Are you seeing only a Sky Go desktop white screen upon installing the app? Well, this is not something to be afraid of, it’s actually a very easy-to-solve bug.
In this guide we’ll show you how to address the Sky Go white screen issue on desktops including Windows and Apple macOS!
When Sky Go shows a white screen on your desktop app, then the installation has gone wrong, or you simply don’t have an internet connection.
The solution involves a clean Sky Go app reinstallation as well as thoroughly troubleshooting your desktop playout.
Deciphering the Sky Go Desktop Blank White Screen!
When you open the Sky Go app on your desktop and you only see a white screen that appears to be staying there indefinitely, it’s safe to assume that something is wrong.
With a PC operating system such as Windows and macOS, there are quite a lot of possibilities for this issue.
Here’s everything that causes the Sky Go white screen on desktop machines:
Can You Watch Sky Go via Browser?
Unfortunately, no you cannot watch Sky Go via a computer browser.
However, there is a Sky Go app that is available for Windows and macOS, so you can install the software and stream on any desktop computer.
How to Fix the Sky Go Desktop White Screen Issue?
1. Verify Desktop OS Compatibility
If you only see a white screen when you open the Sky Go app, without any prompt to sign in or any other visual options, you need to check the compatibility.
The Sky Go app is compatible with the desktop operating system, but the version of the system matters in regard to functionality.
So, you first need to verify that your Sky Go app works on your operating system version:
Sky Go on Windows System
Sky Go is proven and tested to work excellently on Windows 8.1, Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Well, some sources claim that Sky Go works on Windows 7 as well, but considering that the OS has been out of support for years now, we wouldn’t have high expectations for a smooth Sky Go payout.
Sky Go on macOS System
The Sky Go application is proven to work on macOS running on Sierra, El Capitan, High Sierra, Big Sur, Mojave, Ventura and Monterey.
So, if your desktop macOS computer does not run any of these operating system versions, then the Sky Go application wouldn’t work.
2. Soft-Reset Your Desktop Playout
In case you’ve just downloaded the Sky Go app on your desktop and all you see is a white screen, it’s time to refresh your system.
The quickest way to reboot all services and apps would be to perform a soft reset on your operating system by shutting down your desktop entirely.
Simply, turn off your desktop for about 3 minutes! Then boot up your desktop and test whether the Sky Go application is now working.
If not, then there is another way to force reset the app. So continue reading…
3. Kill the Sky Go App Task & Service!
When you’re using a desktop, you have a very wide range of opportunities when it comes to refreshing apps, services, and tasks.
If you only see a white screen when you open the Sky Go app on your computer, you can kill and restart the application’s services for a fresh beginning.
Before you start, open the Sky Go app and leave it on the white screen!
How to Kill Sky Go Task on Windows?
- First, click on the Start Menu (Windows icon).
- Then, use the search and type “Task Manager”.
- Next, right-click and “Open As Administrator”.
- Then, go to “Processes” from the tabs above.
- Next, repeatedly press the “S” keyboard button.
- This will cycle all tasks starting with the letter “S”.
- When you land on Sky Go, right-click > “End Task”.
Tip: When the app is closed, right-click and select “Open as Administrator”!
How to Kill Sky Go Task on macOS?
- First, click on the “Finder” icon from the dock.
- Then, use the magnifying glass for searching.
- Type “Activity Monitor” and wait for it to show up.
- Open the Activity Monitor by clicking the icon.
- Then, scroll down to find the “Sky Go” service.
- Double-click on the service, and select “Quit”.
- When you’re ready, re-open Sky Go for testing.
Note: In case the Sky Go app does not consume any CPU resources while showing the white screen, then the app is frozen.
4. Verify the Desktop’s Internet/WiFi
The internet and the WiFi are the fundamental factors for streaming the Sky Go app on any device, not only desktop.
So, if you don’t have a good internet connection on your playout device, then the Sky Go app content will not load and you’ll most likely see a white screen.
To verify the integrity of your desktop’s internet, follow the steps below:
- Verify that you can surf the web as normally.
- Test whether you can stream videos without any lag.
- Ping continuously to test the internet’s consistency.
How to Test Internet Consistency?
On Windows
To continuously ping on Windows 7 and above, use the Start Menu, to find and open the CMD “Command Prompt” as Administrator and type the following command:
- ping 8.8.8.8 -t
On macOS
To continuously ping on macOS (OSX), go to Applications, then Utilities, open the Terminal, and type in the following command:
- ping -c 1000 8.8.8.8
Press “Enter” to input the command and observe whether any of your sent/received internet data packets are “Timed Out”.
Test Sky Go only when your internet is proven to be consistent.
Note: Any internet fluctuations or downtime prevents the Sky Go desktop app from loading!
5. How to Reinstall Sky Go on Windows?
One of the best solutions against the Sky Go white screen on a desktop is a clean reinstallation of the application.
If you follow our steps, we will not only clear any data corruption but guarantee that you’ll download Sky Go from the official and verified source.
- Use the Start Menu to open the Control Panel.
- Then click on “Programs” > “Uninstall Program”.
- For a small icon view, click “Programmes & Features”.
- From the list, find and click on the “Sky Go” app.
- Then, click on the “Uninstall” button at the top right.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to remove Sky Go.
- To download Sky Go back, go to Sky Go Download.
- Go down and click on “Windows – download the app”.
- Then install the “SkyGoInstaller.exe” and then test.
How to Reinstall Sky Go on macOS?
- Use the Finder to navigate to the Applications.
- Then, scroll the list to find the Sky Go application.
- Then drag the app to the Trash and remove it.
- Alternatively, click on “File” > “Move to Trash”.
- Then go to Sky Go Download and scroll down.
- Click on the “Mac – download the app” button.
- Next, install the downloaded SkyGoInstaller file.
- When you’re ready, open Sky Go and then test.
Note: When you open Sky Go on your desktop, you will be prompted to sign in!
6. Update Your Desktop Playout PC
It’s very important to verify that your desktop’s operating system version is up to date, which will reveal whether the Sky Go white screen appears due to compatibility issues.
How to Update Windows?
Start from the Start Menu, go to “Settings”, then select “Windows Update” and click on “Check for Updates”.
How to Update macOS?
From the Apple Menu, enter the “System Settings”, select “General”, choose the “System” tile, and click on “Software Update”.
Tip: When the pending updates are applied to your desktop, reboot the operating system and then test whether the Sky Go app works!
7. Stop Desktop Antivirus & VPN
The Sky Go white screen might be a consequence of antivirus software installed on your desktop.
If you’ve downloaded the Sky Go app from the Sky official website, then you have nothing to worry about, so feel free to deactivate your antivirus to test Sky Go one more time.
Also, if you’re using a VPN, (not connected to a British server), the white screen might be an example of what happens if you’re trying to stream Sky Go from outside the United Kingdom.
So, if you’re within the UK, deactivate your VPN, and if you’re outside the UK, activate one.
Quick Recap:
Hence, the Sky Go desktop white screen typically appears whenever the installation of the software didn’t go well.
In addition, the compatibility and firmware version of the computer is of great importance as well as the consistency of your internet and WiFi.
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Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.