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Skyrim Black Box Sound Fix
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is one of the most popular and immersive role-playing games ever created. However, it is not without its flaws. Many players have reported experiencing a black screen with sound issue when launching or playing Skyrim on their PC, PS4 or Xbox One. This issue can be very frustrating and ruin your gaming experience.
Skyrim black box sound fix
In this article, we will explain what causes Skyrim black box sound issue and how to fix it with some simple and effective solutions. Whether you are playing Skyrim on Windows 10, PS4 or Xbox One, you can try these fixes to resolve the problem and enjoy the game.
Introduction
Skyrim black box sound issue is a common problem that occurs when you launch or play Skyrim on your PC, PS4 or Xbox One. The game screen turns black but you can still hear the sound of the game. Sometimes, you may also see a loading icon or a cursor on the black screen. This issue can prevent you from playing the game or cause you to lose your progress.
What causes Skyrim black box sound issue?
There are several possible reasons why Skyrim black box sound issue happens. Some of them are:
Mods: Mods are modifications that enhance or change the game in various ways. However, some mods may be incompatible with the game or each other and cause conflicts or errors.
Game updates: Older versions of the game may contain bugs or glitches that affect the game performance or functionality. Updating the game to the latest version can fix some of these issues.
GPU card drivers: GPU card drivers are software that enable your graphics card to communicate with your system and run the game smoothly. Outdated or corrupted drivers can cause various problems with the game display or sound.
Windowed mode: Windowed mode is a setting that allows you to play the game in a smaller window instead of full screen. Some players have reported that switching to windowed mode can fix Skyrim black box sound issue.
Game integrity: Game integrity refers to the state of the game files on your system. If some of the game files are missing, damaged or modified, they can cause errors or crashes when launching or playing the game.
Skyrim installation: Skyrim installation is the process of installing the game on your system. If something goes wrong during the installation or if some of the installation files are corrupted, they can affect the game performance or functionality.
DirectX: DirectX is a software that enables your system to run multimedia applications such as games. Skyrim requires DirectX 9.0c or higher to run properly. If you don't have DirectX installed or if it is outdated, it can cause problems with the game display or sound.
How to fix Skyrim black box sound issue?
Depending on what causes Skyrim black box sound issue on your system, you can try different solutions to fix it. Here are some of the most common and effective fixes that you can try:
Fix 1: Disable the mods
If you have installed any mods for Skyrim, they may be causing conflicts or errors with the game and resulting in Skyrim black box sound issue. To fix this, you need to disable all the mods and see if the problem persists. Here are the steps to disable mods for Skyrim on different platforms:
PC: Launch Steam and go to Library. Right-click on Skyrim and select Properties. Go to Local Files tab and click on Browse Local Files. Open Data folder and delete all files with .esp or .esm extensions. These are mod files that you need to remove.
PS4: Launch Skyrim and go to Mods from the main menu. Select My Library and press X to disable all mods. Confirm your action and restart your PS4.
Xbox One: Launch Skyrim and go to Mods from the main menu. Select Load Order and press A to disable all mods. Confirm your action and restart your Xbox One.
After disabling all mods, launch Skyrim again and see if Skyrim black box sound issue is fixed. If it is, then one of your mods is causing the problem. You can try enabling them one by one and see which one causes the issue. Then you can either update, uninstall or replace that mod.
Fix 2: Check for game updates
If you are playing an older version of Skyrim, you may encounter bugs or glitches that affect the game performance or functionality. Updating the game to the latest version can fix some of these issues and improve your gaming experience. Here are the steps to check for game updates for Skyrim on different platforms:
PC: Launch Steam and go to Library. Right-click on Skyrim and select Properties. Go to Updates tab and make sure that Automatic updates is enabled.
PS4: Go to Settings and select System Software Update. Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install any available updates for your PS4 system.
Xbox One: Go to Settings and select System. Select Updates & downloads and check for any available updates for your Xbox One system.
After updating your system and your game, launch Skyrim again and see if Skyrim black box sound issue is fixed.
Fix 3: Update GPU card drivers
If your GPU card drivers are outdated or corrupted, they can cause various problems with Skyrim display or sound. Updating your GPU card drivers can fix these problems and enhance your gaming performance. There are two ways you can update your GPU card drivers: manually or automatically.
To update your GPU card drivers manually, you need to visit the manufacturer's website of your graphics card and download the latest driver that is compatible with your system and your graphics card model. Then you need to install it step by step according to the instructions.
To update your GPU card drivers automatically, you can use a driver updater tool like Driver Easy. Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct drivers for it. You don't need to know exactly what system your computer is running, you don't need to risk downloading and installing the wrong driver, and you don't need to worry about making a mistake when installing.
To use Driver Easy, you just need to download and install it on your computer, then run it and click Scan Now button. It will scan your computer and detect any problem drivers. Then you can click Update All button to automatically download and install all missing or outdated drivers.
Fix 4: Run the game in windowed mode
Some players have reported that switching to windowed mode can fix Skyrim black box sound issue. Windowed mode is a setting that allows you to play the game in a smaller window instead of full screen. To switch to windowed mode for Skyrim on PC, you need to follow these steps:
Launch Steam and go to Library.
Right-click on Skyrim and select Properties.
Go to General tab and click on Set Launch Options.
Type -windowed in the box and click OK.
Launch Skyrim again and see if it works.
To switch back to full screen mode, you just need to remove -windowed from the launch options.
Fix 5: Verify the game integrity
If some of your Skyrim game files are missing, damaged or modified, they can cause errors or crashes when launching or playing the game. To fix this, you need to verify the integrity of your game files using Steam's built-in feature. This feature will scan your game files and repair any corrupted ones. Here are the steps to verify the integrity of your game files for Skyrim on PC:
Launch Steam and go to Library.
Right-click on Skyrim and select Properties.
Go to Local Files tab and click on Verify Integrity Of Game Files.
Wait for the process to complete and see if any files are corrupted and need to be repaired.
Launch Skyrim again and see if it works.
Fix 6: Reinstall Skyrim game
If none of the above fixes work for you, you may need to reinstall Skyrim game on your system. This can help you get rid of any corrupted or incompatible files that may be causing Skyrim black box sound issue. However, this will also delete your game saves and mods, so make sure you back them up before reinstalling. Here are the steps to reinstall Skyrim game on different platforms:
PC: Launch Steam and go to Library. Right-click on Skyrim and select Uninstall. Confirm your action and wait for the process to complete. Then go to Steam\\steamapps\\common folder and delete the Skyrim folder. Then launch Steam again and download and install Skyrim from your Library.
PS4: Go to Settings and select Storage. Select System Storage and then Applications. Find Skyrim and press Options button. Select Delete and confirm your action. Then insert the Skyrim disc or go to PlayStation Store and download and install Skyrim again.
Xbox One: Go to My Games & Apps and select Games. Find Skyrim and press Menu button. Select Manage Game & Add-ons and then Uninstall All. Confirm your action and wait for the process to complete. Then insert the Skyrim disc or go to Microsoft Store and download and install Skyrim again.
After reinstalling Skyrim game, launch it again and see if Skyrim black box sound issue is fixed.
Fix 7: Install DirectX from the Skyrim folder
If you don't have DirectX installed or if it is outdated, it can cause problems with Skyrim display or sound. DirectX is a software that enables your system to run multimedia applications such as games. Skyrim requires DirectX 9.0c or higher to run properly. To install DirectX from the Skyrim folder, you need to follow these steps:
Launch Steam and go to Library.
Right-click on Skyrim and select Properties.
Go to Local Files tab and click on Browse Local Files.
Open DirectX10 folder and double-click on DXSETUP.exe file.
Follow the on-screen instructions to install DirectX on your system.
Restart your computer and launch Skyrim again.
This should fix any issues related to DirectX and Skyrim black box sound issue.
Conclusion
Skyrim black box sound issue is a common problem that can affect your gaming experience on PC, PS4 or Xbox One. However, it can be fixed with some simple and effective solutions that we have listed in this article. Whether it is caused by mods, game updates, GPU card drivers, windowed mode, game integrity, Skyrim installation or DirectX, you can try these fixes to resolve the problem and enjoy the game.
We hope this article has helped you fix Skyrim black box sound issue on your system. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to leave a comment below.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about Skyrim black box sound issue:
Q: What is Skyrim black box sound issue?
A: Skyrim black box sound issue is a problem that occurs when you launch or play Skyrim on your PC, PS4 or Xbox One. The game screen turns black but you can still hear the sound of the game. Sometimes, you may also see a loading icon or a cursor on the black screen. This issue can prevent you from playing the game or cause you to lose your progress.
Q: What causes Skyrim black box sound issue?
A: There are several possible reasons why Skyrim black box sound issue happens. Some of them are mods, game updates, GPU card drivers, windowed mode, game integrity, Skyrim installation or DirectX.
Q: How to fix Skyrim black box sound issue?
A: Depending on what causes Skyrim black box sound issue on your system, you can try different solutions to fix it. Some of them are disabling the mods, checking for game updates, updating GPU card drivers, running the game in windowed mode, verifying the game integrity, reinstalling Skyrim game or installing DirectX from the Skyrim folder.
Q: How to backup my game saves and mods before reinstalling Skyrim?
A: To backup your game saves and mods before reinstalling Skyrim, you need to copy them from their original locations to another safe place. Here are the locations of your game saves and mods on different platforms:
PC: Your game saves are located in Users\\ (user name)\\Documents\\My Games\\Skyrim\\Saves folder. Your mods are located in Steam\\steamapps\\common\\Skyrim\\Data folder.
PS4: Your game saves are stored in Online Storage or USB Storage Device. You can access them from Settings > Application Saved Data Management > Saved Data in Online Storage or Saved Data in System Storage > Copy to USB Storage Device > The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition. Your mods are stored in My Library > The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition > PlayStation Store > Your Add-Ons.
Xbox One: Your game saves are stored in Cloud Storage or Hard Drive. You can access them from My Games & Apps > Games > The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition > Menu > Manage Game & Add-ons > Saved Data > Cloud Saved Games or Hard Drive Saved Games > Copy All Items > External Drive (if available). Your mods are stored in My Games & Apps > Games > The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition > Menu > Manage Game & Add-ons > Ready To Install.
Q: How to contact the support team of Skyrim if I still have problems?
A: If you still have problems with Skyrim after trying all the fixes in this article, you can contact the support team of Skyrim by visiting their official website https://help.bethesda.net/app/home. You can submit a ticket, browse FAQs, or chat with an agent to get help with your issues.