If you find yourself grappling with Baldur's Gate 3 crashing issue, don't worry – this comprehensive guide is here to help.
Ever since the release of Baldur's Gate 3, many users have been experiencing not only crashing issues but also frustrating problems like the can't save issue and the companions not following issue. These issues can be a real thorn in the side of an otherwise immersive gaming experience.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the heart of the problem and provide you with step-by-step solutions to put an end to the annoying issue of Baldur's Gate 3 crashing on startup.
How to fix Baldur's Gate 3 crashing on startup
To fix Baldur's Gate 3 crashing on startup, uncheck the "Run as Administrator" option in the BG3 .exe files. This solution has been confirmed by many players on Reddit to work effectively.
Here's a step-by-step guide to fix Baldur's Gate 3 crashing on startup:
- Locate the BG3 installation folder and right-click on the .exe files
- Select Properties > Compatibility
- Uncheck "Run this program as an administrator" by clicking on the checkbox next to it.
- Finally, click the "Apply" button to save your changes.
Another fix for Baldur's Gate 3 crashing on launch is deleting the Baldur’s Gate 3 folder from Documents/Larian Studios. This approach has also been validated by numerous players on Reddit as an effective solution.
What causes crashing in Baldur's Gate 3?
Generally, games can crash due to issues like hardware conflicts, software bugs, outdated drivers, insufficient system resources, or memory leaks.
In this case, the crashing issue in Baldur's Gate 3 probably resulted from conflicts when the game ran with administrator privileges, possibly due to interactions between the game's code and the elevated permissions of admin mode.
By unchecking the "Run as Administrator" option, the game was allowed to launch without these elevated permissions, which could have resolved the conflict and prevented the crashes.
Baldur's Gate 3 - Vulkan crashing problems
So Vulkan or DX11? Which is best for stability? We would recommend you use DirectX11 as that has proven to be more stable. This despite Larian Studios, developers of Baldur's Gate 3, recommending you use Vulkan, the default Graphics API.
While Vulkan presents a potential performance increase over DX11 in most cases, the developer has acknowledged that it may be "slightly less stable," since the Vulkan implementation of BG3 is still in Early Access.
So if you are having crash issues especially, it is recommended to try the DX11 API instead. The DirectX 11 API tends to offer greater stability, providing a potentially smoother gaming experience.
However, if your CPU isn't particularly powerful and you're running Baldur's Gate 3 on lower settings, Vulkan could be a suitable choice – especially if you're among the players enjoying Baldur's Gate 3 on Steam Deck.
And that wraps up our guide on Baldur's Gate 3 crashing. Once you are back in the game, you might need to know where to find Sussur Bloom and how to cure rotting flesh.