Fix QuickBooks Turned Black and White Display Issue – Easy Guide

QuickBooks Desktop is one of the effective accounting solutions utilized by both small and medium-sized businesses. While using this application for payments, payroll management operations, and other financial tasks, several issues may arise. Among all these errors, there is one display-based issue that a user might face in which the screen appears black instead of white. QuickBooks users often find the QuickBooks Turned Black and White error when their QuickBooks desktop has been used for several months. AccountsPro will discuss the solution of My QuickBooks screen turned Black and White and other related tasks.

What is the QuickBooks Turned Black and White screen Issue?

QuickBooks users may experience a display issue where some fields appear black instead of white and vice versa. This can also cause a gray screen, missing icons, or faint icons due to poor color contrast. Additionally, gray lines or other visual errors might appear in the interface, hindering your work. Let’s troubleshoot the causes and solutions for this black-and-white issue in QuickBooks.

Why does the QuickBooks desktop screen go black and White?

Seeing QuickBooks in black and white? This can happen due to issues with either QuickBooks itself or your computer’s display settings. Let’s explore the potential causes.

Black boxes and horizontal lines display on the desktop due to the following cases:

• Outdated QuickBooks Application: Running an older version of QuickBooks may trigger compatibility issues.
• Failed Update Installation: An unsuccessful QuickBooks update could lead to display anomalies.
• Screen Resolution Issues: Improperly optimized screen resolution settings might not meet the software’s requirements.
• Outdated Video Drivers: Incompatible or obsolete video drivers can result in errors.
• Hardware Malfunctions: Problems with firmware, graphics cards, or system memory may also contribute to the issue.

Display problems in QuickBooks Desktop can manifest in a variety of ways. Some common issues to look out for include:

• Missing Buttons: Certain buttons are not visible on the interface.
• Invisible Sizing Icons: The minimize, maximize, and close icons in the top-right corner of the screen are missing.
• Improperly Fitting Transaction Forms: Transaction forms may not align correctly with the screen dimensions.
• Window Distortion: Minimizing or maximizing windows can result in visual distortion.
• Unusually Large Fonts: The font size may appear larger than usual, disrupting readability.
• Field Label Issues: Field labels may be hidden or overwritten, making them difficult to read.

You can go through all the steps for resolving QuickBooks Windows File Exist Error otherwise your multiple attempt to open QB would be failed.

Quick Fixes for the QuickBooks Screen to go Black and White problem

• Reboot all workstations and the server.
• Register QuickBooks files by running the “Reboot.bat” file using the following steps:
  • Close the QuickBooks application and right-click on the QuickBooks icon.
  • Select “Properties.”
  • Click on “Open file location.”
  • Find the “reboot.bat” file in the folder and right-click on it.
  • Choose “Run as Administrator.”
  • Wait for the program to complete running until the “reboot” window closes automatically.
• End the QBW32.exe process from the Task Manager with the following steps:
  • Click on the “Start” icon and type “taskmgr” to open the Task Manager.
  • Go to the “Processes” tab.
  • Find the “QuickBooks (32-bit)” or “QBW32.exe” process.
  • Right-click on each process and select “End Process” or “End Task.”
• If you don’t find the process, it means that QuickBooks is already closed, and you can proceed with the troubleshooting methods without any issues.

To resolve the QuickBooks black and white screen issue, you have several troubleshooting methods available. While some of these methods might involve technical steps, you can start with some quick fixes to address the problem without delving into detailed troubleshooting. Give these quick fixes a try first before attempting more in-depth methods to resolve why quickbooks desktop screen display black instead of white.

Top 8 Solutions to Resolve QuickBooks Black and White Screen Error?

Here are some effective resolution methods to help you fix the QuickBooks black-and-white screen issue. Carefully follow the step-by-step instructions provided in this blog to resolve the error.

Solution 1: Choose the Quick Fix My Program application from the QuickBooks tools hub

• Download and install the QuickBooks tool hub.
• It is the most common tool used to fix the errors. Follow the steps to run this tool:
  • You need to close the QuickBooks software
  • Download the QuickBooks Tools Hub file and save it in the preferred location where you can easily discover it when required
  • Follow the on-screen instructions and also agree to their display of any terms and conditions
• After performing all required steps, hit the finish button
• Double-click on the software icon to open it.
• In case you are unable to locate the icon, then it is suggested to search for it on Windows and choose the specified program
• Now the next step is to execute the downloaded program to quickly fix the error. To do this follow the steps:
  • Navigate the QuickBooks tool hub and then locate program problems
  • Choose Quick Fix for my program.

Also, get the details of another tool that helps to Repair QuickBooks Corrupted File instantly, like the QB Tool Hub tool.

Solution 2: Update video card drivers to the advanced version

Check that your video card drivers are updated, as outdated drivers may become incompatible with the updated QuickBooks application. Follow the steps below:

• Click the Start button and open the Control Panel.
• Select Device Manager.
• Locate your video card in the list, then right-click on it.
• Choose Update Driver Software.
  • Select Search automatically for updated driver software to let Windows find the latest driver.
  • For a manual update, note the video card’s name from the Device Manager.
• Visit the manufacturer’s website, search for your video card, and review any tips or instructions provided.
• Download the latest driver from the manufacturer’s website.
• Run the downloaded file from its saved location and carefully follow the QuickBooks installation instructions.
• After the installation is complete, restart your system to apply the changes.

Or

To perform this, you are required to open the run command. Follow the steps:

• Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog.
• Type “dxdiag” into the Run dialog and press the Enter key.
• In the DirectX Diagnostic Tool window, navigate to the “Display” tab to find the model and manufacturing details of your display.
• Once you have the necessary information, visit the manufacturer’s website to download the required updates for your display.
• After downloading the drivers, proceed to install them on your computer. Once the installation is complete, remember to restart your computer to ensure that the changes take effect.

Solution 3: Change the Screen Resolution Using the Registry Editor

To correct the display settings, you need to change the Windows theme to Basic and adjust the resolution through the Registry Editor. Follow these steps to change the resolution:

• Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog.
• Type regedit into the Run dialog and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Click on the little arrow icons before the folders on the left pane to navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE_\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENT VERSION\WINDOWS.
• Double-click on the GDIProcessHandleQuota option to open the Edit window.
• In the Edit window, select the Decimal radio button under the Base section.
• Change the ‘Value data’ from 10000 to 65535 and click the ‘OK’ button to save the changes.
• Close the Registry Editor.
• It is advisable to set a reminder to change the ‘GDIProcessHandleQuota‘ value back to ‘10000’ after resolving the resource leak, as this is an important default setting.
• After completing the above process, proceed to change the Windows theme according to your preference.

Solution 4: Change the Windows theme to the basic

Here are the steps:

• Minimize all running applications to access your desktop. Alternatively, click on the lower-right corner of your display to open the Desktop.
• Right-click anywhere on the screen and select the Personalize option from the context menu.
• From the provided options, select a Basic theme offered by Windows.
• Once you have selected the Basic theme, restart your computer to apply the changes and update the theme accordingly.

Solution 5: Edit the QBW.ini file

If the error persists after trying all the above methods, follow the steps outlined below to resolve it.

• Close the QuickBooks application to ensure no conflicts during the process.
• Press the ‘Windows + E’ keys together to open File Explorer on your computer.

QuickBooks Versions	QBWini Path
QuickBooks 2024	C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks 2024\QBW.ini
Enterprise Solutions 24.0	C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 24.0\QBW.ini
QuickBooks 2023	C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks 2023\QBW.ini
Enterprise Solutions 23.0	C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 23.0\QBW.ini
QuickBooks 2022	C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks 2022\QBW.ini
Enterprise Solutions 22.0	C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 22.0\QBW.ini
QuickBooks 2021	C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks 2021\QBW.ini
Enterprise Solutions 21.0	C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 21.0\QBW.ini
QuickBooks 2020	C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks 2020\QBW.ini
Enterprise Solutions 20.0	C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 20.0\QBW.ini
QuickBooks 2019	C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks 2019\QBW.ini
Enterprise Solutions 19.0	C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 19.0\QBW.ini
QuickBooks 2018	C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks 2018\QBW.ini
Enterprise Solutions 18.0	C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 18.0\QBW.ini

• Navigate to the C drive, and then follow this path: Program Data > Intuit > QuickBooksXX (where XX represents the version of QuickBooks you are using) > QBW.ini“.
• Open the QBW.ini file and scroll to the end of the document.
• Type the following text at the end of the file: “:[COLORS] Classic=0”.
• Save the changes by pressing ‘Ctrl + S’ together or using the ‘File’ menu to save the file.

Solution 6: Restart the software

Try the basic troubleshooting step, i.e., restart of QuickBooks desktop installed on your system. You need to verify whether the DBW32.exe file is switched off. Ensure that it is not executing in the background while performing this solution.

After checking, follow the below-given steps:

• Locate the Windows Start option, enter the task manager, and then hit the Enter key
• Now Windows Task Manager will appear on the screen
• Navigate the processes option to display the log of the entire background processes running in the background
• If you are accessing QuickBooks desktop in Windows 10, and if these tabs are not visible, you need to click on More Details located at the bottom of the window
• Search for the QuickBooks .exe file
• When you discover the respective file, then you need to end the process for that. Locate the End task.

Solution 7: Reboot QuickBooks Desktop

For Windows XP, 7, & Vista users:

• Navigate the start button present on the taskbar
• Hit on the small arrow located to the right of the shutdown option
• Click on the Turn-off button and choose Restart

For Windows 8 and beyond systems:

• Locate the start menu
• Hit on the tab Power option
• Select Restart

Solution 8: Register QuickBooks Program File Again

• Go to the folder that contains your QuickBooks company files.
• Right-click the .bat file and select Run as Administrator.
• Ensure you have Windows administrative rights to run the file.
• A command prompt window will open, displaying file paths as the process runs. The window will close automatically when it finishes.
• Open QuickBooks Desktop and check if the display issue persists.

Conclusion!

These aforementioned steps will help you to revise the QuickBooks error display Turned Black and White. If the issue still isn’t resolved despite performing the instructions given in the above article, or need further information on the same, then reach the QuickBooks Support team of AccountsPro.

The professionals are available 24×7 to address all your problems and provide all assistance related to the QuickBooks application or other QuickBooks Function Errors. You can even chat with the experts or send an email.

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