Microsoft Edge opens to a Black Screen and nothing else

I actually just found a solution to this that worked for me!

1. Open the task manager (ctrl+shft+esc) to make sure Microsoft Edge isn't running as a background process. If it is running, end the task(s).
2. In file explorer, go to C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Local\Microsoft
3. Locate the folder called "Edge"
4. Change the name of that folder (to something like "EdgeOld")
5. Try opening Microsoft Edge again

Hi, good day!

• Please try to disable or uninstall any third-party Antivirus program to prevent it from interfering with Edge.
• Press Windows key+R to open Run then type:

%localappdata%\Microsoft\Edge\

Make a backup of the User Data folder and save it on another location

After that delete the said folder on the path above

Please check if this fixes the issue.

I look forward to receiving your update and I'm willing to collaborate with you till we resolve the issue. Do keep me informed.

Hi Joshua Muscat,

Thank you for reaching out Microsoft Q&A regarding the issue with Microsoft Edge opening to a black screen. I understand how disruptive this can be, and I appreciate your patience as we work through it.

Based on your description and the steps you've already taken, I recognize that you've covered the most common troubleshooting paths.

To move forward, here are a few more advanced steps that may help resolve the issue:

Step 1: Kill GPU Process via Edge’s Task Manager

Even if Edge opens to a black screen, you can still interact with its internal task manager:

• Press Shift + Esc to open Edge’s Task Manager.
• Use your mouse to hover and click on GPU Process.
• Click End Process.

This may immediately restore visibility to Edge.

Step 2: Disable Hardware Acceleration via Shortcut

If you can’t access Edge settings:

• Right-click the Edge shortcut and select Properties.
• In the Target field, add:

  "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe" --disable-gpu

• Click Apply and relaunch Edge.

Step 3: Delete GPUCache Folder

• Navigate to:

  C:\Users<YourUsername>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\ShaderCache

• Delete the GPUCache folder.
• Restart your PC and try launching Edge again.

Step 4: Reset or Reinstall Edge

-If Edge becomes visible after the previous steps:

• Open Edge and go to Settings → Reset Settings.
• Click Restore settings to their default values, confirm the reset, and restart Edge.

-If Edge remains unresponsive:

• Download the latest installer .
• Run the installer to overwrite and repair the current installation.

Step 5: Create a New Windows User Profile

Sometimes the issue is tied to your Windows profile instead. You should try creating a new local user account then logging in with the new account and launch Edge to see if it helps.

 -Go to Settings > Accounts > Other users. 

-Click Add account → choose Add a user without a Microsoft account. 

-Enter a username and password → click Next. 

-Sign out and log in to the new account. 

 For more detailed instructions, please refer to the official Microsoft support page at:

How to create a Local account in Windows 11 - ARTICLE - Microsoft Q&A 

If the issue persists after these steps, please let me know and I'll happy to assist further.

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