Horizon Zero Dawn — How to Fix "Black screen and shader compilation crash"
Black screen and shader compilation crash in Horizon Zero Dawn: the fix path, and when it is grounds for a refund.
Last updated 2026-09-25 · evergreen reference
If Horizon Zero Dawn is failing with "Black screen and shader compilation crash", this page tells you which fixes are worth your time and when you should stop troubleshooting and go to the store instead. The causes are specific, so the fixes are too.
What the error looks like
Confirm you are dealing with the same failure.
Recognising "Black screen and shader compilation crash"
The game goes black during the optimisation or shader compilation step, crashes to desktop, or launches to a black screen while audio continues.
Why it happens
The cause determines the fix.
Cause 1
A corrupt shader cache. PSOCache.bin in the LocalCacheDX12 folder is roughly 1.4 GB and is the single most common culprit.
Cause 2
Insufficient memory for the compilation pass. Shader compilation is memory-hungry, and a small page file or a nearly full drive makes it fail.
Cause 3
In the audio-continues case, the window opened on a disconnected display or at a refresh rate the monitor will not accept.
Fixes, in the order that works
Cheapest and most reversible first.
Delete PSOCache.bin
Navigate to the game install folder, open LocalCacheDX12 and delete PSOCache.bin. Relaunch — the game rebuilds and recompiles shaders. This resolves a very large share of optimisation-stage crashes.
Free disk space and raise the page file
Shader compilation needs room on the install drive. Separately, open advanced system settings, go to Performance > Advanced > Virtual Memory and let Windows manage the paging file size, or set the system drive to a system-managed size.
Restart after compilation finishes
Once shaders have compiled, quit and relaunch. The game holds memory from the compile pass that it only releases on a fresh start.
Try Alt + Enter for the audio-only black screen
If you can hear the game, the window is on a display that is not active. Alt + Enter forces windowed mode. Otherwise delete the display settings in EE.cfg-style config so the game rebuilds them.
Disable Game Mode, Game Bar and background recording
All three sit under Settings > Gaming and consume RAM during exactly the pass that is failing.
How to confirm it is fixed
One successful launch is not proof.
Retest properly
Run a full launch cycle including a complete shader rebuild, then a second launch that should skip compilation. Both must succeed before you call it fixed.
When to ask for a refund instead
Troubleshooting has a deadline.
Know the window
Steam refunds within 14 days of purchase and under 2 hours of playtime, and documented technical faults are sometimes accepted past that. Microsoft Store and Epic follow similar rules with store-specific exception paths.
Evidence changes outcomes
Attach crash logs, a DxDiag and the steps you already tried. A denied refund can sometimes be overturned when you can show the game is genuinely unplayable rather than simply disliked.
Bans are not refundable
If the failure follows an anti-cheat ban or a modified online client, no store will refund it. That is a separate category from a game that will not run.
Related pages
This is an independent player reference and is not official documentation for Horizon Zero Dawn. GameFixPro does not host or link to copyrighted assets. Modding guidance is for single-player use only — never use mods in online multiplayer. Verify current requirements, prices and policies with the publisher before acting.