Black screen for 1-3 seconds when focused window is transitioned. Started after downloading and using Rivatuner but could just be a coincidence.

Understanding and Resolving the Black Screen Delay Triggered by Focus Transitions in Windows

If you’ve recently experienced brief black screens lasting 1-3 seconds whenever switching focus between windows—whether in games or other applications—you’re not alone. This issue can disrupt multitasking workflows and reduce overall productivity. Although the problem may seem isolated, it often stems from software interactions or recent system modifications. In this article, we’ll explore potential causes, especially relating to overclocking and third-party applications such as Rivatuner, and provide actionable solutions to resolve this frustrating glitch.

Identifying the Symptoms and Scope

The primary symptom involves a noticeable black screen lasting approximately one to three seconds during window focus transitions. This behavior is similar to what occurs when toggling full-screen modes but can affect all focusable windows, including applications running in windowed mode. Notably, some exceptions have been observed:

• Older games successfully run in borderless windowed mode, such as Company of Heroes 2.
• Background applications or idle games that do not require focus seem unaffected.
• Interestingly, running a Discord stream can sometimes mitigate the issue, hinting at a possible software interaction component.

Initial Suspicions and Potential Causes

The timing of the issue’s onset provides clues. The problem reportedly began after installing and configuring Rivatuner Statistics Server (RTSS), primarily used for in-game FPS limiting and monitoring. It appears that RTSS may interfere with Windows’ focus handling or driver behavior, although this remains speculative.

Other factors to consider include:

• Residual settings or remnants left behind after attempting to uninstall RTSS.
• Conflicting or incompatible display or graphics driver configurations.
• Changes to system or application FPS/hertz settings, though these have been verified as consistent.
• Auxiliary applications such as Process Lasso, OBS, or Playnite that might interact with focus or graphics.

Troubleshooting Steps and Recommendations

1. Verify Display Settings
   Ensure that monitor refresh rates and application frame rates are synchronized. Discrepancies here can sometimes cause focus or rendering glitches.

2. Check for Residual RTSS Files or Settings
   Since RTSS was forcefully uninstalled after difficulty, residual files or registry entries might remain. Use comprehensive cleanup tools:

3. Revo Uninstaller (force removal mode)

4. CCleaner or similar tools to scan for leftover registry entries and files
5. Manually inspect common directories such as C:\Program Files\, `C:\Program Files (x86