The sudden appearance of a black screen in MS Word will evoke a sense of frustration and confusion, prompting users to search for intricate troubleshooting steps to fix the issue. Since the perplexing black screen glitch in MS Word disrupts document creation, users are taking up a journey to resolve this technical acumen to restore their creativity and productivity.
If your once vibrant screen is now staring at you with emptiness, let us begin a troubleshooting quest together, vanish the technical glitches, and restore MS Word to its previous glory with simple tweaks and adjustments.
Check this guide if you encounter an MS Word Stopped Working issue.
What Causes The Black Screen Glitch In Microsoft Word?
The black screen glitch can be caused by several factors and can lead to the manifestation of black screen glitch:
Here are a few potential causes among the many:
- Outdated graphics driver
- Hardware Acceleration conflict
- Corrupted office installations
- Add-in Interference
- Corrupt document
- Conflict with background applications
- Malware or viruses
14 Quick Fixes To Get Rid Of The Annoying Microsoft Word Black Screen Glitch
Here’s how you can transform the black screen into a canvas for creativity again. Below are some of the fixes that you can try to help you diligently take complete control of this pesky error.
1. Restart MS Word In Safe Mode
Safe Mode provides minimum functionalities, so if Word is showing a black screen due to extensions or add-ins, opening it in Safe Mode will load the app without templates or add-ins.
This is how you can open Word in Safe Mode:
- Type “Run” in the Windows Search bar.
- Type “winword /safe” in the Run dialog box and press Enter.
- To exit Safe Mode, close the Window and restart the Office application.
- Doing this will start the Office in Normal Mode.
2. Repair The Problematic Word File
If a Word file is not opening and appears black, you can repair the file. Repairing it will resolve the underlying corruption and restore the file’s integrity. Doing this will also potentially eliminate the black screen issue when working or opening the document in MS Word:
This is how you can do it:
- Navigate to the Word file you cannot open and right-click on the file.
- Now, select the “Open With” option.
- Click on the MS Office Word option.
- The next time, the file should open correctly.
Note: You can also use the Repair feature to open the corrupted Word file.
3. Change Mode In Word Online Version
If you’re using an online version of MS Word, you can change the Mode by following the right steps.
Here are the steps of changing the Dark Mode to Light Mode in the online versions:
- Open any Word document in Microsoft.
- Switch to the “View” tab and select the “Dark Mode” button for disabling Dark Mode.
- You can also select “Switch Background” to switch from a black background with white text to a white background with black text.
4. Troubleshoot In A Clean Boot State
The programs and services running in the background interfere with Word and cause issues. Therefore, performing a clean boot will turn off those unnecessary running services, and here are the steps for doing so:
- Open the “Run” utility by pressing the Win + R keys.
- Type ” msconfig” in the Run command box and hit Enter.
- Doing this will open the System Configuration window.
- Select the “Services” tab and check the box beside “Hide all Microsoft Services.”
- Now, click on the “Disable All” option.
- By doing this, you will stop all the programs that are running in the background except Microsoft Services.
- Now, close the Window and right-click on your Taskbar.
- Click on Task Manager, then click the Startup tab and right-click the programs you want to disable.
- Click the “Disable” option, and after finishing the entire process, restart your PC, launch Word, and check.
5. Turn Off Dark Mode
Disabling the Dark theme in MS Word will be a helpful step in resolving the dark screen issue. Adjusting the color scheme to a standard one will, in turn, waive off the conflicts or issues that are contributing to the black screen issue. Doing that will also be aesthetically pleasing and reduce eye strain.
So, to restore the documents’ visibility, you can turn off the dark Mode by following the steps below and mitigating the black screen problem.
- Open Word and click on the File > Options
- Navigate to the General tab.
- Under “Personalize your copy of MS Office,” click on the drop-down menu for Office theme.
- Choose “White,” once done, check if the issue is resolved.
6. Set The Page Background Color
By setting the page background color to “White,” you can create a visual environment that enhances readability. This will also mitigate the error and restore the clarity of the documents in MS Word.
To do so, follow the steps outlined below:
- Open MS Office, click “File,” and select “Options” and go to the “General” tab.
- Under “Personalize your copy of MS Office,” check the box that displays “Never change the document page color.”
- Click on “OK” to apply the changes.
7. Disable Dark Page Background
Turning off the dark page background will ensure that the document displays a white background that contrasts with the black screen and can alleviate the conflicts causing the black screen glitch.
Here is how you can turn off the Dark Page background:
- Open a Word file and click on the “Design” tab.
- Click on the drop-down menu for page color and select “No Color.”
- Now, check if the issue persists.
8. Repair Word From The Control Panel
To address the black screen problem in Word, users can also use the Control Panel, which is typically used for managing software installations and settings.
This is how users can go ahead and repair Word from the Control Panel:
- Open the Control Panel using Windows Search.
- Then, open “Programs and Features” and right-click on MS Office from the list of apps.
- Select the “Change” option and then select “Quick Repair”.
- Now click on the “Repair” option.
- Follow the onscreen instructions and complete the entire process.
9. Repair Or Reset Office
Repairing or resetting Office will help the users fix the black screen issue and can restore the functionality and integrity of MS Office applications.
So, follow the steps outlined below and repair or reset MS Office:
- Open Settings and select Apps.
- Scroll down to find Office from the list of installed apps.
- Click on the three-dots menu and select “Advanced Options”.
- Scroll down and select “Repair”.
- While choosing to repair Office, remember the app’s data won’t be affected.
- If this doesn’t work, then select the Reset option.
10. Update Office And Windows
Make sure both the Office Suite and Windows OS are up to date, as updating them can provide essential security patches and improvements that may directly or indirectly impact the functionality and performance of MS Word, potentially leading to the resolution of the black screen in Microsoft Word.
So, this is how you can update Office and Windows:
- Open Windows Settings from the left panel and select “Windows Update.”
- Then, select “Advanced options” and turn on the toggle to “Receive updates” for other Microsoft product options.
- Install updates, if any, and restart your PC and re-launch Word.
11. Close Unnecessary Programs In The Background
Closing the unnecessarily running programs in the background will enhance the overall functionality of Word by ensuring that it has the necessary resources to operate smoothly without any interruptions. So, if your Microsoft Word is black, then go ahead and close the unnecessarily running programs. And here is how to close it:
- Right-click on the Windows Start button and choose “Task Manager.”
- Navigate to the “Processes” tab and right-click on the processes you want to close.
- Select the “End Task” option and follow the same steps for all the tasks you want to end.
- Then, exit the Window and try to open Word.
12. Update Graphics Driver
By updating the graphics driver, you will soon be able to fix the black screen issue in MS Word and ensure that the display adapter functions optimally with the application. So, update the graphics driver to avoid the dark Mode in Word and ensure your MS Word interacts seamlessly with the graphics hardware. Here is how you can do that:
- Right-click on the Windows Search button and choose “Device Manager.”
- Go to the “Display Adapters” section and expand it.
- Right-click on your graphics driver and click the “Update Driver” option.
- Now, select the “Search Automatically for Drivers” option and follow the instructions provided onscreen to download and install the latest driver.
13. Reinstall Office
Reinstalling Office will ensure a fresh installation that can address the underlying issues likely to cause the black screen error.
- Open the Run dialogue box, enter “appwiz.cpl” and hit “Enter.”
- Search for MS Office from the list of installed apps and right-click on it.
- Choose the “Uninstall” option and follow the onscreen instructions to finish the process.
- Then, reinstall Word and check.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- How Can I Resolve The Black Screen Glitch In MS Word After An Update?
If you’re experiencing a black screen glitch in MS Word after an update, you can try to repair or reinstall the Office program to ensure all the files are intact and up to date.
- What Should I Do If The Graphic On Microsoft Word Appears As A Black Screen?
If the graphic elements are displaying a black screen, look for conflicts with other programs or outdated graphics drivers. You can also consider temporarily disabling the dark Mode.
- How To Troubleshoot The Black Screen Glitch In MS Word When Using Microsoft Office 365?
If you are using Microsoft 365 and encounter a black screen in MS Word, try scanning for malware, running the Windows troubleshooter, or performing a clean boot to identify conflicting applications.
Final Words
And there you have it! Following the troubleshooting steps and taking proactive measures, you will soon be able to resolve the black screen issue in MS Word.