Black screens after hitting ALT+TAB in Windows? Yeah, that’s a thing. Sometimes, just switching windows makes the entire display go dark for a few seconds, and honestly, it’s maddening. The cause isn’t always straightforward—it could be Windows Explorer acting up, graphics driver conflicts, or display settings misfiring. Honestly, if you’ve seen that flicker and then nothing, you’re not alone. The good news is there are some tweaks and fixes that have worked out for folks with similar issues, so give these a shot before pulling out the big guns.
These solutions aim to stabilize your display, smooth out window switching, and hopefully save you from a dead black screen. The key is trying things step-by-step, because what works on one machine might not on another. Still, most of these are fairly harmless, so no harm in experimenting.
How to fix black screen issues when switching apps in Windows
Update Windows — the first thing to try
Why it helps: Microsoft regularly releases fixes that address display bugs like this — some recent updates even specifically target ALT+TAB black screens. When Windows isn’t fully updated, old bugs might stick around and cause these flickers or blackouts. When you’re running an older build, your system might be missing critical patches that handle graphics or window management better.
When it applies: If your black screen happens after recent Windows updates or you haven’t done a fresh install in a while, this is a good place to start.
What to expect: After running the update, your system should be more stable, and the black screen may be less frequent or gone entirely.
Quick tip: Open Settings, go to Windows Update (under Update & Security) and click Check for updates. If updates are found, download and install. Sometimes a restart is needed — which might fix the issue temporarily or permanently.
Update your NVIDIA GPU drivers
Why it helps: Outdated or buggy graphics drivers are notorious culprits for display glitches. Especially if you’re rocking an NVIDIA card, certain driver versions (if old or corrupted) can hiccup when switching between apps — causing that annoying black screen. NVIDIA knows about this, and newer drivers often include fixes for these switching issues.
When it applies: If your graphics drivers haven’t been updated in a while or you’ve recently seen display glitches after driver updates, this step is worth trying.
What to expect: Updating your GPU driver can bring stability to window switching and remove flickering or blackouts. Sometimes, doing a clean install of drivers makes a difference—not just an update over old files.
Here’s what to do: Launch GeForce Experience, go to the Drivers tab, and click Check for Updates. If a new driver is available, install it and restart your PC. For a clean install, you might want to go to the NVIDIA Driver Download page and select the Clean Installation option during setup, just to be thorough.
Turn off G-Sync (or G-Sync compatible modes)
Why it helps: G-Sync dynamically syncs your monitor’s refresh rate with your GPU, which is great for gaming, but it can cause delays or hiccups when switching windows, especially if your game or desktop is running at different refresh rates. Disabling it can help the system breathe a little easier and reduce those blackouts.
When it applies: If you notice the black screens mainly happen when switching from a game or GPU-heavy app, G-Sync might be the guilty party.
What to expect: Turning G-Sync off can smooth out window transitions and prevent delayed refreshes. The screen should stay visible during window switches.
To disable: Open the NVIDIA Control Panel (right-click desktop or find it in the Start menu).Go to Set Up G-Sync under Display, uncheck Enable G-Sync, then click Apply. Sometimes, a restart helps seal the deal, but usually just turning it off is enough.
Increase your shader cache size
Why it helps: NVIDIA GPUs use shaders to render visuals, and cache helps prevent constant recompilation, which can cause momentary black screens or lag when switching. If your cache is too small, the GPU has to compile shaders on the fly, which might result in delays or flickering.
When it applies: If you notice black screens after long gaming sessions or during rapid application switching, bumping this up can help.
What to expect: Maxing out the shader cache might make window switching a lot smoother, with fewer flickers or delays. It’s a small tweak but often worth trying.
How to do it: Open the NVIDIA Control Panel. Under Manage 3D Settings, find Shader Cache Size. Change it to Unlimited, then hit Apply. Expect a brief flicker as settings take effect.
Match your display resolutions and switch to borderless windowed mode
Why it helps: If your in-game resolution doesn’t match your desktop resolution, Windows has to do some awkward scaling and adjusting when switching between applications, which can trigger a freeze or black screen. Running games in borderless windowed mode means fewer resolution changes and smoother transitions.
When it applies: When experiencing blackouts mainly during game switching or if your monitor’s native resolution is different from the game’s resolution.
What to expect: Switching to borderless mode often reduces or eliminates black screens, but it might slightly impact performance or visual fidelity.
To match resolutions: Right-click on the desktop, go to Display Settings. Click Advanced Display Settings. Check if your Desktop resolution matches your monitor’s native resolution. If not, select Display adapter properties, then go to List All Modes. Pick the resolution matching your native display and apply it. Then, in your game’s settings, set the same resolution and choose borderless windowed mode.
Hey, sometimes Windows just has to make things more complicated than they need to be, but hopefully, these tips can help cut down those black screen moments when switching apps in Windows.