Fix a Prepar3D black screen by resetting display settings and shaders, checking the GPU driver, and isolating faulty aircraft, gauges or scenery.
Prepar3D usually shows a black screen because its saved display configuration or shader cache is corrupt, the graphics driver/GPU selection is wrong, or an incompatible aircraft, gauge, scenery or plug-in has failed. Start in windowed mode, rebuild the generated graphics files, then test a default aircraft and scenery before disabling add-ons.
What does the type of black screen tell you?
The point at which Prepar3D turns black usually identifies the failing component.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Best first test |
|---|---|---|
| Black viewport, but menus or sound still work | Full-screen configuration, shader cache, monitor or GPU selection | Press Alt+Enter and reset the configuration |
| Black screen only after a scenario loads | Aircraft, scenery, weather add-on or saved scenario | Load a new daytime scenario with default content |
| Only cockpit displays are black | Aircraft power, brightness, panel state or incompatible gauges | Test a powered default aircraft |
| Aircraft is visible, but terrain is black | Shaders, scenery registration, missing textures or graphics-memory pressure | Test a default airport after clearing shaders |
| Screen turns black and Prepar3D closes | Graphics driver failure, unstable hardware or a crashing module | Treat it as a crash rather than a display-only fault |
How do I fix the Prepar3D black screen?
Work through these fixes in order and test after each one. Changing several items together makes the faulty setting or add-on much harder to identify.
- Force windowed mode. Once Prepar3D has focus, press
Alt+Enter. If the picture returns, use windowed mode while you reset the display settings. Also test with one monitor at its native Windows resolution and temporarily disable overlays, recording tools and GPU monitoring displays. - Reset Prepar3D.cfg. Close Prepar3D, open
%APPDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D vX, replacingvXwith your installed major version, and renamePrepar3D.cfgtoPrepar3D.cfg.old. Prepar3D will create a clean file at the next launch. Keep the old file for reference, but do not copy it back wholesale if the reset works. - Rebuild the shader cache. With the simulator closed, open
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D vXand rename theShadersfolder toShaders.old. The next scenario may load more slowly while shaders are compiled again. Delete only the version-specific shader folder, not the parent Lockheed Martin directory. - Check which GPU is running Prepar3D. On a laptop or dual-GPU computer, assign the Prepar3D executable to the high-performance graphics processor in Windows Graphics settings. On a desktop, confirm that the monitor is connected to the discrete graphics card rather than the motherboard output.
- Repair the graphics driver state. Reboot Windows, remove any GPU overclock and install a stable driver using the graphics vendor's clean-install option where available. If the black screen began immediately after a driver update, returning to the previous working driver is a better test than repeatedly installing the same release.
- Load a clean scenario. Create a new flight using a default aircraft, a default airport, daylight and simple weather. Do not load the previous default flight or a saved scenario, because it may reference a removed aircraft, weather engine or scenery package.
- Isolate add-ons by category. If default content works, disable the most recently added aircraft, scenery, weather engine or plug-in. Re-enable packages one at a time. Disable or unregister an add-on through the same package system its installer used; randomly moving core Prepar3D folders can create a second problem.
- Repair the simulator only after the isolation tests. If default aircraft and scenery remain black with a fresh configuration, rebuilt shaders, stable driver and all add-ons disabled, use the matching Prepar3D installer to repair or reinstall the core component.
Why is Prepar3D black only in full-screen mode?
A full-screen-only black screen points to the saved resolution, refresh rate, monitor assignment or an overlay hooking into the renderer. Stay in windowed mode, reset Prepar3D.cfg, test a single display and let Prepar3D redetect the graphics hardware before restoring multi-monitor settings.
A mistake we see constantly is restoring the entire old configuration file immediately after a successful reset. Reapply settings in small groups instead; otherwise the bad display entry returns with them.
What if only the aircraft gauges are black?
If the outside view and cockpit structure render normally, Prepar3D's main graphics output is working. Check the battery, avionics, generators, display brightness and any cold-and-dark panel state before changing graphics settings.
When default aircraft work but one add-on does not, suspect missing or incompatible gauges. Prepar3D v4 and later are 64-bit, so 32-bit gauges and DLLs made for v3 or earlier cannot be used; compiled modules may also require a specific major release. Our checks for blank Prepar3D instruments and glass displays cover that aircraft-specific fault.
What if the aircraft appears but the terrain is black?
Black terrain usually means the scenery or texture path has failed, particularly when the fault occurs only near one airport. Clear the shader cache, reduce graphics load temporarily and compare the affected area with a default airport.
If the problem began after installing scenery, disable that package and check that its scenery and texture folders remain together. Prepar3D v5 users should also compare the installation with the correct add-on.xml registration and scenery-priority procedure. A black loading screen accompanied by a Terrain.dll error needs the more targeted terrain and scenery-conflict checks.
What if the black screen ends in a crash?
A black screen followed by a return to the desktop is a crash, not merely an incorrect display mode. Remove overclocks, check the graphics driver, test stock content and disable external modules; then use our Prepar3D crash isolation process to identify the failing module or scenery package.
Should I reinstall Prepar3D?
Reinstallation is a last resort because user configuration and shader files may survive in the Windows profile, allowing the same black screen to return. Reset those generated files and prove that the fault also affects default content first. If a repair is required, back up personal settings, use an installer matching the installed Prepar3D release and test the unmodified simulator before restoring any add-ons.