How to fix the Camtasia 9 black screen errors in Windows 10

So you should certainly at least disable those software, and any other antivirus utilities, you have running alongside Camtasia.

You can often turn off antivirus software by selecting a disable option on their system tray context menus. Alternatively, you can remove the antivirus software from the system startup.

That will ensure they don’t automatically run when Windows start.

4. Update the Camtasia software

Some Camtasia users have stated that updating the software fixed the black screen error for them. This page lists updates that have fixed various Camtasia bugs.

To check for Camtasia updates, click the Help menu at the top of the software’s window. Then you can select a Check for Updates option.

Check out this amazing guide to quickly learn how to record your screen in Windows 10 with the built-in tool.

5. Check the canvas dimensions

Also note that what appears to be a black screen preview might just be a tiny, invisible canvas.

One Camtasia user stated: It turned out the issue for me was that my Project Dimensions had somehow gotten set from 1,920 x 1,080 to 2 x 1. As such, it might also be worth checking that your canvas dimension settings.

To do that, click the Magnification drop-down menu at the top of the canvas and select Project Settings. Then select a more standard 1,920 x 1,080 dimension for the canvas from the Canvas Dimensions menu.

Alternatively, you can enter custom values for the canvas in the width and height fields. Press the Apply button to adjust the canvas.

Those resolutions will probably fix the black screen error in Camtasia so that you can playback recorded output.

Note, however, that there are also quite a few alternative freeware software you can record videos with, starting with Adobe Premiere Pro. Check out our software guide to discover further details for the best Windows 10 video-recording programs.

Let us know what worked for you in the comments section below.

FAQ: Learn more about video recording software

• Is Camtasia good for video editing?

Camtasia is a professional video editing software compatible with both Windows and Mac infrastructures. The tool has many powerful features that make it a good choice for videographers. Also check out our best video editing software with motion tracking recommendations.

• What’s a good recording software?

The best recording software currently available on the market are Adobe Audition (for audio especially) and Adobe Premiere Pro (for video content mostly). 

• Does Windows 10 have a video recorder?

Yes, the feature is called Game Bar, and it is used to record video content. Simply press the Windows key + G to bring it up, then press the red recording button to start.