Minecraft is a game that requires you to think outside the box. However, not always do the in-game scenarios need that creative thinking. There are times when Minecraft plunges you into unexpected scenarios with no clues or hints whatsoever.
Staring at a grey skin instead of having your favorite game load can be a bummer, especially when a building project is at stake. Therefore, it is time to witness the power of the internet once again, as it presents you with the cure to this widely common issue.
The Minecraft Launcher (Java Edition) often presents its users with a grey screen. The reason is usually a corrupted windows file called launcher_msa_credentials.json that can be deleted in the AppData folder.
While this is one common solution, there are many reasons why this issue occurs in the first place. Therefore, we recommend you diagnose your problem before attempting a fix.
What is the Grey Screen Error?
As the name indicates, you are presented with a grey screen whenever your try to open your Minecraft game on the Minecraft Launcher Java Edition. This screen will stay as long as you try and will not let the game load.
Since the error stems from a proactive issue, it is impossible to implement a PC restart and expect it to go away. Therefore, you must devise a proper set of actions to eliminate it. That being said, there are certain reasons why you might be presented with a grey screen during your Minecraft session.
Why Do the Grey Screen Errors Occur?
There are many reasons why one might get this error. While some of them are temporary, others require active removal. Needless to say, there are certain remedies for each kind of issue, so there’s no need to panic.
Corrupted Files
As mentioned, one of the very main reasons for this behavior to occur is due to a file getting corrupted. While it is not rare for files to get corrupted, we recommend keeping your war machine in top shape to serve you as long as possible.
That being said, the corrupted file issue can occur due to the following reasons:
- Bad Shutdown: If your computer loses power as a file is being saved, it will most likely get corrupted. While running Minecraft, your system saves your in-game progression in real-time through files. Therefore, it is relatively common for such incidents to happen.
- System Crashes: A file is in its most vulnerable state when it is being written on. Therefore, any form of a system crash is enough to mangle the entire process.
- Version Mismatches: While this is rather rare, a version mismatch can also result in a file getting corrupted. The launcher might be expecting a newer version while it is being presented with an older one instead.
How Does a File Get Corrupted?
Let’s say the game engine recognizes the end of an entry with a “—” at the end of the line. While the file was being written, the system crashed, and now the file ended in a broken sentence since the line wasn’t fully written.
The game engine won’t recognize a file ending at ‘val’ because it looks for a “—.” A similar scenario ensues at a much lower level, which labels a file as ‘corrupted.’
This can also mangle the contents of the file during the translation process. Therefore, Minecraft will not run if it can’t read the local data files.
Threats Blocking by Antiviruses
Bad antiviruses can become the bane of Minecraft Launcher’s existence. This is because it is rather likely for your antivirus protection wall to perceive the reading and writing actions taken by the launcher engine as possible threats.
Therefore, just like a trusty comrade, it will spare no effort in protecting you from such ‘threats’. This might result in it blocking certain read and write attempts or entire files that are essential for running Minecraft Launcher.
Fixing the Grey Screen Error
There are multiple reasons why you might face this error. However, the resolutions are rather simple. Needless to say, you have the choice of picking your poison. If you cannot resolve the grey skin issue after one remedy, it might be worth drinking another bottle until you’re out of options.
Needless to say, such cases are extremely rare. Therefore, it might just be worth waiting for a dev to release a bug report if that happens. With that being said, here are the top ways of eliminating such errors.
Reinstall the Minecraft Launcher
‘Restart’ and ‘Reinstall’ are the two magic words that seem to solve more than half of the existing tech-related issues. While they might not be the cure for every disease, their chances of succeeding are high enough to warrant a try.
With that said, here is how you can initiate a proper reinstall for the Minecraft Launcher:
- Head to the Apps & Settings of your relevant platform and locate the Minecraft Launcher application.
- From there, press the Uninstall button and wait for the process to finish. You might need to head into the properties to find certain platform options.
- Once the application has been uninstalled, perform a complete restart. This will destroy/unlink the residual files that might remain in the system.
- Go to the Official Minecraft Website to download the Minecraft launcher again. Consequently, you can also download your relevant launcher from below:
| Minecraft Launcher Versions | Files |
| Windows 10/11 | Download Here! |
| Windows 7/8 | Download Here! |
| Android | Download Here! |
| iOS | Download Here! |
| Devian-based Distributions | Download Here! |
| Arch Based Distributions | Download Here! |
| Other Distributions | Download Here! |
- Once the setup is downloaded, perform the installation procedures according to your operating system and launch the Minecraft Launcher.
You will probably need to re-login to your account to resume your progress. However, you might lose a bit of progress that got corrupted before being synced to the online servers.
Therefore, we recommend you steel your resolve since there is no way of recovering that data in the scenario.
Restrict Your Antivirus
If you’re facing an antivirus issue, chances are that you’re already submerged in the pop-ups from your antivirus service telling you to get rid of the Minecraft Launcher files. While their reliability is rather questionable, this issue can be fixed by implementing a threat filter.
Simply allow Minecraft in the list of threats to ignore in your relevant virus protection software and you should be good to go.
You might need to reinstall the launcher since most antiviruses are known for notoriously deleting any files they perceive as threats before asking the user. While this method is much more secure than letting the virus run amok, it can cause many files to get deleted at random intervals.
Optimize Your PC
There are times when there is no underlying issue with the game or the game files. Rather, it is more about how long your PC processes the opening command. You’ll be seeing the same grey screen in this scenario as well.
Therefore, this issue can instead be identified by borrowing the power of the task manager of your respective operating systems.
With that said, here is what you need to do:
- Identify the weakness: Open the task manager or relevant software to check whether the issue lies in RAM or the Processor.
- Clear unwanted applications: Simply uninstall or end the application process to free up some space for your Minecraft Launcher to run. However, don’t touch the system-related applications no matter what.
This is because deleting or stopping any key system file will crash your PC or corrupt your operating system. - Set the game’s priority to the max: Increasing the game’s priority will cause the system to prioritize it over useless, redundant background tasks, thereby causing it to run faster and smoother.
If the issue lies within the PC speed and the above methods are not good enough, it might be time to upgrade your device.
Contact Customer Services
If the mentioned methods cannot solve your issue, you might be down for a long drive through the support lane. Simply head to the Minecraft Bug Reporter and add your entry there.
With that being said, this is the most unreliable method as it won’t tell you whether your issue is genuine or just a slight overlook. Nonetheless, a genuine issue will warrant a look and resolution from the devs.
Therefore, your Minecraft Launcher might be up and running again in weeks.
All in all, encountering bugs and issues during your gameplay can be rather bothersome, especially when they’re redundant with no solution. That being said, most of the issues do have a solution.
Therefore, we recommend you keep trying until you can run Minecraft smoothly once again.