Fix Dota 2 Not Responding on Windows 10

Dota 2 is one of the most popular multiplayer online games available on PC. However, the game is not ideal for all gamers as few users are facing the issue of Dota 2 not responding on their Windows 10 PCs. If you are also facing the Dota 2 black screen issue on your PC, you are lucky that you you are reading this article. The troubleshooting methods discussed in this article will help you solve the problem of Dota 2 not working.

How to Fix Dota 2 Not Responding on Windows 10

There is no specific cause that causes the Dota 2 black screen issue. However, we have studied a number of web reports and discussion forums and have compiled a list of possible causes for the issue on your Windows 10 PC.

  • The system requirements for the game are not met.
  • Some background program is blocking the game.
  • You are not using administrator rights to run the game.
  • A corrupted Windows Store cache is preventing the game from opening.
  • Wrong date and time settings.
  • The game is not set to high priority, but your computer has high performance in its power settings.
  • The graphics drivers on your computer are not compatible.
  • The antivirus or firewall on your PC is preventing the game from running normally.
  • The Microsoft Visual C++ packages are missing from the latest version.

Here are some effective troubleshooting methods to help you fix Dota 2 black screen issue on Windows 10 PC.

System requirements for playing Dota 2

Before seeing the solutions, you should check if your PC meets the system requirements of this game.

  • CPU SPEED: 2.8 GHz Dual Core from Intel or AMD
  • RAM: 4 GB
  • OS: Windows 7 or newer
  • VIDEO CARD: Nvidia GeForce 8600/9600GT, ATI/AMD Radeon HD2600/3600
  • PIXEL SHADER: 4.0
  • VERTEX SHADER: 4.0
  • SOUND CARD: DirectX compatible
  • FREE DISK SPACE: 15 GB
  • DEDICATED VIDEO MEMO: 256 MB

Method 1: Basic Troubleshooting Methods

Here are some basic ways to fix Dota 2 not working issue.

1A. Run Valheim as Administrator

Some permissions and features can only be accessed if you have granted administrator rights to the Dota 2 game. In this case, you can fix the Dota 2 unresponsive issue by following the instructions below.

1. Right-click the Dota 2 shortcut on your desktop, or navigate to the installation directory and right-click it.

2. Now select the Properties option.

3. Then go to the "Compatibility" tab and check "Run this program as an administrator".

4. Finally, click Apply > OK to save the changes.

Check if you have fixed the Dota 2 black screen issue.

1B. Close background processes

Several background processes running on your PC may be interfering with Doat 2 processes. These programs may be contributing to Dota 2 black screen issue. Follow our guide How to end a task in Windows 10 to quit all background processes.

1C. Restore system files

If you have missing or corrupted files on your Windows 10 PC, you will face the issue of Dota 2 not responding. However, you can repair these corrupted files using the built-in utilities, namely System File Checker and Deployment Image Servicing and Management.

Read our guide to restoring system files in Windows 10 and follow the steps to repair any corrupted files.

1D. Run a malware scan

Having a virus or malware attack will result in gaming problems on your computer. In the event that the virus attack is very serious, you will not be able to constantly connect to any online game at all. To fix this problem, you need to completely remove the virus or malware from your Windows 10 PC.

We recommend that you scan your computer according to the instructions in our guide How do I run a virus scan on my computer?

Also, if you want to remove malware from your computer, check out our guide How to remove malware from your computer in Windows 10. After you have removed all viruses from your computer, connect to the game and check if you encounter the fact that Dota 2 does not start. Another problem with Windows 10.

1E. Delete temporary files

Few users have suggested that clearing PC disk space helped them fix their Dota 2 not working issue. This will allow your PC to install new files when it needs to, which will help you solve your Dota 2 black screen issue.

If you don't have enough free space on your PC, which is contributing to the Dota 2 launch issue, follow our 10 Ways to Free Up Hard Drive Space in Windows guide to help you clean up all the junk files on your PC.

1 floor Temporarily disable your antivirus (if applicable)

Any new latest game updates can sometimes be blocked by the antivirus package. Antivirus software like Avast and Norton will most likely prevent any latest Windows update and it is advised to disable any third party or built-in antivirus software temporarily to fix this problem. Read our article on how to temporarily disable your antivirus in Windows 10 and follow the instructions in the guide to temporarily disable your antivirus program on your PC.

After fixing the Dota 2 black screen issue on your PC, be sure to re-enable your antivirus program as a system without a security package is always a threat.

1g Disable Windows Firewall (not recommended)

Sometimes the Windows Defender Firewall on your PC can prevent the game from opening due to some security reasons. In this case, Dota 2 may not open due to Windows Defender Firewall. If you don't know how to turn off Windows Defender Firewall, check out our How To Turn Off Windows 10 Firewall guide and follow the given instructions.

You can follow this guide Allow or block apps through Windows Firewall to allow an app.

Be sure to re-enable the firewall package after updating the device, as a computer without a firewall program is a threat.

1 hour Update Windows

If there are any errors on your computer it might cause Dota 2 issue, you can simply fix it by updating your operating system. Follow the instructions in this How to download and install the latest Windows 10 update guide if you're new to updating your Windows 10 PC.

Check if the problem with running Windows 10 in Dota 2 is fixed after a Windows update.

Method 2: Change the priority of the game

The preference of an application or process tells the computer its importance and whether it should be given priority over others when allocating resources. The priority of each application is normal, except for the default system processes. Dota 2 can crash if it doesn't have enough resources.

1. Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys at the same time to open the Task Manager.

2. Now find the Dota 2 process.

3. Then change the priority to High priority and check if it works.

Note. Change the priority with great care, as inadvertently changing the priority of a process can make your system very slow or unstable.

4. Close the task manager, restart your computer and check if the problem with starting Dota 2 on Windows 10 is resolved.

Method 3: Change the screen resolution

If you're experiencing Dota 2 not working on the loading screen, there are several possibilities that your computer's screen resolution is conflicting with the game. In this case, you need to reduce the screen resolution and try again later as mentioned below.

1. Press the Windows + D keys at the same time to go to the desktop.

2. Now right click on the desktop and select the Personalization option.

3. Then in the left pane, click "Screen", and in the right pane, select a lower screen resolution under "Screen Resolution" as shown in the figure.

Once you've adjusted your screen resolution, check if you've managed to resolve the issue that is causing Dota 2 to be unresponsive.

Method 4: Verify the integrity of the game files

We have seen many instances where game files are either missing, corrupted, or have incomplete installations. Users may also experience Dota 2 freezing issue if they are interrupted by the update process or the game files are moved. In this method, you will open Steam and use the built-in game integrity checker. It will be replaced if the application finds something. Follow our guide on how to verify the integrity of game files on Steam.

Note. You must follow the same steps if you are using other publishing software.

Method 5: Update the Steam Client and Game

If you are using the legacy Steam app, you will not be able to access any of the games smoothly. So always make sure you are running an updated version of the Steam and Dota 2 game before launching it.

1. Press the Windows key and type Steam, then click Open.

2. Now click "Steam" in the top left corner of the screen and then "Check for Steam Client Updates..." as shown below.

3. If you have any new updates to download, install them and make sure your Steam client is up to date.

4. Now restart Steam and check if Dota 2 not working issue is resolved.

Similarly, it is always important that your game is running on the latest version to avoid any conflicts. Until your game is updated, you will not be able to successfully log into the Dota 2 servers. To update your game, follow the steps below.

1. Launch Steam and go to the LIBRARY.

2. Now press HOME and search for Dota 2.

3. Next, right-click on the game and select the "Properties..." option.

4. Now go to the UPDATES tab and check if any updates are pending. If so, follow the on-screen instructions to download the latest updates.

After the update, check if the black screen issue in Dota 2 is fixed.

Method 6: Update or Roll Back Graphics Drivers

If the above methods didn't work for you, your computer may not have the correct graphics drivers installed. Drivers facilitate the interaction between the hardware and the game and are essential components. If the drivers are corrupted or outdated, it can cause Dota 2 not responding on PC.

Option I: Update the graphics driver

If you don't know how to update your graphics drivers, follow the instructions in this guide 4 Ways to Update Graphics Drivers in Windows 10.

Option II. Rollback graphics driver updates

It is useless to reinstall or update drivers if the current graphics drivers are not compatible with your game. Rolling back your drivers to a previous version is all you need to do, and to do so, follow the steps provided in this How to Roll Back Drivers in Windows 10 guide.

After you have rolled back your drivers, check if you have fixed the issue that is causing Dota 2 not responding or not.

Method 7: Reinstall your graphics drivers

If updating your graphics drivers didn't fix the problem you're discussing, try reinstalling your graphics drivers. There are various ways to reinstall graphics drivers in Windows. If you're new to reinstalling graphics drivers, read this How to Uninstall and Reinstall Drivers in Windows 10 guide and follow the instructions there.

After reinstalling your graphics drivers, check if Dota 2 not working issue is resolved.

Method 8: Update the .NET Framework

Most users like the seamless experience of modern games and apps, and Windows 10 requires the .NET platform for that. Many games will have an auto-update option for the .NET platform, and therefore it will update automatically whenever an update is available. You can also install the latest version of the .NET Framework by following these steps.

1. Go to the official Microsoft website and check for new updates for the .NET platform.

2. Click on the recommended or appropriate link and click Download. .NET Framework 4.8 runtime option if there are any updates.

Note. Since some programs use Download .NET Framework 4.8 Developer Pack, it is not recommended to click on it.

3. Go to My Downloads and run the downloaded file by double-clicking on the setup file.

4. Follow the instructions on the screen to install the .NET Framework on your computer.

After doing that, check if the Dota 2 not working issue is resolved.

Method 9: Restore the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Package

Alternatively, you can try to repair the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Packages to fix the issue of Dota 2 not responding as follows:

1. Press the Windows key and type Apps & features. Click Open.

2. Locate the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Package.

3. Select a package, then click Edit.

4. Then click "Yes" in the "User Account Control" dialog box.

5. In the pop-up window that appears, click Restore. Wait for the process to complete.

6. Be sure to do this for each C++ package by repeating steps 3 and 4.

7. Finally, restart your computer.

Open an app that you couldn't open before. If that doesn't work, try reinstalling the C++ Redistributable Package.

Method 10: Reinstall the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Package

If the previous repair method for Microsoft C++ Visual Redistributable did not resolve the issue with running Windows 10 in Dota 2, you will need to reinstall the redistributable. Follow the given steps to uninstall and then install them again.

1. Open system settings for apps and features.

2. Select the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Package, then click Uninstall.

3. Click Remove again to confirm and remove the package.

Note. Be sure to uninstall all Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Packages.

4. Press the Windows key, type Command Prompt, then click Run as administrator.

5. Type the following command and press the Enter key.

Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

6. After the process is complete, restart your PC.

7. Next, visit the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Webpage to download the latest C++ package as shown here.

8. Once downloaded, open the downloaded file by double-clicking it in My Downloads. Install the package following the instructions on the screen.

9. Once the installation is complete, reboot your PC permanently.

Open the game and check if you are still experiencing the loading issue. If the issue persists, try the following alternatives.

Method 11: Reinstall DirectX

To enjoy smooth media playback in Dota 2, you must ensure that DirectX is installed and updated to the latest version. DirectX helps improve the visual experience of multimedia, especially in graphical games and applications. DirectX 12 is flexible for high graphic support applications on your Windows 10 PC. This lets the game know what to do and you can follow the steps below to check if your system already contains DirectX 12.

1. Press the Windows + R keys at the same time to open the Run dialog box.

2. Type dxdiag, then press the Enter key to launch the DirectX Diagnostic Tool.

3. Check the version of DirectX whether it contains DirectX 12 or not.

4. If your system does not have DirectX 12, download and install it from the DirectX Download Page following the on-screen instructions.

After installing DirectX, check if the Dota 2 not working issue still occurs.

Method 12: Update the BIOS

Several Windows 10 users around the world have reported that the Dota 2 non-response issue is gone after updating the BIOS. But in case you have the latest BIOS version installed and the same error still occurs, you need to reinstall the BIOS. If all of the above methods failed to resolve your Dota 2 not working issue, it is advised to update your BIOS as outlined in our guide What is a BIOS and how do I update a BIOS?

Method 13: Reinstall Dota 2

Dota 2 can be the reason why Dota 2 is not responding and there is nothing wrong with reinstalling the game on Steam. Follow the steps given below to uninstall Dota 2.

1. Launch the Steam application as you did before.

2. Select "Library" from the menu.

3. Then right-click on the Dota 2 game and select "Uninstall" from the drop-down list.

4. Click the "Delete" button to confirm the removal process in the Steam pop-up window.

5. Close the application after the uninstall process is complete.

6. Restart the Steam application.

7. In the search bar, type and select Dota 2.

8. Click "Play Now" to install the game.

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We hope this guide was helpful and you were able to fix the Dota 2 not working issue on Windows 10. Let us know which method worked best for you to fix the Dota 2 not working issue. Also, if you have any- or questions/suggestions regarding this article, feel free to leave them in the comments section below.

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