inZOI: How to Fix Black Screen

Image Credit: inZOI Studio

If you’ve launched inZOI only to be greeted by a lovely black screen, some faint purring, and absolutely nothing else—welcome to the club. This black screen bug is hitting a lot of players, especially those with lower-end GPUs, Steam Decks, or Macs using tools like Whisky.

Read More: inZOI Tips and Tricks

Fix Attempt 1: Change Display Settings to Low

If you're on a Mac or lower-end PC and stuck on a black screen:

1. Go to:
   ~/Library/Application Support/Blueclient/Saved/Config/Mac/GameUserSettings.ini
   (On Windows, it's under AppData or the install directory.)

2. Replace the contents with this low-spec config:

   • Pastebin config link

This sets the game to windowed mode, low resolution, and minimal settings—just enough to bypass the heavy intro load.

Fix Attempt 2: Replace the Cutscene Files

The problem: inZOI tries to play ultra-HD intro and cutscene videos that some systems just can’t handle. The result? Black screen. Eternal loading. No gameplay.

The fix: Replace those heavy videos with tiny placeholder clips (or blank ones) so your game can skip past the mess.

Here's how to do it:

1. Go to the inZOI Game Folder

   • On Steam:
     Steam > steamapps > common > inZOI > BlueClient > Content > Movies

2. Backup the Originals (Optional, but Smart)

   • Make a copy of all the files in the Movies folder and store them somewhere safe.

3. Replace These Files with Short Placeholder Videos
   Replace these exact files:

   • intro.mp4

   • S01_priv.mp4

   • S02_priv.mp4

   • S03_priv.mp4

   You can use any short .mp4 file, but many users have had success with 1–10 second black videos from Pixabay or these pre-made packs:

   • Movies.rar (Mediafire)

   • Movies2.rar (Even Smaller)

4. Relaunch the Game

   • The black screen should be gone. If it still persists, continue with the steps below.

Other Things to Try If You're Still Stuck on Black Screen

• Play in Windowed Mode: Use -windowed in launch options or Alt+Enter during the black screen.

• Press F3: On some systems, this speeds up the freeze and helps the game load visuals.

• Wait it Out: Some players report needing to wait 3–5 minutes after the black screen, especially on Mac with 16–32GB RAM.

• Check for the Family Creation Loop: If you get past the black screen only to get stuck at the family submit screen, it’s usually the same cutscene issue. Replacing those videos should fix both bugs.

Steam Deck / Linux / Mac Notes

• Steam Deck: Use Proton Experimental and launch the game in windowed mode.

• Mac + Whisky: Replace videos as shown, and avoid fullscreen.

• Linux: Works fine with custom video replacements—no OS restrictions here.

Final Blurb

Replace the problem videos, launch in windowed mode, and skip the intro drama so you can get back to building your Zoi empire.

---

Recommended | View all inZOI