With every newly released game, performance is always a concern. Bethesda Game Studios’ Starfield is no exception in this context. This space-themed action RPG title is set for release on September 6th, 2023, for Microsoft Windows and Xbox Series X/S. Furthermore, it’s already available and playable on Early Access for the players who purchased the Premium Edition. However, the players who are indeed playing Starfield on Early Access have reported several different errors and bugs in the game. The performance issues have also troubled them quite a bit, and they’re actively searching for fixes. In this article, we have shared details on how to fix the crashing, not launching, stuttering, low FPS, & black screen issues in Starfield on PC. So, continue reading this guide until the end for more details.
Multiple players have reported facing the above-mentioned issues in Starfield on the game’s Steam discussion forum. These issues have become increasingly frustrating as they directly ruin the gaming experience. However, there are a number of workarounds that you can try if you want to troubleshoot such issues in the game. So, if you’re struggling with the same thing, here are some workarounds for you to try.
Starfield Crashing, Not Launching, Stuttering, Low FPS & Black Screen Issue on PC: How to Fix?
The workarounds mentioned below are just potential fixes, and there is no guarantee they will work. Well, we are hopeful that with the game’s official release on September 6, the developers will release the Day 1 patch that will get rid of these issues for good. But, since there is no confirmation on the same, take this information with a pinch of salt. Anyway, in the absence of an official fix, these workarounds are your best shot at fixing the game.
Restart game/PC
The first thing that you have to try is restarting the game. You can do so by pressing the Alt + F4 keys together to quickly exit the game and then launch it again. If that doesn’t work, turn off your PC, boot it up, and then launch the game.
Install the game on an SSD
As shared by multiple players, most in-game issues, including audio-related issues, are fixed by simply moving the game to an SSD drive. If that doesn’t work, you need to move the game to your C: drive and check if that fixes the issue.
Disable OneDrive/GDrive
If you have these applications installed on your PC, disable them and then launch Starfield. Although this workaround might not seem effective, it can surely do the trick.
Update Windows
Also, check whether you are running the 22H2 version of Windows on your system. If not, update your Windows OS to the latest version and then launch the game.
Lower in-game graphics settings
We understand that games like Starfield offer the best experience if you play with maxed-out graphics. However, this can trigger stuttering and crash issues. So, if you are able to launch the game, go to the Settings menu and visit the Display section. Here, you should lower the graphics settings and disable effects like Motion blur, Upscaler, and VRS. Also, make sure to turn on VSync. After this, check whether the issue persists.
Launch the game from the installation folder
- Open Steam and go to your Steam Library.
- Find and right-click on Starfield from the list of games.
- Click on Properties from the drop-down menu, and select Installed Files.
- Click on Browse.
- Now, locate the executable file of Starfield from the game’s installation directory and double-click on it to launch it. Check if the issue persists.
Verify game files
- Open Steam and go to your Steam Library.
- From the list of installed games, locate and right-click on Starfield.
- Click on Properties from the drop-down menu and select Installed Files.
- Select the “Verify integrity of game files” option.
- Wait until the process completes, then run the game and see if the issue persists.
Update Steam
- Open Steam and then click on the Steam option in the top-left corner of your screen..
- From the drop-down menu, select the “Check for Steam client updates” option.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to update your Steam client.
Run the game as an administrator
You can try running the game as an administrator to get rid of such issues.
- Locate the executable file of Starfield from the game’s installation directory and right-click on it.
- From the drop-down menu, click on Properties.
- Go to the Compatibility tab.
- Click on the box corresponding to the “Run this program as an administrator” option to enable it.
- Click on Apply and then select OK.
- Run the game and see if the issue persists.
Run the game in Compatibility Mode
- Well, follow the first three steps from the previous workaround.
- Now, in the Compatibility tab, click on the option that says “Run this program in compatibility mode for” and then select Windows 8 from the drop-down menu.
- Run the game and see if the crashes still occur.
- If the issue persists, try running the game in compatibility mode for Windows 7, following the same steps.
Disable overlay and overclocking applications
If your game still faces performance issues, you’ll need to disable the overlay and overclocking applications that may be hindering its functionality. These applications often run in the background and use your system’s resources, which can cause games to stutter and crash. Disable these applications and then launch Starfield.
Disconnect all peripherals
You should try and disconnect every USB device that’s plugged into your PC and see if it solves the crashing, not launching, stuttering, low FPS, and black screen issues in the game. In fact, if you use a controller, you should disconnect it as well while trying to launch the game. Then, you need to see if the issue persists, and if it doesn’t, then try the next workaround.
Disable Steam Overlay
- Open Steam and go to your Steam Library.
- Locate Starfield from the list of installed games and right-click on it.
- Click on Properties from the drop-down menu and go to the General option.
- Toggle off the “Enable the Steam overlay while In-Game” option.
- Run the game and see if the error still persists.
Force DirectX to run the game
- Open Steam and go to your Steam Library.
- Locate Starfield and right-click on it
- Click on Properties from the drop-down menu and go to the General tab.
- In the text box under the Launch Options, type “-dx11” and run the game.
- If the issue continues to persist, then use the following command to run the game – “-dx12”.
- Run the game and see if it works.
Update GPU drivers
- Open the Quick Link Menu by pressing the Windows + X keys together.
- Open Device Manager, and then click on Display Adapters.
- Locate the dedicated GPU that you’re using and right-click on it.
- Click on the “Update Driver” option.
- Now, select the “Search automatically for drivers” option and wait until the updates are installed.
- Wait until the latest drivers are updated, and then run the game and see if the issue persists.
Note: You can also install the latest drivers from the support software or the official website of your GPU manufacturer.
Reinstall the game
Finally, if none of the mentioned workarounds fixed the issues, then uninstall the game and reinstall it on a different drive to troubleshoot the error. You should also check for any pending updates for Starfield and install them to get rid of any major issues.
Well, this is how you can fix the crashing, not launching, stuttering, low FPS, and black screen issues in Starfield on PC. Hopefully, you’ll be able to troubleshoot this error using our guide. If you find this guide insightful, keep visiting DigiStatement for more such gaming-related content.
