iPhone users reported that Safari is displaying a black screen while playing videos. This usually occurs when the browser fails to load the video content. You might hear a sound but won’t be able to see the video on the screen.
Did you enable the full-screen or windowed mode when streaming the content on Safari? It could generate a black screen issue on the browser. Besides, out-of-date iPhone software can trigger this problem. You can encounter Safari’s black screen error for using a third-party ad-blocking app.
Safari’s “Experimental features” provides iPhone users access to new browser tools. However, these features can hinder your media streaming experience. Thus, disable the experimental features to eliminate the black screen error.
Now, let’s find out the causes and solutions on how to fix Safari black screen error.
What Causes the Black Screen Error in Safari?
The black screen error is not limited to video streaming sites like YouTube or Netflix. Many experienced this problem in social media channels, like Facebook and Twitter. Along with the iPhone users, many Mac users noticed a black screen when watching videos.
A bug in the iPhone software can prevent Safari videos from loading. If the current Safari version is incompatible with the iPhone’s software version, this problem may occur. Moreover, Safari might crash, and the video will display a black screen if the “GPU process: Media” is on.
The Safari browser might play black videos if too many apps run in the background. Additionally, you can experience this issue with the temporary browser cache and data. Incorrect browser settings can be the reason behind the Safari black screen error.
Troubleshooting Tips on How to Fix Safari Black Screen Error
If you experience the Safari blacks screen error after the iOS 15 update, it’s obvious that there is a bug in the software. Sometimes, rebooting the iPhone can fix this minor bug. Access the iPhone settings and head towards “General”.
Drag the “Shutdown” soldier from left to right. Wait until the iPhone screen turns black. Press the “power” button until the Apple logo appears on the screen. When the phone restarts, open the Safari browser.
Access any video streaming app and check if the error is resolved. If the error persists, try out these solutions to fix the Safari black screen issue:
1. Close all the Background apps
Open the App Switcher by swiping up from the bottom of the iPhone screen or double pressing the Home button. You will notice an overlapping view of the apps that are currently open.
Swipe to the right or left to find the apps that you want to close. Press the app window and swipe it up to remove it from the background.
There is no way to close all the apps simultaneously on an iPhone. However, you can swipe off up to three apps at a time from the App Switcher window. Otherwise, if you want to close all the background apps at the same time, restart the device. Open any video from the Safari browser, and it won’t further display a black screen.
2. Disable the GPU Process: Media feature
YouTube videos show a black screen when Safari’s “GPU Process: Media” feature is enabled. Thus, consider disabling this feature to eliminate the video-playing issue. Access the iPhone settings, scroll down to the page and select “Safari”.
Head towards “Advanced” and navigate to “Experimental features”. When the next screen opens, search for “GPU Process: Media” and toggle it off. Close the Safari settings window and turn off the iPhone. Restart the device, and open YouTube from the browser. Play any video and check if the black screen error is resolved.
3. Try to Load the Non-AMP Webpage’s Version
Due to a bug in the iOS, Safari on iPhone is prevented from loading the AMP links. If you try to access an embedded video on an AMP page, the browser will load a blank page.
You will notice a blank screen, and the video will also not play on the screen. Thus, if the AMP version of the webpage is causing an issue, try its non-AMP version.
You must first reload the webpage and try to open the video. If that doesn’t fix the issues, scroll down to the web page’s footer. Search for “View Non-AMP version” and tap on it. Safari will load the standard version of the web page. You should be able to play online videos on Safari now.
4. Disable the Ad Blocking Apps
Ad blockers that are active on the iPhone can restrict Safari from playing videos. Thus, you must consider disabling them from the browser settings. Access the iPhone’s “Settings” app, scroll down and choose “Safari” from the app list.
Select “Extensions” when the next window appears on the iPhone screen. You will see the list of ad blockers that are currently enabled on Safari. Disable them by moving the content blocker’s toggle from right to left. Open any video streaming platform from the browser and check if the error is fixed.
5. Check if YouTube is added to Safari’s Block List
Safari allows iPhone users to block certain websites. If you have previously included YouTube or other streaming sites in Safari, the video will appear black. Thus, check the browser settings and remove the video streaming apps to fix the issue.
Go to iPhone settings, scroll down to the page and choose “Screen Time”. Select “Content & Privacy Restrictions” and opt for “Content Restrictions”. Choose “Web Contents” and change it from “Allowed Websites Only” to “Unrestricted Access”.
Close the iPhone settings and open the Safari browser. Access YouTube, and the black screen won’t appear when streaming the video. However, if the error persists, consider updating the video streaming app.
6. Clear the Safari Cache
Safari’s cache or other website data can cause the black screen error. Thus, iPhone users must clear the cache to resolve this complex problem. Open iPhone Settings and select “Safari” from the pre-installed app list.
Scroll down to the page and choose “Clear History and Website Data”. Tap on “Clear History and Data” when the confirmation message pops up. The cache, browsing history, and cookies will be deleted from the iPhone.
Thus, open Safari after 2-3 minutes and check if the videos are playing without any screen glitches.
Alternative Fixes on How to Fix Safari Black Screen Error
Turn off the VPN connection on the iPhone to resolve the black screen issue in Safari. Additionally, you must check whether the streaming apps server is down. If yes, wait until the app developers fix the issue. If the video streaming app is working fine, reset the iPhone to eliminate the black screen error.