Fixing the Infamous OBS “Black Screen” (Game/Display Capture) on Windows & macOS A Complete 2025 Guide
If your OBS preview is pure black, this guide walks you through the exact steps that usually fix it fast.
The black screen issue typically appears with Game Capture or Display Capture, especially on laptops with both integrated and dedicated GPUs (Windows) or when screen-recording permissions are missing (macOS). Below is a practical, up-to-date walkthrough for 2025.
- ✅ Windows laptops: fix GPU mismatch in Graphics Settings.
- ✅ Keep Display Capture and Game Capture in separate scenes.
- ✅ macOS: grant Screen & System Audio Recording permission.
- ✅ Temporarily disable overlays / hardware-accelerated apps to test.
Why OBS Shows a Black Screen
1) GPU Mismatch (Windows)
OBS and your game/desktop are running on different GPUs (integrated vs. dedicated), so OBS can’t “see” the frame buffer. Correcting GPU selection in Windows Graphics Settings usually fixes this immediately.
2) Source Conflicts
Mixing Display Capture and Game Capture in the same scene can cause conflicts. Keep them in separate scenes and switch as needed.
3) Missing macOS Permissions
On macOS, OBS needs Screen & System Audio Recording permission. Without it, capture sources often render black until permission is granted and OBS is restarted.
4) Overlays / Hardware Acceleration
GPU overlays (GeForce/AMD), Discord overlay, or even hardware-accelerated browsers can interfere with hooking. Disable them temporarily to test.
The 2-Minute Quick Fix
-
Windows (laptops): In
Settings → System → Display → Graphics, set
OBS Studio to:
- Power saving (integrated GPU) for Display Capture.
- High performance (dedicated GPU) for Game Capture, and ensure the game uses the same GPU as OBS.
- Separate scenes: Don’t mix Display Capture and Game Capture in the same scene.
- macOS: Allow Screen & System Audio Recording for OBS, then quit & reopen OBS.
- Disable overlays/hardware-accelerated apps (GeForce overlay, Discord overlay, browsers) to test.
Windows 10/11: Step-by-Step Fix
-
Set the Correct GPU for OBS
Go to Settings → System → Display → Graphics → add/select
obs64.exe→ Options.Tip:obs64.exeis usually inC:\Program Files\obs-studio\bin\64bit\. -
Choose the Right Mode
- Display Capture: set OBS to Power saving (integrated GPU).
- Game Capture: set OBS to High performance and make sure the game uses the same GPU.
-
Separate Your Scenes
Scene A (Desktop): Display Capture only. Scene B (Gameplay): Game Capture only.
-
Disable Conflicting Overlays
Temporarily disable NVIDIA/AMD overlays, Discord overlay, and hardware-accelerated browsers. Test again.
-
Update Drivers & Keep OBS 64-bit
Update GPU drivers and ensure you launch
obs64.exe. Re-add the source if needed. -
Try Alternate Capture Types
If a game resists Game Capture, try Window Capture (borderless/windowed) or fallback to Display Capture.
Why GPU Selection Matters
The desktop is usually driven by the integrated GPU. If OBS runs on the dedicated GPU while you’re using Display Capture, OBS can’t read the desktop’s frame buffer resulting in a black screen.
Settings → System → Display → Graphics → OBS Studio →
Options
Switch between Power saving and
High performance depending on capture type.
Advanced: Some HDR / multi-monitor chains or capture cards complicate things. Test on the primary monitor with HDR off to isolate variables.
macOS: Step-by-Step Fix
-
Grant Screen Recording
Go to → System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen & System Audio Recording → enable OBS Studio. Then quit & reopen OBS.
-
Trigger the Prompt
If you don’t see the prompt, create a new Display Capture or Window Capture source. Reboot if permission looks stuck.
-
Close Conflicting Apps
Shut down other recorders/overlays and hardware-accelerated browsers temporarily to test.
Pro Tip
After toggling permissions, always fully quit OBS (⌘Q) before reopening. macOS won’t apply the new permission until the app relaunches.
Advanced Tips (When It’s Still Black)
Run OBS as Admin (Windows)
Some games/windows hook more reliably with elevated privileges. Test both with and without admin mode.
Fix High-DPI/Scaling Oddities
If the source appears as a tiny red dot or renders empty, delete & re-add it, or switch to another capture type and back.
HDR & Multi-Monitor Chains
On complex setups, test with HDR off, on the primary monitor, and simplify cabling/adapters to isolate the issue.
If It’s Not Black… But Stutters or Lags
- Cap in-game FPS / enable V-Sync to leave GPU headroom for OBS.
- Consider disabling NVENC extras (Multipass, Psycho Visual Tuning) on tight GPUs.
- For network drops, enable Dynamic Bitrate (Settings → Advanced → Network) and choose a nearby ingest.
Quick Tuning
Output → Streaming Encoder: NVENC (new) Rate Control: CBR Bitrate: (match your upload) Keyframe: 2 Preset: Quality / Performance (try Performance if struggling)
Troubleshooting Flow & FAQs
- Fully quit OBS (⌘Q) and reopen it.
- Add a new Display/Window Capture to trigger the permission prompt.
- Reboot if the permission seems stuck, then try again.
You’ve Got This 🎥
Most black screen issues boil down to GPU selection (Windows) or permissions (macOS). Set the right adapter, keep capture types in separate scenes, and disable overlays to test your preview should light up and your stream’s back on track.