Many players have reported that Little Nightmares III shows a black screen at launch or during cutscenes. The sound may play in the background, but nothing appears on the screen. This issue can occur due to outdated GPU drivers, corrupted game files, fullscreen display bugs, or compatibility problems.
If you’re stuck on a black screen when launching the game, don’t worry — this guide will walk you through proven solutions to fix it and get you back into the eerie world of Little Nightmares III.
Common Reasons for the Black Screen Issue
Before applying fixes, it’s helpful to know what causes the problem:
- Outdated or incompatible graphics drivers
- Incorrect display or resolution settings
- Corrupted or missing game files
- Conflicts with overlays or background software
- Outdated DirectX or Visual C++ libraries
- Launching the game without admin permissions
🛠️ Fix 1: Update Graphics Drivers
The most common reason for a black screen is outdated GPU drivers.
Steps:
- Identify your graphics card brand (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel).
- Visit the official site:
- Download and install the latest version.
- Restart your PC and relaunch the game.
✅ A driver update often resolves display and black screen problems.
🛠️ Fix 2: Run the Game in Windowed Mode
If the game freezes at launch, switching to windowed mode can help.
Steps:
- Right-click on the game shortcut.
- Select Properties → Shortcut tab.
- In the Target field, add this command at the end:
-windowed - Apply and launch the game.
💡 Once the game starts, you can switch back to fullscreen from the in-game settings.
🛠️ Fix 3: Verify Game Files
Missing or corrupted files can cause the game to load incorrectly, resulting in a black screen.
For Steam:
- Open Steam Library.
- Right-click Little Nightmares III → Properties.
- Click Installed Files → Verify integrity of game files.
- Wait for the process to finish, then restart your PC.
✅ This will automatically repair or replace any broken files.
🛠️ Fix 4: Disable Overlays and Background Apps
Overlays like Discord, Xbox Game Bar, or GeForce Experience can conflict with the game’s startup.
Steps:
- Close the following apps before launching the game:
- Discord overlay
- Steam overlay
- Xbox Game Bar
- MSI Afterburner or RivaTuner
- Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) → End unnecessary tasks.
This can help prevent black screen and freezing problems.
🛠️ Fix 5: Run as Administrator
Running the game with admin privileges ensures it can access system files properly.
Steps:
- Navigate to the installation folder.
- Right-click LittleNightmares3.exe → Properties → Compatibility.
- Check Run this program as administrator.
- Click Apply → OK.
🛠️ Fix 6: Reinstall DirectX & Visual C++ Redistributables
If system components are outdated or missing, the game may fail to render graphics.
Steps:
- Download and install the latest DirectX Runtime from Microsoft.
- Install Visual C++ Redistributables (2015–2022).
- Restart your computer and try again.
🛠️ Fix 7: Disable Fullscreen Optimizations
Windows fullscreen optimization can sometimes cause conflicts with new games.
Steps:
- Right-click LittleNightmares3.exe → Properties.
- Go to the Compatibility tab.
- Check Disable fullscreen optimizations.
- Click Apply → OK.
🛠️ Fix 8: Check Resolution and Refresh Rate
A mismatch between the monitor’s resolution and the game’s settings can trigger a black screen.
Steps:
- Right-click your desktop → Display Settings.
- Note your resolution and refresh rate.
- Open the game’s configuration file (if available) and ensure it matches your monitor’s settings.
💡 For 1080p monitors, set resolution to 1920×1080 and refresh rate to 60Hz.
🛠️ Fix 9: Reinstall the Game
If none of the above solutions work, reinstalling may fix deep-rooted file issues.
Steps:
- Uninstall the game from Steam or Epic Games Launcher.
- Delete leftover files from:
C:\Users\<YourName>\AppData\Local\LittleNightmares3 - Reinstall and launch again.
Bonus Tips
- Keep your Windows OS updated.
- Temporarily disable antivirus software if it’s blocking game files.
- Install the game on an SSD for faster loading.
- Use borderless window mode if fullscreen keeps crashing.
FAQs
Q1: Why does Little Nightmares III show a black screen but play sound?
A1: This happens when your GPU driver or display setting conflicts with the game.
Q2: Can running in windowed mode fix the issue?
A2: Yes. It often helps when the fullscreen mode fails to render correctly.
Q3: Does reinstalling fix the black screen?
A3: Yes. Reinstalling ensures no corrupted or missing files remain.
Conclusion
The black screen issue in Little Nightmares III usually appears because of outdated drivers, display conflicts, or corrupted files. Updating your GPU, verifying files, disabling overlays, and running the game in windowed mode typically fix the issue.
Follow the above steps carefully, and you’ll be back to exploring the dark and mysterious world of Little Nightmares III without any screen issues. 👻
