[BUG] Claude Desktop black screen with Windows HDR enabled (NVIDIA RTX 4080 + high-refresh monitor)

[roiizchak]

Preflight Checklist

• I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
• I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

[BUG] Claude Desktop black screen with Windows HDR enabled (NVIDIA RTX 4080 + high-refresh monitor)

Preflight Checklist

• I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• This is a single bug report
• I am using the latest version of Claude Desktop

What's Wrong?

Claude Desktop renders a black screen when Windows 11 HDR is enabled. The app window appears but content is completely black/unrenderable. Other Electron-based apps (Discord, VS Code) work correctly with HDR enabled on the same system. The issue is specific to Claude Desktop's MSIX-packaged Electron build.

Expected Behavior

Claude Desktop should render normally with Windows HDR enabled, consistent with how other Electron apps (Discord, VS Code) handle HDR on the same hardware and OS configuration.

Environment

Component	Detail
Claude Desktop version	1.1.3189.0 (MSIX package)
Package	Claude_1.1.3189.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc
Executable path	C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Claude_1.1.3189.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc\app\Claude.exe
OS	Windows 11 25H2 (Build 26200.7840)
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080
NVIDIA driver	591.86 (32.0.15.9186)
CPU	AMD (no integrated GPU)
Monitor	Samsung Odyssey G7 LC27G7xT
Resolution	2560×1440 @ 240Hz
Color depth	10-bit, scRGB linear color space
HDR	Windows HDR enabled
Connection	DisplayPort
Windows Updates	KB5077181 (Feb 11, 2026), KB5077869 (Feb 11, 2026)

Reproduction Steps

1. Enable HDR in Windows Settings → System → Display
2. Launch Claude Desktop
3. App window opens but content is black/blank
4. Disabling HDR immediately resolves the issue

What Was Tried (All Failed)

1. Environment Variable — ELECTRON_EXTRA_LAUNCH_ARGS

Set as a User environment variable via sysdm.cpl:

• --disable-gpu-compositing → No effect
• --disable-gpu --disable-software-rasterizer → No effect

Conclusion: Claude Desktop's MSIX packaging appears to ignore ELECTRON_EXTRA_LAUNCH_ARGS, unlike standard Electron apps (Discord, VS Code) which respect this variable.

2. Electron flags config file

Created %APPDATA%\Claude\electron-flags.conf with various flag combinations:

--disable-gpu-compositing
--disable-direct-composition

And separately:

--disable-gpu
--disable-software-rasterizer

Result: No effect. Claude Desktop does not appear to read this file.

3. NVIDIA Control Panel per-app profile

Attempted to add Claude.exe to NVIDIA Control Panel → Manage 3D Settings → Program Settings with:

• Power management mode → Prefer maximum performance
• Threaded optimization → Off
• Vertical sync → On

Result: WindowsApps folder is access-restricted. Even after locating the correct path (...\app\Claude.exe) and adding the profile, the black screen persisted.

4. Windows Graphics Settings per-app GPU override

Settings → System → Display → Graphics → attempted to set Claude to "Power saving" (integrated GPU).

Result: Not applicable — system has AMD CPU with no integrated GPU (discrete RTX 4080 only).

5. Registry-based MPO (Multiplane Overlay) fixes

Attempted disabling MPO via:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Dwm]
"OverlayTestMode"=dword:00000005

And separately:

"OverlayMinFPS"=dword:00000000

Result: OverlayTestMode=5 on Windows 11 24H2/25H2 no longer properly disables MPO and caused additional desktop-wide black screen flashes during window transitions. OverlayMinFPS=0 alone did not resolve the Claude Desktop issue. Both were reverted.

6. GPU cache clearing

Remove-Item "$env:APPDATA\Claude\GPUCache" -Recurse -Force
Remove-Item "$env:APPDATA\Claude\Cache" -Recurse -Force

Result: No effect after restart.

Key Observation

Discord and VS Code (both Electron apps) work perfectly with HDR enabled on the same system. The critical difference is:

• Discord/VS Code: Standard installer (Squirrel/NSIS) — respects ELECTRON_EXTRA_LAUNCH_ARGS and Chromium flags
• Claude Desktop: MSIX package — appears to sandbox or ignore all external GPU flag mechanisms

This strongly suggests the issue is in how Claude Desktop's MSIX build initializes GPU compositing under HDR, and that it does not expose any user-configurable way to pass Chromium launch flags.

Suggested Fix

1. Respect ELECTRON_EXTRA_LAUNCH_ARGS environment variable like other Electron apps do
2. Add --disable-gpu-compositing or equivalent HDR-safe flags to the Electron config when HDR is detected
3. Expose GPU settings in Claude Desktop's settings UI (similar to Discord's "Hardware Acceleration" toggle)
4. Consider reading %APPDATA%\Claude\electron-flags.conf for advanced users

Related Issues

• #21803 — Blank screen after Windows Hibernate with external monitor
• #21764 — Code tab shows black screen
• #3592 — Blank screen if click minimize button
• electron/electron#40515 — Window transparency not respected (black/gray background)
• electron/electron#4380 — Black screen with NVIDIA GPU

Workaround

Use claude.ai in a browser (Edge/Chrome) installed as a PWA (Progressive Web App) via Edge → Apps → Install this site as an app. Browser-based access handles HDR correctly.

# [BUG] Claude Desktop black screen with Windows HDR enabled (NVIDIA RTX 4080 + high-refresh monitor)

Preflight Checklist

• I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• This is a single bug report
• I am using the latest version of Claude Desktop

What's Wrong?

Claude Desktop renders a black screen when Windows 11 HDR is enabled. The app window appears but content is completely black/unrenderable. Other Electron-based apps (Discord, VS Code) work correctly with HDR enabled on the same system. The issue is specific to Claude Desktop's MSIX-packaged Electron build.

Expected Behavior

Claude Desktop should render normally with Windows HDR enabled, consistent with how other Electron apps (Discord, VS Code) handle HDR on the same hardware and OS configuration.

Environment

Component	Detail
Claude Desktop version	1.1.3189.0 (MSIX package)
Package	Claude_1.1.3189.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc
Executable path	C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Claude_1.1.3189.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc\app\Claude.exe
OS	Windows 11 25H2 (Build 26200.7840)
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080
NVIDIA driver	591.86 (32.0.15.9186)
CPU	AMD (no integrated GPU)
Monitor	Samsung Odyssey G7 LC27G7xT
Resolution	2560×1440 @ 240Hz
Color depth	10-bit, scRGB linear color space
HDR	Windows HDR enabled
Connection	DisplayPort
Windows Updates	KB5077181 (Feb 11, 2026), KB5077869 (Feb 11, 2026)

Reproduction Steps

1. Enable HDR in Windows Settings → System → Display
2. Launch Claude Desktop
3. App window opens but content is black/blank
4. Disabling HDR immediately resolves the issue

What Was Tried (All Failed)

1. Environment Variable — ELECTRON_EXTRA_LAUNCH_ARGS

Set as a User environment variable via sysdm.cpl:

• --disable-gpu-compositing → No effect
• --disable-gpu --disable-software-rasterizer → No effect

Conclusion: Claude Desktop's MSIX packaging appears to ignore ELECTRON_EXTRA_LAUNCH_ARGS, unlike standard Electron apps (Discord, VS Code) which respect this variable.

2. Electron flags config file

Created %APPDATA%\Claude\electron-flags.conf with various flag combinations:

--disable-gpu-compositing
--disable-direct-composition

And separately:

--disable-gpu
--disable-software-rasterizer

Result: No effect. Claude Desktop does not appear to read this file.

3. NVIDIA Control Panel per-app profile

Attempted to add Claude.exe to NVIDIA Control Panel → Manage 3D Settings → Program Settings with:

• Power management mode → Prefer maximum performance
• Threaded optimization → Off
• Vertical sync → On

Result: WindowsApps folder is access-restricted. Even after locating the correct path (...\app\Claude.exe) and adding the profile, the black screen persisted.

4. Windows Graphics Settings per-app GPU override

Settings → System → Display → Graphics → attempted to set Claude to "Power saving" (integrated GPU).

Result: Not applicable — system has AMD CPU with no integrated GPU (discrete RTX 4080 only).

5. Registry-based MPO (Multiplane Overlay) fixes

Attempted disabling MPO via:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Dwm]
"OverlayTestMode"=dword:00000005

And separately:

"OverlayMinFPS"=dword:00000000

Result: OverlayTestMode=5 on Windows 11 24H2/25H2 no longer properly disables MPO and caused additional desktop-wide black screen flashes during window transitions. OverlayMinFPS=0 alone did not resolve the Claude Desktop issue. Both were reverted.

6. GPU cache clearing

Remove-Item "$env:APPDATA\Claude\GPUCache" -Recurse -Force
Remove-Item "$env:APPDATA\Claude\Cache" -Recurse -Force

Result: No effect after restart.

Key Observation

Discord and VS Code (both Electron apps) work perfectly with HDR enabled on the same system. The critical difference is:

• Discord/VS Code: Standard installer (Squirrel/NSIS) — respects ELECTRON_EXTRA_LAUNCH_ARGS and Chromium flags
• Claude Desktop: MSIX package — appears to sandbox or ignore all external GPU flag mechanisms

This strongly suggests the issue is in how Claude Desktop's MSIX build initializes GPU compositing under HDR, and that it does not expose any user-configurable way to pass Chromium launch flags.

Suggested Fix

1. Respect ELECTRON_EXTRA_LAUNCH_ARGS environment variable like other Electron apps do
2. Add --disable-gpu-compositing or equivalent HDR-safe flags to the Electron config when HDR is detected
3. Expose GPU settings in Claude Desktop's settings UI (similar to Discord's "Hardware Acceleration" toggle)
4. Consider reading %APPDATA%\Claude\electron-flags.conf for advanced users

Related Issues

• [#21803](BUG] Claude Desktop shows white/blank screen after Windows Hibernate with external monitor #21803) — Blank screen after Windows Hibernate with external monitor
• [#21764](Claude Desktop App - Code tab shows black screen #21764) — Code tab shows black screen
• [#3592]([BUG] Claude Blank Screen if click minisize button #3592) — Blank screen if click minimize button
• [electron/electron#40515]([Bug]: window transparency not respected (black/gray background) on some systems electron/electron#40515) — Window transparency not respected (black/gray background)
• [electron/electron#4380](Black screen with an Nvidia GPU electron/electron#4380) — Black screen with NVIDIA GPU

Workaround

Use claude.ai in a browser (Edge/Chrome) installed as a PWA (Progressive Web App) via Edge → Apps → Install this site as an app. Browser-based access handles HDR correctly.

What Should Happen?

Claude Desktop should render normally with Windows HDR enabled, consistent with how other Electron apps (Discord, VS Code) handle HDR on the same hardware and OS configuration. The MSIX-packaged build should either respect ELECTRON_EXTRA_LAUNCH_ARGS environment variable, read electron-flags.conf from %APPDATA%\Claude, or include a Hardware Acceleration toggle in settings.

Error Messages/Logs

Get-WinEvent -LogName Application -MaxEvents 20 | Where-Object {$_.Message -like "*Claude*" -or $_.Message -like "*Electron*" -or $_.Message -like "*GPU*"} | Format-List TimeCreated, Message


If that returns nothing, just put:

No crash logs available. App renders black screen without crashing — no error dialog, no Event Viewer entries. The window frame is visible but content area is entirely black.

Steps to Reproduce

1. System: NVIDIA RTX 4080 + Samsung Odyssey G7 (2560x1440 @ 240Hz, 10-bit, scRGB) + AMD CPU (no iGPU)
2. Enable HDR in Windows Settings → System → Display
3. Launch Claude Desktop (v1.1.3189.0 MSIX)
4. App window opens but content area is entirely black
5. Disable HDR → Claude Desktop renders normally
6. Discord and VS Code (also Electron) work fine with HDR on the same system

Attempted workarounds (all failed):

• ELECTRON_EXTRA_LAUNCH_ARGS with --disable-gpu, --disable-gpu-compositing
• electron-flags.conf in %APPDATA%\Claude\
• NVIDIA Control Panel per-app profile
• Registry MPO fixes (OverlayTestMode, OverlayMinFPS)
• GPU cache clearing

Root cause: MSIX packaging ignores all standard Chromium/Electron GPU flag mechanisms

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

No response

Claude Code Version

Claude Desktop 1.1.3189.0 (MSIX) — not a Claude Code issue

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

Windows Terminal

Additional Information

No response

[github-actions]

Found 3 possible duplicate issues:

1. [BUG] Claude Desktop shows black/blank window on restore (Windows) - React #418 still occurring on v1.1.2156 Body: #23637
2. BUG] Claude Desktop shows white/blank screen after Windows Hibernate with external monitor #21803
3. [BUG] Cowork Windows - Display corruption and blackout on 4K DisplayPort primary monitor (NVIDIA T400) #25758

This issue will be automatically closed as a duplicate in 3 days.

• If your issue is a duplicate, please close it and 👍 the existing issue instead
• To prevent auto-closure, add a comment or 👎 this comment

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

[roiizchak]

It not some issue like in the issues that you said

…

On Sat, Feb 14, 2026, 21:52 github-actions[bot] ***@***.***> wrote: *github-actions[bot]* left a comment (anthropics/claude-code#25801) <#25801 (comment)> Found 3 possible duplicate issues: 1. #23637 <#23637> 2. #21803 <#21803> 3. #25758 <#25758> This issue will be automatically closed as a duplicate in 3 days. - If your issue is a duplicate, please close it and 👍 the existing issue instead - To prevent auto-closure, add a comment or 👎 this comment 🤖 Generated with Claude Code <https://claude.ai/code> — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#25801 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/B5BTG3JLINGUO3245D42KDL4L54HHAVCNFSM6AAAAACVEV3ZUKVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTSMBSGQYTOMJRHA> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[LenneR-Cond]

I am experiencing the same issue, after updating. Before there were no issues. Currently on version Claude 1.1.3189 (1b7b58). It is not one of the issues above. It has nothing to do with my refresh rate (it's 60hz) and it actually stops my monitor from receiving signals. After a while it restores, when I intereact with Claude Desktop again the monitor goes black again (and gives the No Signal message).

[QNETAlien]

Same problem here. Nvidia RTX4060 with a 165Hz monitor and HDR enabled

[AlbertoSPJ]

Same problem here. I have a high-refresh-rate monitor and I constantly get black screens due to signal loss from the monitor every time I interact with the Claude app. I’ve tried all the settings shown above in the NVIDIA Control Panel (RTX 2060 SUPER). It’s really difficult to use the application at the moment.