Elden Ring crashing? Don’t despair, Tarnished! The most common fix is to update your graphics drivers. Outdated drivers are a frequent culprit. If that doesn’t work, this guide will walk you through other troubleshooting steps to get you back to exploring the Lands Between.

Understanding Potential Causes

Elden Ring crashes can stem from both hardware and software issues. Common causes include:

  • Driver Instability: Outdated or corrupted graphics drivers.
  • Hardware Limitations: Insufficient CPU, GPU, or RAM.
  • Software Conflicts: Other applications interfering with Elden Ring.
  • Game File Corruption: Missing or corrupted game files.
  • Overheating: CPU or GPU overheating.
  • DirectX Issues: Problems with DirectX.
  • Overlay Interference: Overlays like Discord or Steam Overlay causing conflicts.
  • Game Bugs: Issues within the game requiring a patch.

Troubleshooting Steps

Here’s a step-by-step approach to fixing Elden Ring crashes:

Safety First: Before making any hardware changes, ensure your computer is powered off and unplugged.

1. Update Your Graphics Drivers

  • How to: Go to the NVIDIA or AMD website and download the latest drivers for your GPU (e.g., RTX 3080, RX 6800 XT). You can also use NVIDIA GeForce Experience or AMD Adrenalin software.
  • Why: New drivers include bug fixes and performance improvements for games like Elden Ring.
  • Clean Install: Perform a “clean install” during driver installation to remove old driver remnants.

2. Verify Game File Integrity

  • How to: In Steam, right-click on Elden Ring, go to “Properties,” then “Local Files,” and click “Verify integrity of game files.”
  • Why: This checks for missing or corrupted game files.

3. Lower Graphics Settings

  • How to: In Elden Ring’s settings, reduce graphics quality (e.g., from “High” to “Medium” or “Low”). Lower the resolution and disable anti-aliasing (AA).
  • Why: Reduces the load on your GPU and CPU.
  • Consider: Use tools like MSI Afterburner to monitor GPU and CPU usage.

4. Close Background Applications

  • How to: Close unnecessary applications, such as web browsers and streaming software.
  • Why: These applications can consume system resources.
  • Consider: Focus on closing applications with overlays (Discord, Steam Overlay).

5. Disable Overlays

  • How to: Disable in-game overlays, such as Steam Overlay, Discord Overlay, NVIDIA GeForce Experience Overlay, and AMD Adrenalin Overlay.
  • Why: Overlays can interfere with the game’s rendering.
  • How to Disable: Go into the settings of the specific application.

6. Check for Overheating

  • How to: Monitor your CPU and GPU temperatures using tools like HWMonitor or MSI Afterburner.
  • Why: Overheating causes system instability.
  • Acceptable Temperatures: Keep your CPU below 80°C and your GPU below 85°C while gaming.
  • If Overheating: Clean fans and heatsinks. Consider reapplying thermal paste or upgrading your cooling system.

7. Update DirectX

  • How to: Search for the latest DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer on the Microsoft website and run it.
  • Why: Resolves compatibility issues with the game’s graphics engine.

8. Run Elden Ring as Administrator

  • How to: Right-click on the Elden Ring executable (eldenring.exe) and select “Run as administrator.”
  • Why: Grants the game elevated privileges.

9. Check Event Viewer for Errors

  • How to: Search for “Event Viewer” in Windows. Look for errors related to Elden Ring or graphics drivers.
  • Why: Provides clues about the cause of the crashes.
  • Use this information: Search online for error codes or modules mentioned.

10. Reinstall Elden Ring

  • How to: Uninstall Elden Ring from Steam and then reinstall it.
  • Why: Resolves issues caused by deeply corrupted game files.

By following these steps, you should be able to identify and address the cause of your Elden Ring crashes.

FAQ

Q: Why is updating graphics drivers the first step? A: Outdated or corrupted graphics drivers are one of the most common causes of crashes in Elden Ring and other graphically demanding games. Updating them often resolves compatibility issues and improves performance.

Q: How do I know if my computer is overheating? A: Use monitoring software like HWMonitor or MSI Afterburner to check your CPU and GPU temperatures. Generally, keep your CPU below 80°C and your GPU below 85°C while gaming. If temperatures are consistently higher, your system may be overheating.

Q: What if none of these steps work? A: If you’ve tried all the troubleshooting steps and are still experiencing crashes, the issue might be a bug within the game itself. Check the Elden Ring forums and community discussions to see if other players are experiencing the same issue. If so, FromSoftware may release a patch to address the problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is updating graphics drivers the first step?

Outdated or corrupted graphics drivers are one of the most common causes of crashes in Elden Ring and other graphically demanding games. Updating them often resolves compatibility issues and improves performance.

How do I know if my computer is overheating?

Use monitoring software like HWMonitor or MSI Afterburner to check your CPU and GPU temperatures. Generally, keep your CPU below 80°C and your GPU below 85°C while gaming. If temperatures are consistently higher, your system may be overheating.

What if none of these steps work?

If you’ve tried all the troubleshooting steps and are still experiencing crashes, the issue might be a bug within the game itself. Check the Elden Ring forums and community discussions to see if other players are experiencing the same issue. If so, FromSoftware may release a patch to address the problem.