Diablo 4 Crashing, Not Launching, Black Screen Fix

How to Fix Crashing, Not Launching, Black Screen Issues in Diablo 4 - If you're a fan of the Diablo series, you might be eagerly anticipating the release of Diablo IV. However, sometimes the game may not launch or crash, leading to frustration and disappointment.

At launch week, it's possible to run into issues in Dİablo 4 such as crashes, black screens, or the game failing to launch. But fear not, as this guide is here to provide potential solutions to help you resolve these problems. Whether you're experiencing Diablo IV crashing, not launching, or black screen issues, we've got you covered.

How to Fix Diablo 4 Won't Launch, Crashing, Black Screen Issues on PC

Diablo IV may encounter issues such as crashes, black screens, or failure to launch on PC due to various reasons. In order to pinpoint the root cause of the problem, you need to perform a series of troubleshooting steps.

1) Scan and Repair Game Files

To start troubleshooting Diablo 4 crashing or not launching issues, begin by scanning the game files in the Battle.net launcher. Follow these steps to perform the scan:

1. Open the Battle.net application on your PC.
2. Select the Diablo IV icon from the list of games.
3. Click on the cogwheel located next to the Play button.
4. Choose "Scan and Repair" from the drop-down menu.
5. Click "Begin Scan" to initiate the scan of the game files.

This scan will detect any missing or corrupted files and replace them, potentially resolving any issues you may be experiencing with the game.

Note: If the Play button is inactive, restart the Battle.net launcher.

2) Update Graphics Drivers

Make sure to update your graphics drivers to avoid potential issues with Diablo IV or other games. Old GPU drivers can be a common cause of game crashes (E.g., GPU Drivers Out of Date, Out of Memory errors), so it's important to keep them up to date. Here's how you can update your drivers:

• Determine the type of graphics card you have installed on your PC.
• Visit the website of the graphics card manufacturer to download the latest driver for your specific model.
• For NVIDIA GPUs, go to https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/drivers/
• For AMD graphics cards, go to https://www.amd.com/en/support
• For Intel users, go to https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download-center/home.html
• Download and install the latest driver for your graphics card.
• Restart your computer to ensure the changes take effect.

By updating your graphics drivers, you can also improve your gaming experience and reduce the chances of encountering graphics-related issues with Diablo 4.

3) Check for Windows Updates

To ensure that your operating system is running smoothly and to avoid potential performance issues with Diablo IV, it's important to regularly check for Windows updates. Here's how to check for updates on both Windows 10 and Windows 11:

For Windows 10:

• Click on the Start menu and select "Settings"
• Select "Update & Security"
• Click on "Windows Update" in the left-hand menu.
• Click on the "Check for updates" button.
• If any updates are available, click "Download and install" to start the update process.

For Windows 11:

• To access the settings, click on the Start menu and select "Settings"
• Select "Windows Update" from the left-hand menu.
• Hit the "Check for updates" button.
• If there are any updates available, select "Download and install" to initiate the update process.

By regularly checking for updates, you can ensure that your operating system is up to date with the latest security patches and performance improvements, potentially improving your gaming experience with Diablo IV.

Note: If you're getting the "You Need at Least Windows 10 (Version 1909)" error when trying to launch Diablo 4, the troubleshooting steps in the linked guide may fix your problem.

4) Reset In-Game Options

By resetting the in-game options, you can troubleshoot any issues caused by previous customizations or settings, potentially improving your gameplay experience.

Resetting the in-game options is one of the potential solutions to address crashing, the game not starting, and black screen issues in Diablo IV.

To reset the in-game options for Diablo IV, follow these steps:

1. Open the Battle.net launcher on your PC.
2. Click on the cogwheel icon located next to the Play button and select "Game Settings"
3. Locate Diablo IV in the list of games and click on "Reset In-Game Options"
4. Click "Reset" to confirm the action.
5. Click "Done" to exit the settings menu.
6. Relaunch Diablo IV.

5) Close Background Applications

If you're encountering issues such as Diablo IV not launching or crashing, it's possible that running too many applications in the background could be the cause. To remedy this, it's recommended that you close any unnecessary programs before launching the game again.

Running applications such as Steelseries GG, Razer Chroma, Razer Synapse, EVGA Precision XOC, and Samsung Easy Printer Manager in the background could potentially cause issues with Diablo IV. These applications may conflict with Diablo 4 and also consume the resources that are needed for the game to run smoothly, resulting in crashes or causing the game to fail to launch altogether.

By closing unnecessary programs, you can free up resources and allow Diablo IV to run smoothly, without any issues. It may be worth investigating which specific applications are causing the issue, and either disabling them in Device Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) or uninstalling them.

6) Reset the WMI Repository

If you are experiencing issues with Diablo IV on your PC, it could be due to a corrupted Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) repository. Fortunately, resetting the WMI repository can help resolve the issue. Follow the steps below to reset the WMI repository:

• Press the Windows key + Q to open the search bar.
• Type "cmd" into the search bar that appears.
• Right-click on "Command Prompt" and select "Run as Administrator"
• Type "net stop winmgmt" into the command prompt and hit Enter.
• When prompted to continue, type "Y", then press Enter.
• Type "winmgmt /resetrepository" and hit Enter key.
• Reboot your PC to ensure that the changes take effect.

7) Install Visual C++ Redistributable Packages

Visual C++ redistributable packages are essential components for running applications and games on Windows. Missing or corrupted packages can cause issues with games, such as Diablo IV, and prevent them from running correctly.

To ensure that you have the latest versions installed, you can visit the Microsoft website and download them. It is essential to download the x86 and x64 both.

Alternatively, you can use the Visual C++ Redistributable Runtimes All-in-One utility from Techpowerup. This utility includes all the necessary Visual C++ redistributable packages and provides a straightforward installation process. By using this utility, you can ensure that you have all the required packages installed on your Windows PC to run games smoothly, without any issues.

8) Run as Administrator

Running the Battle.net launcher and Diablo IV in administrator mode can be a solution to fix issues related to permissions. This is because some programs may require administrative privileges to access certain files or resources on your computer, and without the necessary permissions, they may encounter errors or fail to start.

To run the game and launcher in administrator mode, you can follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the Battle.net desktop application icon
2. Click the Properties.
3. Open the Compatibility tab.
4. Click on the "Change settings for all users" button.
5. Tick the "Run this program as an administrator" checkbox.
6. Click Apply and OK.

Next, to run Diablo IV in administrator mode, follow these steps:

1. Open the Battle.net Desktop application.
2. Click on the Diablo IV icon.
3. Click the Options cogwheel and select "Show in Explorer"
4. Right-click on Diablo IV's exe file and select Properties.
5. Go to the Compatibility tab.
6. Check the "Run this program as an administrator" option.
7. Click on the OK button.

By running both the Battle.net launcher and Diablo IV in administrator mode, you can ensure that the programs have the necessary permissions to function properly and avoid any issues related to permissions.

9) Unplug Your USB Devices

When you have several USB devices connected to your PC, it can cause system conflicts and impact game performance. If you are facing issues like "black screen on startup", "Diablo IV won't launch" or other similar problems with game performance, it may be worth checking if any of your USB devices are interfering with the game.

Unplugging any unnecessary USB devices such as controllers, generic gamepads, wheels, headphones, and other peripherals can free up system resources and help resolve your Diablo IV crashing issue. After unplugging the devices, try launching the game again to see if it runs smoothly.

10) Configure Your Antivirus

When you install antivirus software on your computer, it may sometimes interfere with the performance of Diablo IV, causing issues like crashing or freezing. To prevent this, you can add the installation folder of Diablo 4 to the exclusion list in your antivirus settings. This will allow the game to access the necessary files without any interference from the antivirus.

To add the Diablo IV installation folder to the exclusion list, you need to access your antivirus settings and navigate to the exclusion list section. The exact steps may vary depending on the antivirus software you are using. However, in most cases, you can follow these general steps:

• Open your antivirus software.
• Navigate to the settings or preferences section.
• Look for an option related to Exclusions, Whitelist, or Exceptions.
• Add Diablo IV's installation folder to the exclusion list.
• Save the changes.

Once you have added the installation folder of Diablo IV to the exclusion list in your antivirus software, attempt to launch the game again and check if the issue has been resolved.

11) Edit LocalPrefs (Config) File

If you are a Razer user and your game is crashing after the gray screen, it may be due to Razer Chroma effects. To fix this issue you should disable Razer Chroma effects by changing Diablo 4's configuration settings.

You can easily disable Razer Chroma effects. There is a guide on how to edit LocalPrefs.txt and disable Razer Chroma effects.

12) Reinstall D4

Undeniably, encountering issues while trying to play your favorite game can be frustrating. You've done everything correctly; you've launched the Battle.net launcher, and you've clicked on Diablo IV, it says "Playing Now" but the game simply won't start. Surprisingly, when you check your Task Manager, you see Diablo IV.exe running smoothly in the background. Yet, the game itself remains out of reach. Certainly, you might be thinking, "What's the deal here?"

In fact, this problem isn't uncommon, and there is a solution that has worked for many gamers facing similar issues. Naturally, like any other program, Diablo IV may sometimes fail to launch correctly due to a wide variety of reasons. For instance, there might be corrupted files in your game installation, or perhaps there are issues with the game's compatibility with your system. Whatever the reason may be, there is one method that is almost always effective: reinstalling the game.

Indeed, reinstalling Diablo IV through the Battle.net launcher might seem like a drastic measure. However, it is an extremely effective way to resolve most launch-related problems. In any case, remember that reinstalling the game will delete any custom settings or configurations you've made within the game, so you should definitely make a backup of those before proceeding.

How to Reinstall Diablo 4 in Battle.net Client

To reinstall Diablo IV, first, you need to uninstall it. Make sure to end Diablo IV.exe in the task manager first. Then, in the Battle.net launcher, find Diablo IV, click on the Options (gear) icon next to the Play button, and select 'Uninstall'. Follow the prompts, and the game will be removed from your system.

Then, once the game has been uninstalled, you will need to reinstall it. In the Battle.net launcher, again locate Diablo IV, this time clicking 'Install'. Wait for the game to download and install, which might take some time depending on your internet speed.

Obviously, this process may seem tedious, but it is a perennially effective way to tackle the issue of Diablo IV not launching. In conclusion, if Diablo IV.exe is running in your Task Manager but the game won't launch, it is highly recommended that you try reinstalling the game through the Battle.net launcher. This method, while time-consuming, is undeniably effective and can get you back into the action without further ado.

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Conclusion

I hope that these potential solutions help fix any issues you're experiencing with Diablo IV. In case none of the above solutions work for you, you can leave a comment below including the specifications of your PC so that others can assist you better in resolving the "Diablo 4 crashing" or "Diablo 4 won't launch" issues.