Fix: Call of Duty Vanguard Black Screen Issue on PC, PS5, PS4, or Xbox Consoles

Call of Duty: Vanguard is one of the latest first-person shooter video games by Sledgehammer Games and Activision under the Call of Duty family. It’s all set to the WWII battles that offer a multiplayer mode, zombies mode, new weapons, etc. COD titles do have a track record of having the black screen issue or lags or crashes a lot. Now, if you’re facing the Call of Duty Vanguard Black Screen Issue on PC, PS5, PS4, or Xbox Consoles, check out this guide to fix it.

Most PC games do come with several issues or bugs and when it comes to multiplayer gameplay, it seems that players are getting affected a lot with the black screen issue or startup crashing issue. These issues may not be fixed by the developer end because the chances are high that the problem is appearing to you specifically or a couple of players only. In that scenario, it may possible that there are some issues or conflicts troubling your game to run properly.

Steps to Fix Call of Duty Vanguard Black Screen Issue on PC

The chances are high that the COD Vanguard black screen issue may appear due to the PC configuration compatibility issue with the game’s system requirements. Meanwhile, having an outdated graphics driver, missing or corrupted game files, outdated game version, issues with DirectX, overlay app issues, higher in-game graphics settings, etc can cause several issues with the black screen while the game launches.

It’s worth mentioning to check out the game’s system requirements from the mentioned link to ensure there is no compatibility issue appearing on your computer.

1. Disable Full-Screen Optimizations

First of all, go to the installed Call of Duty Vanguard game folder on your PC.
Right-click on the CODVanguard.exe file and click on Properties.
Go to the Compatibility tab > Uncheck the Enable Fullscreen Optimizations toggle.
Click on Apply and then OK to save changes.

2. Run the game as an Administrator

Make sure to run the game exe file as an administrator to avoid user account control regarding privilege issues. To do this:

Right-click on the Call of Duty Vanguard exe shortcut file on your PC.
Now, select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.

Make sure to click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to checkmark it.
Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.

You should also run the Battle.net client as an administrator on your PC by following the same steps.

3. Check Graphics Driver Update

Make sure to check out the graphics driver update on your PC whether it’s outdated or not. Sometimes an outdated GPU driver version or corrupted driver can cause several issues whatsoever. It’ll also help you to fix the black screen-related issues with games or applications. To do so:

Press Windows + X keys to open the Quick Link Menu.
Now, click on Device Manager from the list > Double-click on Display adapters.
Right-click on the dedicated graphics card that’s currently active.

Next, select Update driver > Choose to Search automatically for drivers.
If there is an update available, the system will automatically download & install it.
Once done, restart the computer to apply changes.

4. Update Call of Duty Vanguard

If in case, you haven’t updated your COD Vanguard game for a while then make sure to follow the steps below to check for updates and install the latest patch (if available). To do this:

Open the Blizzard Battle.net desktop client on the PC.
Click on the Blizzard logo on the top left corner.
Go to Settings > Click on Game Install/Update.
Scroll all the way down > Check that automatic updates are set to “Apply latest updates and download future patch data for recently played games.”
Once selected, click on Done.

5. Check System Resources

If the game loads slow or takes too much time in startup then make sure to check out the system resources after launching the Call of Duty Vanguard game on your PC by following the steps below to check whether the RAM or CPU Usage becomes higher or not.

Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open Task Manager.
Click on the Processes tab > Select the task that you want to close.

Once selected, click on End Task. Make sure to do the steps for each task individually.
Once done, just restart your computer to change effects immediately.

6. Try Disabling Overlay Apps

It seems that a couple of popular apps do have their own overlay program that can eventually run in the background and cause issues with the gaming performance or even launching issues. You should turn them off to fix the issue by following the steps below:

Disable Discord Overlay

Launch the Discord app > Click on the gear icon at the bottom.
Click on Overlay under App Settings > Turn on the Enable in-game overlay.
Click on the Games tab > Select Call of Duty: Vanguard.
Finally, turn off the Enable in-game overlay toggle.
Make sure to reboot your PC to apply changes.

Disable Xbox Game Bar

Press Windows + I keys to open Windows Settings.
Click on Gaming > Go to Game Bar > Turn off Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using Game bar option.

If in case, you’re unable to find out the Game Bar option then just search for it from the Windows Settings menu.

Disable Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay

Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience app > Head over to Settings.
Click on the General tab > Disable the In-Game Overlay option.
Finally, restart the PC to apply changes, and launch the Vanguard game again.

Also do keep in mind that you should disable some other overlay apps like MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB software, or any other third-party overlay apps that run in the background always.

7. Check Windows Updates

The chances are also high that your Windows OS build becomes outdated for a while. In that scenario, your gameplay performance will impact a lot apart from bugs or stability issues. So, it’s always better to check for Windows updates and install the latest version (if available). To do that:

Press Windows + I keys to open up the Windows Settings menu.
Next, click on Update & Security > Select Check for updates under the Windows Update section.

If there is an update available, select Download and install.
Wait for some time until the update gets completed.
Finally, reboot your PC to apply changes immediately.

8. Lower in-game Graphics Settings

Try lowering the in-game graphics settings from the game menu to check if that helps or not. Disable V-Sync, Shadow effects, Anti-Aliasing, and try running a lower display resolution for the game to fix black screen-related issues.

9. Update DirectX

Sometimes an outdated DirectX version or missing DirectX can also cause multiple issues with the game launching or gameplay. You should try following the steps below to update it.

Head over to this Microsoft link to download the DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer on your PC.
Next, install or update the DirectX version manually.
Once done, restart your computer to apply changes.

10. Press ALT+TAB Key Combo

Some affected PC users have mentioned that by pressing the ALT + TAB key shortcut combo, they’re able to switch between the opened programs on the PC. So, keep pressing the ALT + TAB to switch between programs and then go back to the running game again to check whether the problem has been fixed or not. It’ll change the display mode from full-screen to windowed mode and then full-screen mode which can fix the black screen issue.

11. Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime

Make sure to reinstall the Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime on your computer to fix multiple gaming issues or errors completely. To do that:

Press the Windows key from the keyboard to open up the Start Menu.

Type Apps & Features and click on it from the search result.
Now, locate the Microsoft Visual C++ program(s) in the list.

Select each program and click on Uninstall.
Visit the official Microsoft website and download the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime.
Once done, install it on your computer, and restart the system to change effects.

12. Repair Game Files on Battle.Net Client

Mostly corrupted or missing game files on your computer won’t gonna notify you but whenever you try launching the game, it’ll crash or after loading sometimes it won’t gonna open. In that scenario, you’ll definitely gonna scratch your head that what’s going on. But repairing the installed game files directly from the client will resolve multiple issues. To do so:

Open the Battle.net client on your computer > Head over to the library and click on COD Vanguard.
Click on Options > Select Scan and Repair > Choose to Start Scan.
Wait for the process to get completed and then you’ll be able to play the game properly. Make sure to reboot the client to apply changes immediately.

Fix: Call of Duty Vanguard Black Screen Issue on Xbox Consoles

Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S console users can follow the methods below to try fixing out the black screen issue after startup with Call of Duty Vanguard.

1. Check for Game Updates

An outdated game version can cause several compatibility issues rather than having bugs. So, it’s always better to keep your game version up-to-date. To do so:

Press the Xbox button on your controller.
Next, choose My games & apps > Select See all.
Select Manage and then Updates.
If there is an update available, your console will automatically start downloading & installing the new patch.

2. Check System Updates

Press the Home button on the Xbox console to open the Dashboard menu.
Now, select Settings from the bottom of the menu > Select All Settings.
Choose to System > Select Updates.
Select Update Console (if available) > Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the update process.
Once done, make sure to restart the console to apply changes.

3. Reinstall Call of Duty Vanguard

As a final resort, if nothing works for you, try uninstalling and reinstalling the game completely. It may also be possible that your game files are become corrupted or missing. Therefore, try to reinstall the Call of Duty Vanguard on your console. To do that:

Press the Xbox button on the controller to open the Guide menu.
Select My games & apps > Hit See all > Choose to Games.
Then select the Ready to install tab > Select Queue.
Select the Call of Duty Vanguard game that you’re trying to reinstall.
Now, press the Menu button on your controller.
Select Manage game & add-ons or Manage app.
Choose Call of Duty Vanguard > Select Uninstall all.
Make sure to select Uninstall all to confirm the task.
Wait for the uninstallation process to complete.
Reboot the system to apply changes.
Then press the Xbox button on the controller to open the Guide menu again.
Hit My games & apps > Select See all > Go to Games.
Select the Ready to install tab > Hit Install for Call of Duty Vanguard.
Wait for the installation process and then restart the console.

4. Reset the Console

Press the Xbox button on the controller to open the Guide menu.
Select Profile & system > Go to Settings > Select System.
Go to Console info > Select Reset console.
You’ll get a prompt like Reset your console?
Here you should select Reset and remove everything. [This will delete all user data including accounts, saved games, settings, all installed apps & games, etc]
- Although you can choose to Reset and keep my games & apps, it may not gonna resolve the issue in most cases.
After you select the option, your Xbox console starts deleting and resetting the system to the factory default settings.
Wait for the process to get completed then reboot the console.

Fix: Call of Duty Vanguard Black Screen Issue on PS5 and PS4

If you’re using the PS4 or PS5 console then follow the steps below to fix the black screen issue.

1. Check System Updates

It’s recommended to check for system updates on the PlayStation or Xbox console before getting into any other workarounds. Sometimes an outdated system build can cause several issues.

Go to the Settings menu on the PlayStation console.
Select System Software Update > Make sure to check for available updates and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the update process.
Once done, reboot the system to apply changes.

2. Delete Saved Game Data

Well, corrupted or missing game data can also cause multiple issues with the crashing on the PlayStation console. We’ll recommend you delete the saved game data on the PS4/PS5 console to check for the issue.

Go to the Settings menu > Select Storage.
Choose to Saved Data > Select COD Vanguard.
Press the Options button on the controller > Select the saved game data files (one or multiple).
Hit Delete and confirm the task to complete it.
Once done, make sure to reboot the console to apply changes.

All of the COD Vanguard game locally saved data will be deleted from your PlayStation console. But don’t worry. Since you’re online, all saved game data will be there.

3. Link PlayStation account with Activision

Sometimes the account connectivity issues with the game and the console service network can cause crashing or the game not launching. You should do the following steps one by one to check if that helps or not.

Make sure that your PlayStation Network account is linked to your Activision account to properly sync the server connectivity. You can also unlink and re-link the account to check for the issue.

4. Rebuild Database (PS4/PS5)

Rebuilding the database on your PlayStation console can quickly resolve the potential issues or errors. To do so:

Switch off your console completely. Unplug the power cable from the console and wait for around 2-3 minutes.
Now, plug in the power cable, and turn it on to clear the Cached Data automatically from the system.

Check whether this issue has been fixed with the COD Vanguard game or not. If not, follow the next steps below.

Now, press and hold the Power button on the PlayStation console until you hear 2 beeps. [The second beep will sound after seven seconds]
The console will boot in the Safe Mode > Connect the controller to the USB with the console and press the PS Button on the controller.
Next, you’ll get an option called ‘Rebuild Database’.
Select ‘Rebuild Database’ and confirm the task.
It may take some time depending on the hard drive data size. Have some patience.
Once done, just reboot the system normally.

That’s it, guys. We hope this guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.