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Black screen after starting a connection

Last Modified Mar 15, 2026

Occasionally, when connecting with TeamViewer, you may encounter a black screen instead of the remote device's desktop. This article outlines the most common causes and how to resolve them.

This article applies to all TeamViewer users.

Common causes

A black screen on the remote machine is typically caused by one of the following:

The remote device is headless (no physical monitor attached)

Modern versions of TeamViewer support connections to headless devices on both Windows and macOS:

  • Windows:
    Virtual Monitor support is built in and is used automatically when connecting to a headless device. No user interaction or manual configuration is required.

  • macOS:
    Basic headless connections are supported. Some limitations may apply, in particular in connection with Fast User Switching and devices where a user is logged in with the screen locked.

Missing Screen Recording permission on macOS (most common macOS cause)

If the remote device is a Mac, the most frequent cause of a black screen is missing Screen Recording permission for TeamViewer.

The remote user must grant Screen Recording access in System Settings ➜ Privacy & Security ➜ Screen Recording.

For detailed instructions, see: Remote control a Mac

Communication between the devices is being blocked

A firewall, VPN, or security software may prevent TeamViewer from capturing or transmitting the remote screen.

An active minimized RDP session on the remote Windows device

If someone is connected to the remote PC via Windows Remote Desktop (RDP) and the RDP window is minimized, the Windows desktop is not rendered, which prevents TeamViewer from capturing the screen.

To resolve this, the RDP user must restore the RDP session window.

For more details: Use TeamViewer on Windows servers

Troubleshooting steps

Please ensure both devices are running the latest available version of TeamViewer within your major version. Updating often resolves compatibility and rendering issues.

You can also try the following:

1. Restart the remote device

A restart often clears temporary driver, display, or communication issues.

2. Close and relaunch TeamViewer (Windows)

In rare cases, a full application restart is helpful.
(Manually restarting the Windows service is typically no longer necessary, as service-related issues are not a common cause of black screens.)