Game crashes on startup on Windows: how to find the cause and fix it

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A game that crashes at launch has no single cause, so work through the likely ones in order. Restart the PC, check Event Viewer for the file that failed, and install the latest Visual C++ Redistributable. Repairing Windows system files and, for Xbox app games, Gaming Services come next.

Applies to:Windows 10Windows 11
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What it means

"Crashes on startup" covers several situations: the window never appears, the game dies on the splash screen or intro video, or it quietly drops you back to the desktop or launcher. Sometimes a "stopped working" box or an error code shows up, and sometimes nothing at all.

Because so many things can cause this, guessing is slow. The fixes below run from quick and safe to more involved. Windows also records the crash, and reading that record first can save a lot of trial and error.

This article is for PC games on Windows 10 and 11, whether they come from Steam, Epic, the Xbox app or a standalone installer. If you have a specific error code, a narrower article such as DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG may fit better.

Symptoms and causes

You are likely dealing with this problem if:

  • No game window appears after you click Play.
  • The game crashes on the splash screen or intro video.
  • The game exits silently and you land back on the desktop or launcher.
  • A "stopped working" dialog or an error code appears.
  • On Steam, the Play button changes to Stop and then goes back to Play.

The usual causes, most common first:

Missing or outdated Visual C++ runtime
Microsoft states that an app built with its C++ tools needs a redistributable at least as new as the build tools, and that the architecture (x64 or x86) must match the app.
Damaged or missing game files
An interrupted update or disk errors can leave files incomplete. Reinstalling the game replaces them.
Graphics driver problems
If the crash record names a graphics driver file, such as nvwgf2umx.dll for NVIDIA, the driver is a likely suspect.
Broken Gaming Services or Xbox app (Store games)
Games from the Microsoft Store or Xbox app depend on these components. A Microsoft Q&A thread about an Xbox app launch crash handled them as a possible cause, with no confirmed root cause.
Damaged Windows system files or user profile
Less common, but the same thread suggested checking both when other fixes fail.

How to fix it

Work through these in order. They start with the quickest, safest checks and move to deeper repairs; stop as soon as the problem is gone.

1.Restart the PC and read the crash record

Easy

Event Viewer records an Application Error that names the faulting module, which tells you which fix below to pick.

  1. Restart Windows, then try the game again.
  2. If it still crashes, press WinR, type eventvwr.msc and press Enter.
  3. Go to Windows Logs > Application and find an Error with Event ID 1000 at the time of the crash.
  4. Note the faulting application and the faulting module. A graphics driver DLL points to the graphics driver, vcruntime140.dll points to the Visual C++ runtime. ntdll.dll is generic and does not identify a cause on its own.

2.Install the latest Visual C++ Redistributable

Easy

Fixes games that need a newer or missing runtime.

  1. Download and run the x64 installer from Microsoft: https://aka.ms/vc14/vc_redist.x64.exe
  2. Also run the x86 installer, because many games are 32-bit even on 64-bit Windows: https://aka.ms/vc14/vc_redist.x86.exe
  3. Restart the PC and launch the game. Older runtimes (2013 and earlier) install side by side, so you do not need to remove them. Microsoft also advises contacting the game's vendor if you are unsure whether a runtime update is the right fix.

3.Update the graphics driver

ModerateChanges settings

Worth doing when Event Viewer names a graphics driver file.

Before you start: Download drivers only from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel, or your PC maker. Save open work first, because the screen may flicker during installation.

  1. Get the current driver for your graphics card from the manufacturer's website, install it and restart.

4.Repair Windows system files

Moderate

Checks for damaged system components that games rely on.

  1. Open Start, search for Command Prompt, right-click it and choose Run as administrator.
  2. Run the System File Checker.
    Command Promptrun as administrator
    sfc /scannow
  3. When it finishes, run the DISM repair, then restart.
    Command Promptrun as administrator
    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

5.Update or reinstall Gaming Services (Microsoft Store and Xbox app games)

ModerateChanges settings

Games from the Xbox app and Microsoft Store depend on the app and Gaming Services working properly.

Before you start: Try the update step first and only continue if it fails. Removing Gaming Services affects all users on the PC, so close the game and the Xbox app first.

  1. Open Microsoft Store > Library and click Get updates to update the Xbox app and Gaming Services.
  2. If that does not help, open PowerShell as administrator and remove Gaming Services.
    PowerShellrun as administrator
    get-appxpackage Microsoft.GamingServices | remove-AppxPackage -allusers
  3. Then reinstall it from the Store.
    PowerShellrun as administrator
    start ms-windows-store://pdp/?productid=9MWPM2CQNLHN

6.Test a new user account, then reinstall the game

AdvancedChanges settings

A new local account rules out a damaged Windows profile. Reinstalling replaces any remaining bad game files.

Before you start: Back up save games before uninstalling, since some games store them in the install folder. Many keep them in cloud saves, but check first.

  1. Create a new local user in Settings > Accounts, sign in to it and try the game. If it works there, your original profile is the problem.
  2. Otherwise uninstall the game and install it again, ideally on a drive with plenty of free space.

Check that it worked

  • The game reaches its main menu and stays open for a few minutes.
  • No new Application Error (Event ID 1000) appears in Event Viewer for the game when you launch it.

If it still fails

  • Note the faulting module from Event Viewer and search for it together with the game's name on the game's official support page.
  • Contact the game's publisher support with the Event Viewer details, your Windows version and your graphics card model.
  • Some cases stay unsolved even after runtimes and drivers are ruled out, so a publisher patch may be the only fix.

Sources

  1. Latest Supported Visual C++ Redistributable DownloadsOfficial · Microsoft Learn
  2. Xbox app crashes on launch (Microsoft Q&A answer, community, partly AI-generated) · Microsoft Learn Q&A

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