English
日本語English简体中文Español

Fortnite

Fortnite DX12 Black Screen: Compare Performance Mode and Restore Settings

For Fortnite on PC opening a window that stays black or freezes while using DX12. Running status with no window belongs to the launch guide.

Edited by Gemnao Editorial Team (Japanese)Last checked 2026-10-13
Saved articles (Japanese page) →
No account needed. Saved only in this browser.

The short answer

First check whether Windows can still display. Epic’s graphics-troubleshooting page suggests Performance Mode using -d3d12 -es31 for DX12 black screens. Record the original launch arguments and settings and compare one rendering mode at a time. If it does not help, remove the added arguments and restore the previous setup.

Different symptom or still not fixed? Find the next check →
Open My Games →Keep this game’s fixes handy. No account. This browser only.

Key facts

Scope
Windows displays; Fortnite stays black
Official comparison used here
Performance Mode: -d3d12 -es31
Restore
Remove the added arguments; restore the original text and toggle

Find your symptom

Start with your symptom. Skip steps that do not apply to your setup.

What you seeWhat to checkGo to
The desktop is also invisibleSeparate the Windows/display symptomStep 1
Only the game is black on DX12Compare the official rendering modeStep 2
No improvement after comparisonRestore and recordStep 3
Still happens after restorationReport GPU details and resultsStep 4

Fixes, in order

Continue this issue

Private notes stay in this browser. Nothing is sent automatically. Back up important notes on My Page. PC settings are never changed by this site.

Step 1｜Check whether only the game is black

Preserve the starting state.

Time: About 3–5 minutes to read and record · Risk: low

  1. Try Alt + Tab to switch to Windows. An invisible desktop, No Signal or a PC restart is not automatically a Fortnite-only DX12 problem.
  2. If Windows is usable, record the scene, sound/progress, current rendering settings and recent updates.
  3. Save the existing Additional Command Line Arguments text and enabled state in Epic. If rendering arguments or unfamiliar options already exist, consult official guidance instead of stacking them.

If no game window exists, use the Running but not opening guide.

Step 2｜Compare official Performance Mode

Do not request multiple rendering modes together.

Time: Duration depends on the task and device · Risk: low

  1. Close Fortnite. In Epic Games Launcher open Settings and expand Fortnite. If the interface differs from the official page, check it before proceeding.
  2. Enable Additional Command Line Arguments and enter -d3d12 -es31 as the rendering choice for this comparison. Do not append it to another mode selection.
  3. Launch Fortnite and record display, freezing and error changes in the same scene. Do not change other graphics settings or drivers at the same time.

This spelling follows Epic’s graphics-troubleshooting page. Do not combine it with alternative spellings from another mode article.

Step 3｜Compare and restore the previous mode

Avoid accumulating unhelpful settings.

Time: Duration depends on the task and device · Risk: low

  1. Close the game after comparison. Remove the added -d3d12 -es31 and restore the saved argument text and enabled state without deleting unrelated options.
  2. Launch normally and compare again. If display improved, record which mode was used and what happens after restart.
  3. If in-game rendering settings changed, check them against the saved values when the display is usable. Do not delete all configuration files while unable to see the screen.

An improvement in Performance Mode alone does not establish GPU failure or a universal DX12 defect.

Step 4｜Use GPU details to choose the next check

Do not keep adding the same arguments.

Time: About 3–5 minutes to read and record · Risk: low

  1. Use Epic’s graphics guide to find your GPU manufacturer’s driver information. If an update is needed, follow the exact model’s official instructions, record the old version and test separately.
  2. Give Epic the GPU, driver and Windows versions, original rendering choice, Performance Mode result and restored-state result.
  3. For a PC-wide display failure, use the manufacturer’s display guidance. For Running with no window, switch to the launch guide.

Check Running status without a window

Avoid

  • Do not combine arguments for different rendering modes
  • Do not disable protection or download replacement DLLs
  • Do not indiscriminately delete configuration or shader files

Important cautions

    FAQ

    Are black bars at the sides the same issue?

    No. Epic describes side bars from the 16:9 restriction in competitive modes as expected. Distinguish those from the entire game image being absent.

    What should I remove to restore the setup?

    Remove the -d3d12 -es31 added for this comparison and restore your saved argument text and toggle. Keep unrelated pre-existing options.

    Sources

    We checked these official pages and wrote the steps in our own words. Follow the publisher’s page if it has changed.

    Epic: Fortnite graphics and Performance ModeFortniteJapanese version of this page