Discord is a popular VoIP platform and one of the best you can find; over 140 million people use Discord every month. At first, the platform was exclusive to gamers but over the years and with the addition of more features, anyone can use Discord now.
Discord is popular for streaming content to others in community servers. You can stream movies, games, audio, live video, or simply communicate via text. If you run a Discord community server, you can stream Netflix on Discord and watch movies along with those on your server.
This is one of the best ways of engagement on Discord. However, you may get a black screen when you try to stream Netflix. You might be able to hear the audio and view subtitles but instead of video, you get a black background with the movie running.
The black screen while streaming Discord can be due to various reasons. However, there are solutions that I’ll be explaining in this article.
First, we’ll look at reasons why you might get a black screen while streaming Netflix content on Discord.
What Causes The Error?
Knowing the causes of the error is the first step to solving it. As mentioned earlier, a black screen while streaming can be due to various reasons, and the common ones include:
1. Hardware Acceleration
Hardware acceleration takes the load off your CPU by assigning them to special devices – usually GPUs – meant to handle them. This should improve your streaming experience as the GPU takes over the duty of the CPU resulting in a faster and smoother stream.
You may get a black screen if you enable hardware acceleration without having a GPU installed or if your GPU can’t handle the stream. Conversely, not enabling hardware acceleration can cause a black screen if your CPU is overworked.
2. Background Apps
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Apps running in the background are among the main causes of black screen when streaming on Discord. If you’re running many apps and you try to open Discord for streaming, you can get a black screen if it’s putting too much load on the processor.
Hence, the black screen error when streaming can occur frequently if your RAM is low. In addition, another app can manipulate or control display across all apps.
3. Fullscreen Mode
Sometimes, you can stream in windowed Mode without problems but when you switch to full screen, you get a black screen. Usually, screen share doesn’t work while on full screen; you either use borderless or windowed mode.
4. Latest Technology Option
Discord has a ‘Use our latest technologies for screen sharing’ option. This will increase audio and video quality but you can’t share your screen. Trying to may cause the black screen error.
5. Cache Corruption
Just like regular browsing, the cache builds up over time as you use Discord. This normally wouldn’t be a problem as caches improve your user experience by speeding uploading time.
However, if the cache is corrupt, your Discord app will malfunction which can cause a black screen while streaming videos.
6. Ad Blockers
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Some ad blocking extensions and apps can interfere with your video and cause a black screen while streaming. This is a common error among YouTube streamers using AdBlock (Plus) or Adblock and can happen on Discord as well.
Mainly, this happens if the ad blocker app or extension has a bug. Also, the error can be specific to a browser or operating system; it’s common with Microsoft Edge and Windows users.
7. Wrong permission
Many Discord users run into problems with channel permissions. Permission settings can be confusing when setting up a Discord server, especially if it’s your first time doing so.
Discord channel permissions let you allow or block various settings. If you allow or block the wrong permission with your streaming channel, you may get a black screen while streaming.
However, wrong permission settings mainly affect others watching the stream and not the admin.
8. Incompatibility
If your device, operating system, Discord, or Netflix app aren’t compatible, streaming becomes a problem. For example, you may be running an old Windows version, unsupported browser type, or have some outdated drivers installed. All of these can cause video streaming to malfunction.
How To Stream Netflix On Discord Without Black Screen
Before looking at the various ways of fixing the black screen error while streaming Netflix movies on Discord you must be sure that you’re doing it right.
Follow these steps to stream your favorite Netflix movies on Discord using your computer:
- Launch your web browser and visit the official Netflix website. Make sure you’re using a compatible browser with a stable internet connection
- Launch the Discord application and connect to a server
- Select the ‘Settings’ menu at the bottom of the page and choose the Activity Status you want to use
- Click on Add it and select the browser with the Netflix website open and click on Add Game
- Exit Settings and click on the screen icon in the lower-left corner of your screen
- You’ll get a Screen Share pop-up Window. Choose the Netflix browser tab with you want to stream
- Set the streaming resolution and frame rate
- Finally, click on Go Live and you can start streaming
If you follow the above steps correctly and you get a black screen while streaming, you can try the following fixes to solve the problem.
1. Stop All Running Discord Processes
You can try closing all running Discord processes on your PC. Sometimes, even when you close an app or restart, there’ll still be previous processes running in the task manager.
- Right-click your taskbar and click on the Task Manager
- Locate all Discord processes, right-click on each one and click on End Task
- Restart the Discord app
2. Update your Discord App
From time to time, apps develop bugs and errors which the developers fix by updating the versions. You have to regularly update your Discord app so it runs correctly.
Running an old version of Discord can cause a black screen while streaming. Usually, Discord will automatically check for updates and install whenever you launch the app. If not, you can follow the below steps:
- Launch the Discord application
- Right-click on the Discord icon on your Taskbar and click on Check for Updates
- Allow the app to download and install the updates then restart
If your Discord app is already running, you can install updates by simply clicking CTRL + R. The updates will install the next time you load the app. If you get errors while installing updates, consider uninstalling the app entirely and reinstalling.
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3. Update Your Graphics Driver
Having a corrupt or outdated graphics driver installed can cause black screen error while streaming Netflix from Discord. Hence, it’s important to have all the right drivers for your graphics card installed.
Source: HP Driver’s Webpage
You can check the manufacturer’s website for all the drivers your graphics card need. Notably, you should ensure the drivers are not just compatible with your graphics card but also with your OS version.
Manually updating drivers can take your time. You can install a driver updater tool that will automatically scan your PC and list all the drivers you should install. If there are outdated or corrupt drivers, you can easily update and fix them as well.
4. Turn Hardware Acceleration on/off
If your CPU is weak, you may get a black screen while streaming video. Turning on Hardware Acceleration will fix this problem by employing the GPU and also enable you to stream more effectively.
On the other hand, turning on Hardware Acceleration may cause errors if your GPU is poor or incompatible. In such a situation, you’ll have to turn Hardware Acceleration off. This goes for other specialized hardware too.
Hence, if you’re getting the black screen error and Hardware Acceleration is off, switch it on; if it’s on, switch it off to see if it fixes the problem. You can do this by following the below steps:
- Launch the Discord application and click the Settings icon.
- Select Appearance
- Toggle Hardware Acceleration is on, if off and off, if on
- Click on Okay
5. Use Window Mode
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Perhaps you’re getting the black screen error because you’re streaming in fullscreen mode. In such a situation, you can simply switch to window mode.
To switch to Window mode, simply press CTRL + SHIFT + F on your keyboard. You can use the same shortcut command to switch back to fullscreen mode later on.
Sometimes, the app may get stuck in fullscreen mode and you can’t switch to window mode. Simply stop the app from your task manager.
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6. Clear Discord Cache Folder
Cleaning your Discord cache folder can fix this problem if it’s because of corrupt cache files. Your cache files can get corrupted from improper shutdowns and power outages. Here’s how to clear your Discord cache folder:
- Close the Discord application
- Press the Windows Key + R on your keyboard
- Type in “%appdata%” and click on OK
- Right-click on Discord and click on Delete
- Launch the Discord app to see if the error is fixed
7. Uninstall Ad Blockers
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Do you have ad blockers installed? On your desktop or as a browser extension? If yes, uninstalling them may be the black screen error fix you need. An ad blocker primarily blocks ads and an ad can be image, audio, or video.
Hence, if the ad blocker app or extension begins to malfunction it can block your Netflix video, mistaking it for an ad which can result in a black screen.
To fix this, you just need to uninstall the ad blocker app or extension. Before you uninstall, you can try disabling them to see if they’re the cause.
8. Run Discord as Administrator
Like most desktop apps, you can run Discord perfectly without using admin access. However, when you have errors like the black screen when streaming Netflix, running admin will ensure you have all the permissions.
Running Discord as an administrator is easy. However, you must ensure there’s no Discord process running in the background. Kill all Discord tasks from the Task Manager and follow the below steps:
- Right Click on the Discord app on your PC and click on Properties
- Check the box for Run this program as an administrator under the compatibility tab
- Click on OK and relaunch the app
You can also simply right-click on the Discord app icon and select Run as administrator.
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9. Turn off Unnecessary Programs
Using too much CPU power will cause any computer to lag and this can affect your Discord streaming. In addition, other apps, especially apps that use video and screen sharing, can affect your Discord app.
You can try turning off all unneeded programs to fix the black screen error and have an overall better streaming experience. Aside from the apps you open, there could be other background processes running. To stop them:
- Right-click on your taskbar and click on Task Manager
- Confirm if your CPU is overwhelmed and the apps or processes consuming high power
- Right-click on the power-consuming apps or processes and click on End Task
- Restart the Discord app
However, you shouldn’t just end any program or process as some can be vital to your PC’s performance. Only end unneeded programs and processes.
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10. Run Discord in Compatibility Mode
You can try tuning discord in compatibility mode if the black screen error is because your OS or device is incompatible with the Discord or Netflix platform. First of all, close the Discord app, end all processes and follow the below steps:
- Right Click on the Discord app on your PC and click on Properties
- Check the box for Run this program in compatibility mode under the compatibility tab
- Select your Windows version to run Discord in compatibility mode
- Click on OK and relaunch the app
11. Reinstall Discord
If you didn’t install the Discord app properly, you can get the black screen error when you try streaming a movie from Netflix. If that’s the case, then the quick fix is to uninstall and install the Discord app.
You can do this by following the below steps:
- Press the Windows logo key on your keyboard
- Search for Control Panel and select it
- Click category under the View by section and click on Uninstall a program
- Right-click the Discord app and select Uninstall
Simply uninstalling Discord may not be enough. You have to remove all Discord files and data on your PC so you can make a fresh install. To do this, follow the below steps:
- Press the Windows logo key + R on your keyboard
- Type in %appdata%, and click on OK
- Delete the Discord folder
- Next, press the Windows logo key + R on your keyboard again
- Type in %localappdata% and click on OK
- Delete the Discord folder
After successfully deleting all Discord app data, you can now download and install the app. You can download the latest version of the Discord app from the official website.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Screen Share On Discord From The Netflix App Instead?
You get a black screen most of the time when you stream from the Netflix app. Hence, it’s ideal that you access Netflix via a browser and not the app. In addition, setting Hardware Acceleration is best using a browser.
Can I Screencast Netflix Through My Phone On Discord?
It’s not possible to share your Netflix screen with others on mobile. This isn’t limited to Netflix but also other video streaming platforms like Rakuten Viki and Disney+.
You can share your Netflix screen on Discord whether you use an iOS or Android mobile device. If you try, you’ll get a black screen, audio, and subtitles; there’ll be no video.
The fixes discussed above are only applicable to desktop PCs. When you share your Netflix on mobile, there’s no fix to the black screen.
Is Streaming Netflix Movies On Discord Illegal?
You can stream Netflix on Discord under different circumstances. The circumstance determines if you’re breaking the law or not. It’s legal for others to watch a Netflix movie with you. However, it’s illegal for you to offer public viewing.
For example, friends and family can watch Netflix with you at home. However, you can’t share a movie from Netflix on social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter where anyone can view it. You’ll be breaking copyright laws.
Hence, if you’re streaming Netflix movies on Discord, simply ensure the stream isn’t public and you’re good to go. Only limited people in your Discord server should be able to view your stream.
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Conclusion
The black screen problem is one that many Discord Netflix streamers face. As discussed in the article, there are many reasons why you might get a black screen while streaming and there are also many possible fixes.
If you know the main cause of the black screen error, then you can simply apply the associated fix. Otherwise, you can try the fixes one after the other until you get one that works for you.
Notably, if you want to stream Netflix on Discord, you should let go of the desktop apps. Access both Netflix and Discord via your browser for a more seamless screen sharing. You can use any recent and updated browser but the best option from user experience is Google Chrome.
If after trying all the fixes in this article and you still get a black screen while streaming Netflix, you should contact Discord support for help. You can reach Discord support by submitting a request form.
