When Windows 11 or 10 shows the Steam Friends List as a black box, it can be very annoying for players. This issue usually happens because of system conflicts or problems that make it impossible for the Friends List to show up correctly. But don’t worry there are a number of Fix ‘Steam Friends List is Black Box’ issue in Windows 11/10.
It is very important to figure out the root reason. This problem could be caused by out-of-date computer drivers, damaged Steam files, software that doesn’t work well with each other, or even a bug in the Steam app itself. Taking a systematic look at these possible reasons can help solve the black box problem.
One of the first things you need to do is make sure your computer drivers are up to date so they work with Steam’s needs. You can also check the security of Steam files through the app’s settings to find and fix any damaged files that are causing the issue. Also, turning off overlays or software that is clashing with the problem, like antivirus or system optimizers, might help. Visit steam official website for more details.
Why ‘Steam Friends List is Black Box’ issue in Windows
- Corruption of the ClientUI: The “clientui” folder stores information for the Steam interface, which includes the Friends List. This folder is susceptible to corruption, which can result in visual abnormalities such as black boxes.
- There is a problem with the rendering of Web View. Steam uses web technologies for certain components of the user interface, and errors in the “Web View” renderer can result in appearances of black boxes.
- Beta version bugs: In the event that you are utilising the Steam beta client, it is possible that the issue is being caused by bugs that are present in the beta version.
- Steam server issues that are just temporary: There are occasions when interface troubles can be caused by Steam server issues that are only brief.
Fixed: ‘Steam Friends List is Black Box’ issue in Windows 11/10
Delete Web Browser Cache
- Start up your Steam app. Go to the menu bar and select Settings. Then click Steam.
- On the left, click Web Browser.
- Click on Delete Web Browser Cache next.
- After that, click OK and then Delete All Browser Cookies.
Delete Steam App Cache
- Press the Windows key and the letter E at the same time to open File Explorer.
- To get to the Steam folder, go to Windows (C:) > Programme Files (86) > Steam.
- Now choose Open file path.
- Make a copy of the appcache folder and paste it somewhere safe.
- Now, get rid of the appcache folder in your Steam drive.
Repair Steam Library to Fix ‘Steam Friends List is Black Box’ issue in Windows 11/10
- Open the Steam app.
- Go to Settings and then click on Steam.
- Now go to Downloads.
- Pick out folders in the Steam Library
- Click the button with three dots in the Storage Manager and then click on Repair Folder.
Check your Internet Connection
- Internet slow and bandwidth low, Steam unable to load friend list, shows blank screen.
- Use free Internet Speed testers to know bandwidth.
- Low bandwidth: reboot router. If unsuccessful, contact ISP to resolve issue.
Use Steam in Big Picture mode
Another easy fix you can try is to use Steam in “Big Picture” mode. In the same way, some players say that the problem goes away when they switch Steam to “Big Picture” mode. When you use Big Picture mode, the only bad thing is that you have to go through the menu screens.
Re-Login to Steam to Fix ‘Steam Friends List is Black Box’ issue in Windows 11/10
You can easily fix this problem by logging out of your account and then back in. In the same way, you might only be having this problem in this Steam experience. So, you can log out of your Steam account and then back in to see if the problem still happens.
FAQs
If you’re having trouble with Steam’s black screen, you should update to the latest version, close any other apps that are open, clear your browser’s cache, delete the Steam cache folder, and reset Steam’s settings. Also, check that your graphics card works well.
For the friends group, there’s a new bug since the last Steam update. The button in the bottom right doesn’t let me open my friends list. Start up Steam again is the only way to fix it.
Take the Steam Client and go to “Steam > Settings” in the top left corner of the screen to open the Settings panel. Click on the Downloads tab in the Settings box. The “Clear Download Cache” button is at the very bottom of the page.