Fariha Bhatti 
Valorant’s launch time depends on the PC specifications. Upgraded builds may be able to load up the game right away, but sometimes, even beefier computers can run into a Valorant black screen upon launch, but there’s a way to fix it.
Starting Valorant may take a few seconds, especially after a major update or when it hasn’t been played in a while. However, some launch issues may stem from the user’s computer rather than the game itself. One common problem is the Valorant black screen, which is typically caused by outdated drivers, incorrect compatibility settings, or insufficient admin rights.
Here are some ways to fix the Valorant black screen upon launch.
Fixes for Valorant black screen issue
There are multiple possible fixes for the Valorant black screen bug. There are many possible causes to the issue at both the software and hardware level. Here are some of the most common solutions to this issue, and how to use them.
Update graphic drivers
Before launching Valorant, make sure your drivers are up-to-date, as outdated drivers are a common cause of this issue. Nvidia users can do this by right-clicking the graphics card icon, selecting “Nvidia GeForce Experience,” opening the app, and navigating to the Drivers tab. Check for updates, and if any are available, follow the instructions to download and install the latest driver.
To update an AMD driver, open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start menu. Once there, expand the “Display adapters” section, right-click on your AMD device, and select “Update driver.” Choose the option to automatically search for the latest driver software.
Doing this should resolve the issue, but here are other ways if the black screen continues to pop up at launch.
Disable FSO
Full-screen optimization is there to boost game performance, but in some cases, it may cause unnecessary issues at launch. Try disabling it to see if the black screen goes away.
To disable fullscreen optimizations for Valorant:
- Go to the Valorant download location and then the Win64 folder. Typically, this is the path for Valorant: C:\Riot Games\Valorant\live\ShooterGame\Binaries\Win64 to locate the game’s .exe file
- Right-click on Valorant-Win64-Shipping.exe and select “Properties”
- Go to the Compatibility tab and check the box for Disable fullscreen optimizations.
- Click Apply and then OK to save your changes.
Run Valorant as administrator
After completing the two steps above, it’s a good idea to run Valorant as an administrator to ensure you’ve addressed all potential issues. To do this, right-click on the Valorant shortcut and select Run as administrator. If this resolves the problem, consider keeping this setting as a default so you won’t have to do it each time you start Valorant. Here’s how to do it:
- Right-click on Valorant and select “Properties”
- Go to the Compatibility tab and check “Run this program as an administrator”
- Click on Apply and then restart Valorant
These fixes should resolve the issue permanently. If the problem persists, check the Valorant system requirements to make sure that the PC meets the necessary specifications to run the game.
