If FIFA 23 won't launch when you fancy a kickabout, you may be wondering what you can do. It is just one of several issues that gamers have been discovering with FIFA 23, and as has been the case with other issues, it's not new to this year's incarnation of the game.
In some ways, this is infuriating. Because why aren't these issues being resolved year after year? But at least there is a silver lining. Because we know what's worked in previous years, we already have a very good idea of what will fix it this time around. Here's what you can try.
How To Fix FIFA 23 Not Launching Issue On PC
There are a lot of potential fixes for this issue. And given that there doesn't appear to be any definitive solution, it's very difficult to suggest a specific cause that applies to every player. So work your way through our list until you find the fix that works for you.
Check System Requirements
Start by making sure that the computer you are trying to use is actually capable of playing the game. Check the minimum system requirements for FIFA 23, and see how your computer measures up.
If you find that your computer doesn't meet or exceed those requirements, then sorry, but this is probably where your journey ends. No troubleshooting is going to fix the issue if your hardware can't actually cope with the demands of the game.
Verify Integrity of Game Files
Assuming your PC is up to the job, then it's well worth making sure that no files were corrupted during the installation process. It's pretty simple to do this.
If you're on Steam:
- Launch Steam
- From the Library section, right-click on the game and select Properties from the menu.
- Select the Local Files tab and click the Verify Integrity of Game Files button.
- Steam will verify the game's files - this process may take several minutes. This will always download a number of files even if you've just verified.
- Once the process is completed, close the windows, then launch the game.
On Epic Games:
- Navigate to the game in your Library and click on the three dots or right-click on the game icon.
- On the drop-down navigation, click Manage.
- Once open, click Verify and wait for the process to finish.
Check for Updates
It is sometimes the case that issues are caused when something needs updating. So check for any updates that may be pending. These include game updates, software updates for your computer, graphics driver updates, and DirectX updates.
Run FIFA 23 as Administrator
Some players have found that running the game as an administrator has been effective in previous versions of FIFA. So this is worth trying:
- Go to your FIFA 23 folder and right-click on the .exe file.
- Select Properties.
- Click on the Compatibility tab.
- Tick the box marked Run this program as an administrator.
- Click Apply, then OK.
Change Your EA ID
One further user-provided solution lies in changing your EA ID. Go to EA.com and sign in to your EA account.
Change your EA ID from the default, which is usually just a long string of numbers.
Once this is changed, restart the game, and see if it makes a difference.
Check Antivirus and Firewall
Sometimes, an overzealous piece of security software can stop a program from executing properly. So try disabling your antivirus and/or firewall, and see if FIFA 23 launches. If so, it indicates where the problem lies.
You can also make sure FIFA 23 is on the safe list, so that your antivirus/firewall doesn't block it.
Clean Boot
A clean boot will start Windows with minimal drivers and startup programs, so if a background process is stopping FIFA 23 from launching, this might help. To perform a clean boot:
- Select Search, type msconfig , and then select System Configuration.
- On the Services tab of System Configuration, select Hide all Microsoft services, and then select Disable all. Select Apply.
- On the Startup tab of System Configuration, select Open Task Manager.
- On the Startup tab in Task Manager, for each Enabled startup item, select the item and then select Disable. It's important to remember which items you have disabled, so make sure you make a note of this.
- Close Task Manager.
- On the Startup tab of System Configuration, select OK. When you restart the computer, it will be in a clean boot environment.
If you can then launch FIFA 23, you can then turn on one item at a time, and reboot the computer, until you find the one which prevents FIFA 23 from launching.
Uninstall and Reinstall FIFA 23
If all else fails, you may need to press the big red button, and uninstall FIFA 23, before reinstalling it. There's a reason we left this to the end, because we'd like to think you won't need to do this.
But if all else fails, and you can't play the game, then you might as well give it a go.
And if that doesn't work, we advise contacting EA Help for further advice and support.