Is your Chrome Remote Desktop displaying a black screen? This guide will help you fix the issue. Chrome Remote Desktop is a cross-platform tool that allows you to remotely access and control a computer for troubleshooting, collaboration, or unattended access. It is easy to set up and use. However, many users, especially those connecting from a Windows PC to a Mac, have encountered a black screen while using Chrome Remote Desktop. If you’re facing the same problem, a few troubleshooting steps can help resolve it.
Why is Chrome Remote Desktop showing a blank screen?
Chrome Remote Desktop may show a blank (black) screen due to various reasons, including display settings of the remote computer, network issues, cookies or cache data issues, extension conflicts, and bugs in the app. Also if ‘Curtain Mode’ is enabled, it blanks out the screen of the remote computer during remote desktop sessions.
Fix Chrome Remote Desktop displays black screen
To fix Chrome Remote Desktop if it is displaying a black screen, use these solutions:
- Disable Chrome Remote Desktop Curtain Mode
- Remove conflicting plug-ins
- Clear cache and cookies
- Delete the remote computer and add it again
- Reinstall Chrome Remote Desktop
Let us see this in detail.
1] Disable Chrome Remote Desktop Curtain Mode
Curtain Mode in Chrome Remote Desktop is a feature primarily used to prevent anyone near the computer from seeing the screen while it is being accessed remotely. When enabled, the physical display on the remote computer turns off (or shows the login screen), ensuring privacy during the remote session. However, Curtain Mode can also result in a black screen if not configured properly. Try disabling it and see if normal screen sharing resumes.
If you see a black screen on Chrome Remote Desktop, you won’t be able to disable Curtain Mode directly through the remote session. So, you may need to use an alternative remote access method to access the system and disable Curtain Mode.
You can use Microsoft Remote Desktop, AnyViewer, or any other remote access tool to connect both computers. Once connected, follow these steps to disable Curtain Mode (if someone else is on the remote computer, ask them to disable Curtain Mode via Registry Editor):
Log in to the affected PC. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter. If prompted by UAC (User Account Control), click Yes.
Next, navigate to the following key in the Registry Editor:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome\
Locate RemoteAccessHostRequireCurtain in the right pane. Double-click it and set the Value data to 0. If the key doesn’t exist, Curtain Mode is not enabled on the remote computer.
Close the Registry Editor and restart the computer to apply the changes.
Note:
- Modifying the registry requires administrative rights.
- Be cautious when modifying the registry, as incorrect changes can cause system instability or malfunctions. Always backup the registry before making any modifications.
2] Remove conflicting plug-ins
Some Chrome extensions or third-party applications can block screen sharing or conflict with Chrome Remote Desktop. Removing or disabling them ensures a clean remote connection without interference.
Open Google Chrome on the remote computer. In the address bar, type chrome://extensions/ and press Enter. Look for extensions that control screen sharing or remote access (screen recording extensions, ad blockers, VPN or proxy extensions, etc.). Disable each extension one by one by toggling it off.
Restart Chrome and try connecting via Chrome Remote Desktop again.
3] Clear cache and cookies
If Chrome Remote Desktop is stuck on a black screen, cached data might be interfering with the remote session. Clearing cache and cookies helps resolve issues related to stored data, outdated sessions, or corrupted browsing information.
Open Chrome and click on the three dots (menu) in the top-right corner. Select Delete browsing data.
In the pop-up, select Time range (choose All time to clear everything).
Check the boxes for Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.
Click Delete data.
If you don’t want to delete your cookies and cache data, try using Chrome Remote Desktop in incognito mode and see if it works.
4] Delete the remote computer and add it again
If there is a problem with the Chrome Remote Desktop settings on the remote machine, removing and re-adding it resets everything.
On your computer, open Google Chrome. In the address bar, type remotedesktop.google.com/access and press Enter.
Under Remote Access, find the computer you want to remove. Click Disable remote connections (Trash bin icon) and confirm the removal.
Next, type remotedesktop.google.com/access in the address bar and press Enter. Click Access and select the computer you want to connect to. Enter the PIN required for access. Click the arrow to connect.
5] Reinstall Chrome Remote Desktop
Sometimes, missing files or broken settings in Chrome Remote Desktop can cause connection issues. Installing the newest version can fix bugs that might be causing a black screen.
Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps. Find Chrome Remote Desktop on the list and click Uninstall.
Next, Launch Chrome and go to remotedesktop.google.com/access. Click Download under the Get Support. Follow the onscreen directions to download and install Chrome Remote Desktop.
I hope this helps!
Read: Chrome Remote Desktop not working in Windows.
How do I fix a blank screen on Google Chrome?
To fix Google Chrome’s black screen issue on a Windows PC, try disabling browser extensions, hardware extensions, and flags related to browser performance. If that doesn’t work, reset or reinstall Google Chrome. If the black screen appears when Chome is minimized or maximized, update your graphics card driver to fix this issue.
Read Next: How to use AI features in Chrome on Windows PC.
