Fivem obs studio black screen fix

If you’re streaming or recording FiveM gameplay and see a black screen in OBS Studio, you’re not alone. This issue can stem from GPU capture settings, conflicting overlays, or incorrect game capture modes. This guide walks you through common causes and step-by-step fixes to get your FiveM footage or stream showing again.

Understanding the Black Screen Problem

OBS Studio captures video from a chosen source, such as a game capture, window capture, or display capture. FiveM, a multiplayer modification framework for GTA V, can sometimes resist standard capture methods due to anti-cheat measures, fullscreen optimizations, or exclusive fullscreen modes. The result is a black screen where you expect to see gameplay.

Quick Troubleshooting Plan

Before diving into deeper fixes, try these quick checks:

• Ensure FiveM is running the game in a compatible mode (Windows fullscreen, borderless window, or windowed). Some setups work better with borderless fullscreen.
• Confirm OBS sources are correctly configured and the correct scene is active.
• Update OBS Studio to the latest version and install the latest graphics drivers for your GPU.
• Temporarily disable overlays or other software that might hook into the game (Discord in-game overlay, Nvidia ShadowPlay, Steam overlay).

Capture Method: Game vs. Window vs. Display

OBS offers three main capture methods. If FiveM isn’t appearing, switching capture mode often helps.

• Game Capture: Generally best for performance, but may fail with anti-cheat games. If you see a black screen, try switching to Window Capture or Display Capture.
• Window Capture: Captures the FiveM window. If it doesn’t show, click the window drop-down and select the FiveM client explicitly.
• Display Capture: Captures your entire monitor. This method can capture the game but may include unnecessary UI; it’s a reliable fallback.

Note: If FiveM runs in borderless fullscreen, Windows may treat it as a separate window, making Window Capture or Display Capture more reliable.

Specific Fixes That Often Work

• Enable anti-cheat compatibility mode: In Windowed or Borderless Window, enable compatibility options for OBS or run OBS as Administrator.
• Use Window Capture with a specific window: Add a Window Capture source, and pick the FiveM game window from the list. Check “Use chroma key” or other effects off unless needed.
• Run OBS as Administrator: Right-click OBS → Run as administrator. This ensures OBS can access the game output properly.
• Turn off Fullscreen Optimizations: In Windows, go to the FiveM executable properties and disable Fullscreen Optimizations.
• Set GPU priority: If you have a multi-GPU setup, force OBS and the game onto the same GPU via your GPU control panel (NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Radeon Settings).
• Adjust color format: In OBS Settings → Video, set Color Format to NV12 and Color Space to 709. Sometimes tweaking these helps with compatibility.

Audio Considerations

A black screen can coexist with audio captured correctly. Ensure your audio sources aren’t muted, and that desktop audio is configured to pick up the game sound. If you use separate audio channels, verify that the FiveM game audio is routed to the correct track.

Performance and Quality Tips

• Use Game Capture if possible, but don’t sacrifice stability for minor gains.
• If you experience stuttering, consider lowering in-game resolution or graphic settings to reduce GPU load and improve capture stability.
• Enable “Multiview” or “Preview” in OBS to verify that the video feed is live and stable.

Advanced Scenarios: Anti-Cheat and Virtual Cameras

Some FiveM configurations leverage anti-cheat measures that interfere with screen capture. In such cases, consider streaming with a second PC for encoding (NVENC/AMD VCE) or using a dedicated capture card. For virtual cameras or browser sources, ensure they’re not conflicting with the game capture pipeline.

Final Checklist

• Update OBS and GPU drivers.
• Try Window Capture with a specific FiveM window, or Display Capture as a fallback.
• Run OBS as Administrator; disable conflicting overlays.
• Disable Windows fullscreen optimizations; align GPU usage.
• Test with a small recording to verify the fix before streaming.

Need More Help?

If you share details about your system (Windows version, GPU model, OBS version), FiveM settings (fullscreen mode, resolution, and whether you’re using borderless), and your current capture method, I can tailor a precise, step-by-step fix.