The game crashes, freezes or shows a black screen

Quick answer

Crash patterns at a glance

Crash at start, before the main menu

1. Update the graphics driver from the company that made your graphics chip. A driver that is years old is one of the most common reasons a newer game will not start.
2. Turn off overlays. Recording tools, chat apps, frame-rate counters and screen-capture software draw on top of games, and some games cannot cope with them. Close them all, then try again.
3. Let the game install its components. Many Windows games depend on supporting components from Microsoft, which their installer adds automatically. If you skipped that step, use the launcher's repair option. Get these components only through the game's installer or Microsoft's own site.
4. Check the stated requirements. If the computer is below the publisher's minimum specification, the game may not start at all, and settings will not change that.

Black screen, but you can hear the game

The game is running, but your display cannot show the picture it is sending.

• Press Alt + Enter on Windows. In many games this switches between full screen and windowed mode, which often brings the picture back.
• If the game opens in windowed mode, lower the resolution in its settings to one your monitor lists as supported.
• Disconnect any second monitor or TV, and try again with a single display.
• If the game has a settings file or a "safe mode" option in its launcher, the publisher's support pages will explain how to use it to reset display settings.

Freezes or crashes after playing for a while

Problems that appear only after some time usually involve heat, memory or power.

Heat

Graphics chips and processors slow themselves down or shut off to protect against overheating. Dust in fans and vents, a laptop used on a bed or couch, or a hot room in an Australian summer can all push a computer past its limits. Use the computer on a hard surface, keep vents clear, and clean dust out with the computer switched off and unplugged, following the maker's guidance.

Memory

Web browsers with many tabs, video calls and other programs all take memory away from the game. Close what you do not need. If freezes continue with nothing else open, the computer's manufacturer may provide a memory test tool; Windows also includes one, named Windows Memory Diagnostic.

Power

On a laptop, play while plugged in and choose a balanced or performance power mode. Battery-saving modes can cut performance sharply partway through a session.

Crash at the same point every time

A crash that happens in the same place, scene or menu is often a damaged or missing game file. Every major launcher has an option to scan and repair the installation; it may be called Verify, Repair or Scan. Run it, then restart.

If the crash continues after a repair, it may be a bug in that version of the game. Check the publisher's official support site, patch notes or community forum for reports of the same fault. If others report it, the fix will come from the publisher, and there is little to gain from reinstalling.

Problems that began after a driver update

New graphics drivers occasionally introduce faults. On Windows, open Device Manager, expand Display adapters, open your graphics chip's properties and use Roll Back Driver on the Driver tab if it is available. Alternatively, install the previous version from the chip maker's site. Keep that version until the maker releases another update, then try again.

Reading what the system recorded

Both Windows and macOS keep a record of crashes, which is useful when you contact support.

Reliability Monitor (Windows)

Search the Start menu for "reliability history". It shows a timeline of crashes with the program's name, and a technical detail view you can copy into a support request.

Event Viewer (Windows)

A more detailed log. Look under Windows Logs, then Application, around the time of the crash. You do not need to understand the entries; copying the error text is enough.

Console (macOS)

Found in Applications, Utilities. The Crash Reports section lists recent app crashes.

Game crash reporter

Many games offer to send a crash report automatically. Sending it helps the publisher find widespread faults.

Notes for Mac computers

Mac games and Mac versions of launchers have their own common causes of crashes.

• Processor type. Recent Macs use Apple-designed processors, while older ones use Intel processors. Some games run on newer Macs through a translation layer built into macOS. Check whether the game's publisher lists your type of Mac as supported.
• Permissions. macOS asks before an app can record the screen, use the microphone or control the computer. If a game or launcher crashes after a permission prompt was dismissed, open System Settings, then Privacy and Security, and review the app's permissions.
• System updates. After a major macOS update, older games may need an update of their own before they will run. Check the publisher's support pages for compatibility notes.

When the cause may be hardware

Most crashes come from software and settings. Hardware is worth suspecting when crashes also happen outside games, or when the computer restarts itself rather than just closing the game.

• Overclocking. If you or a previous owner raised processor, memory or graphics speeds above their default, return them to default settings. Games are often the first programs to expose an unstable overclock.
• Power supply. A desktop power supply that is too small or ageing can cut out under the heavy load of a game. A computer that switches off completely during play, with no error, may have this problem.
• Storage health. A failing drive can corrupt game files repeatedly, so repairs appear to work and then the crash returns. The drive maker's own tools can check its health.

For hardware faults on a computer still under warranty, contact the seller or manufacturer. The ACCC explains how consumer guarantees apply to faulty goods, separately from any manufacturer's warranty.

Crash checklist

• Graphics driver updated, or rolled back if the fault began after an update.
• Overlays and recording tools closed.
• Game files repaired through the launcher.
• Laptop plugged in, on a hard surface, in a balanced or performance power mode.
• Single monitor connected for testing.
• Error text or crash report copied for support.

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