.

  

• Launch your game after OBS is fully running.

Fix 2. Set OBS Graphics Preference to High Performance

OBS must run on the same GPU as the game, or game capture will fail. On systems with integrated and dedicated GPUs, mismatched graphics settings almost always cause a black screen.

• Open Windows Settings and go to “System", then “Display", and open "Graphics”.

• Add OBS Studio if it’s not listed by going to the location where it was installed using the file explorer pop-up.

  

• Set “Graphics Preference” for OBS to High Performance and restart OBS.

Fix 3. Use Display Capture Instead of Game Capture for Anti-Cheat Games

Some anti-cheat systems block OBS game capture entirely. In games like Valorant, Roblox, or League of Legends, Display Capture is often the only stable option.

• In OBS, click “+” then choose “Display Capture”.

  

• Select the correct monitor, then confirm and disable Game Capture for that scene to avoid conflicts.

Fix 4. Change Capture Mode to “Capture Specific Window”

Automatic capture modes can fail when multiple windows or launchers are involved. Targeting a specific game window improves hook accuracy.

• Open Game Capture Properties in OBS by clicking the “+” button at the bottom right.

• Set Mode to “Capture specific window” and choose the game process from the dropdown list, then click "OK”.

  

Fix 5. Delete OBS Hook Cache Folder

Corrupted hook cache files can prevent OBS from capturing games properly. Clearing this cache forces OBS to rebuild fresh hooks.

• Close OBS completely by going to the “Task Manager”, right-clicking on OBS Process, and choosing "End Task."

  

• Navigate to: “C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Roaming\obs-studio” and delete the “hook” or “cache” related folders.

• Relaunch OBS and test again.

Fix 6. Change Hook Rate from Normal to Fastest

Some games initialize too quickly for OBS’s default hook timing. Increasing the hook rate improves detection reliability and fixes the OBS monitor capture black screen issue.

• Open Game Capture Properties for your game and find “Hook Rate”.

• Change it from Normal to Fastest using the dropdown menu option.

  

Fix 7. Enable “SLI/Crossfire Capture Mode (Slow)”

Multi-GPU setups or certain rendering pipelines can block standard capture methods. This compatibility mode helps OBS capture frames correctly.

• Open Game Capture Properties and enable SLI/Crossfire Capture Mode (Slow).

  

• Restart OBS and relaunch the game.

Fix 8. Enable “Microsoft Detours API Hooking” in RTSS

If you use RivaTuner Statistics Server (RTSS), OBS may fail to hook unless compatibility options are enabled. This fix for the game capture black screen in OBS is especially useful for CSGO and Minecraft.

• Open RTSS and go to “Setup”.

• Enable “Microsoft Detours API Hooking” in the properties.

  

• Restart RTSS, OBS, and the game.

⚡ Part 4. What If OBS Recorded a Black Screen Video? (How to Fix Corrupted Recordings)

Sometimes OBS appears to record normally, but the output video is completely black. This usually means the recording file is corrupted, especially if the capture source failed mid-session.

In these cases, 4DDiG Video Repair offers a reliable solution. It can repair black-screen OBS recordings or no sound recordings in batch mode and uses an advanced repair engine to restore playable video with a high success rate.

Steps to fix black screen OBS recordings using 4DDiG Video Repair:

• Download and install the 4DDiG File Repair software on your computer. Launch it and click the "Video Repair" option on the left side. Click “Add Videos” to add the black-screen OBS videos.

  

• Click the "Repair All" button in the bottom right to repair all the added black-screen OBS game recordings.

  

• Once the videos are repaired, you may click the “Preview” button to verify the results and click “Save” to save the videos if you are satisfied with the results.

  

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Part 5. How to Prevent OBS Black Screen While Capturing Games

• Always run OBS as administrator
• Keep GPU drivers updated
• Avoid running multiple overlay tools
• Match OBS and game GPU settings
• Test capture sources before going live

These habits significantly reduce OBS Studio black screen game capture problems.

People Also Ask about OBS Black Screen Game Capture

Q1: Why is my OBS not capturing the game?

This usually happens due to permission conflicts, GPU mismatch, or anti-cheat restrictions.

Q2: Why is my OBS screen black when in full-screen preview?

Fullscreen games often block hooks unless OBS runs as administrator or uses Display Capture.

Q3: Why won’t OBS capture my game in Valorant / Roblox / CS2?

These games use strict anti-cheat systems that interfere with Game Capture.

Conclusion

The OBS game capture black screen issue is frustrating but rarely permanent. Most cases are caused by permission conflicts, GPU mismatches, or anti-cheat limitations and can be fixed in minutes using the steps above.

If OBS has already recorded black screen videos, tools like 4DDiG Video Repair can recover your footage safely. With the right settings, OBS can capture any game reliably again.