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How to Open Black Boxes in Iracing

Answer to how to open black boxes in iRacing for iRacing drivers: quick, tested steps to fix HUD/graphics black box glitches fast so you can get back on track.

If you see black boxes blocking your HUD or UI in iRacing, the fix is usually a simple graphics/overlay conflict or HUD scaling problem. You’re in the right place — below I’ll explain what causes it and give direct steps to clear the black boxes and restore the normal display.

Quick Answer — how to open black boxes in iracing

Most “black boxes” are a visual glitch from overlays (Discord, Steam, NVIDIA), Windows display scaling, or a fullscreen/borderless mode mismatch. Turn off overlays, set Windows scaling to 100%, toggle fullscreen, update drivers, then restart iRacing — that fixes it in ≈90% of cases.

What’s Really Going On

iRacing’s HUD is drawn on top of the game. Third‑party overlays or mismatched display scaling can block or corrupt those HUD rectangles, showing them as solid black. It’s not your car or setup — it’s the renderer/UI layer. Fixing the renderer or removing the overlay usually clears the black boxes immediately.

Step-by-Step Fix

  1. Close overlays first: exit Discord overlay, disable Steam overlay, and turn off NVIDIA/AMD/Intel in‑game overlays (GeForce Experience, Radeon overlay). Also close MSI Afterburner/RTSS.
  2. Set Windows scaling to 100%: Windows Settings > System > Display > Scale and layout → 100%. Log out or restart if required.
  3. Toggle fullscreen mode: inside iRacing try Fullscreen vs Borderless (Alt+Enter or Options > Graphics). Some graphics glitches disappear when switching modes.
  4. Update GPU drivers: download the latest drivers from NVIDIA/AMD/Intel and reboot your PC. This resolves many HUD rendering bugs.
  5. Repair or refresh iRacing files: open the iRacing Launcher and run the Repair/Check for Updates option, then restart the sim.
  6. Test without additional software: close overlays and background monitoring apps, then launch a quick practice session to confirm the black boxes are gone.

If the problem remains, try running iRacing as administrator and make your main monitor the primary display in Windows Display Settings.

Extra Tips / Checklist

  • Try a different car/track to see if the bug is session-specific.
  • Switch render options (lower detail or disable HDR if available) to test whether graphics settings affect it.
  • If you use multiple monitors, make sure the iRacing window uses the primary monitor and matching resolution.
  • Keep overlays off while racing; re-enable them only to confirm if they’re the culprit.
  • If you’re comfortable, collect a screenshot and the iRacing log and contact iRacing support for persistent issues.

FAQs

Q: Will disabling overlays stop other apps from showing in races?
A: Yes — disabling overlays removes their in‑game display. You can still run the apps in the background; just turn the overlay feature off.

Q: I reset HUD but black boxes remain. What now?
A: Follow the overlay + scaling steps above and update GPU drivers. If that fails, use the iRacing Launcher Repair and contact support with logs.

Q: Do black boxes affect lap data or SR (safety rating)?
A: No — black boxes are visual only and don’t impact telemetry, timing, SR, or iRating.

Q: Can Windows scaling alone cause this?
A: Yes. Non‑100% scaling can corrupt UI drawing in some games. Set scaling to 100% to test.

Short Wrap-Up

Black boxes in iRacing are almost always a display/overlay issue. Turn off overlays, set Windows scaling to 100%, toggle fullscreen, update drivers, and repair iRacing — that will clear it fast. If it persists, capture a screenshot and contact iRacing support.