Chrome Turned Gray? You’re Not Alone (and Here’s the Fix)
Staring at a lifeless gray screen after Chrome’s latest update? Don’t panic. A sneaky rendering bug in version 139 is turning screens across the web a dismal shade of gray for many users. But before you reach for another browser, there’s a quick workaround to restore Chrome to its colorful glory. Read on to banish the gray and get back to browsing.
Why You Are Seeing a Gray Screen in Google Chrome
Chrome 139’s arrival brought an unwelcome guest: a sneaky rendering bug. Imagine your browser suddenly painting the world in shades of gray, white, or even stark black! This visual meltdown stems from a glitch in Chrome’s GPU-powered graphics engine, leaving you staring at a blank canvas instead of the web. While Chrome can limp along using your computer’s CPU for drawing, it usually unleashes the full power of your GPU for lightning-fast performance. This bug? It’s like taking the keys to a sports car and being forced to push it uphill.
Is your Chrome screen turning into a lifeless gray void? The culprit might be hiding in plain sight: ANGLE. Chrome leverages your computer’s graphics card for a speed boost, thanks to a technology called ANGLE (Almost Native Graphics Layer Engine). Think of ANGLE as a translator, converting OpenGL ES commands into your system’s native language so Chrome can tap into your GPU’s power. However, in the latest Chrome versions, selecting OpenGL as ANGLE’s translation method can sometimes backfire, resulting in bizarre graphical glitches and that dreaded gray screen of doom.
As of writing, there is no official fix for this issue, but you can use the following workaround.
Fix the Gray Screen in Google Chrome
Chrome’s staring back at you with a soul-crushing gray screen? OpenGL’s likely the culprit. Ironically, switching Chrome to a different ANGLE setting fixes it, but you can’treachthose settings through the gray void. The workaround? Temporarily disable hardware acceleration system-wide. Think of it as CPR for your browser, clearing the way to then tweak Chrome’s internals. Let’s resuscitate that screen. Here’s the procedure.
Close Chrome, right-click on its icon, and selectProperties.
Here in theTargetsection, append--disable-gpuwith a space. It should look like this:
“`
“C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe”
—
disable
–
gpu “`
ClickOKand launch Chrome, and it should start working fine.
Gray screens be gone, but beware the tradeoff! This fix disables Chrome’s hardware acceleration, trading visual clarity for sluggish performance. For buttery-smooth browsing, stick with the default ANGLE settings and keep hardware acceleration switched on.
Type chrome://flags in Chrome’s address bar to open experimental features.
Dive into Chrome’s hidden settings! Type “angle” into the top search bar. When you spot “Choose ANGLE graphics backend,” ditch the default and unleash the power ofDefault(or D3D11). A quick Chrome restart and BAM! Experience smoother, crisper graphics.
You can now safely remove the--disable-gpuline we appended in Chrome properties to enable hardware acceleration.
Stuck with a black screen in Chrome after forcing OpenGL with ANGLE? You’re not alone. Google’s working on a fix, but in the meantime, your Chromium-based browser might be affected too. Give it a whirl there first. Still staring at a void? Dive into these Chrome black screen troubleshooting steps your screen shouldn’t be a portal to nothingness.
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