Fix Valheim crash on Windows 10

Valheim is one of the most popular survival and sandbox video games published by Coffee Stain Studios. Without a doubt, Valheim offers its users an experience that will make their palms sweat, and this is the reason for its explosive growth. However, many users have complained that Valheim keeps crashing when launched on PC. If you are facing the same problem in this open world survival game, then you have come to the right place! We offer the perfect guide to help you fix Valheim not responding, crashing, black screen, won't open and other related issues.

How to fix Valheim crash on Windows 10

If you are annoyed that Valheim keeps crashing on startup on your Windows 10 PC, here are a few possible reasons why you should carefully analyze them in order to resolve the issue.

  • The PC does not meet the basic requirements of the game.
  • Some other background program is interfering with the game.
  • You are using an unverified driver version.
  • The game's graphics settings are incorrectly configured.
  • The presence of malware and viruses.
  • The .NET platform and operating system have not been updated to the latest version.
  • The DirectX version is not up to date.
  • Overclocking
  • Any misconfigured or corrupted game installation files also cause the problem.
  • The Microsoft C++ Redistributables are not compatible with the game and PC.

Here are some possible troubleshooting methods to help you fix Valheim crashing issue. Follow them as shown, in the same order, and if you're lucky, you might be able to find the solution to your problem within the first few steps!

System requirements for Valheim

If your PC does not meet the game requirements below, update your PC and see if you can fix the problem.

Here are the system requirements (minimum)

  • CPU SPEED: 2.6GHz dual core or equivalent
  • RAM: 4 GB
  • OS: Windows 7 or later
  • VIDEO CARD: GeForce GTX 500 series or equivalent
  • PIXEL SHADER: 5.0
  • VERTEX SHADER: 5.0
  • FREE DISK SPACE: 1 GB
  • DEDICATED VIDEO MEMO: 512 MB

Recommended Walheim Requirements

  • CPU: i5 3 GHz or better
  • RAM: 8 GB
  • OS: Windows 7 or later
  • VIDEO CARD: GeForce GTX 970 series or equivalent
  • PIXEL SHADER: 5.1
  • VERTEX SHADER: 5.1
  • FREE DISK SPACE: 1 GB
  • DEDICATED VIDEO MEMO: 4096 MB

Method 1: Basic Troubleshooting Methods

Follow the given basic methods to resolve the issue.

1A. stop overclocking

Follow these steps to stop overclocking.

  • Every high-end computer comes with an overclocking feature that helps put out more power than your specs you already have. Running a graphics card or processor faster than the default speed is referred to as overclocking.
  • When this happens, your computer will reach its maximum temperature after a certain amount of time. The computer detects this and adjusts the clock speed to normal until it cools down. The clock speed increases again after they cool down.
  • This increases the performance of your computer and helps a lot if you don't have a powerful computer.
  • It is worth noting that not all games support overclocking. The same applies to Walheim. So, you should try disabling all overclocking on your computer and try launching the game. If it starts normally, the problem is fixed.

1B. Run Valheim as Administrator

Some permissions and features can only be accessed if you have granted administrator rights to Valheim. In this case, you can fix the Valheim crash by following the instructions below.

1. Right-click the Valheim 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 startup issue discussed.

1C. Close background processes

If you run any other advanced game in the background besides Valheim, it will crash Valheim on your PC. Some background applications are consuming a lot of CPU resources, and if you want to fix this problem, you need to close all other background programs and applications as mentioned in our How to end a task in Windows 10 guide.

In addition, you are advised to disable startup programs on your Windows 10 PC. To accomplish the task, follow our guide 4 Ways to Disable Startup Programs in Windows 10.

1D. Run Disk Cleanup

Few users have suggested that clearing some disk space on a PC helped them deal with Valheim continuing to crash on startup. This will allow your computer to install new files when needed, which will help you resolve the issue.

If you don't have enough free space on your computer, which is contributing to the Valheim 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 computer.

1E. Repair corrupted system files

If files are missing or corrupted on your Windows 10 PC, you will experience Valheim crashing issue. 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.

1 floor Update Windows

Also, if there are any errors on your PC, they can only be fixed after updating Windows. Microsoft releases regular updates to fix all these bugs, thereby fixing the Valheim crashing issue.

Hence, make sure you update your Windows operating system, and if there are any updates pending, check out our guide How to download and install the latest Windows 10 update.

After updating the Windows operating system, check if you can access the game without any problems.

1g 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 again with the Valheim crash issue. .

1 hour Temporarily disable your antivirus (if applicable)

Some incompatible antivirus programs installed on your computer may cause Valheim to not respond. To avoid conflicts, you should verify the security settings of your Windows 10 computer and check if they are stable or not. To find out if the antivirus package is causing Valheim to crash at startup, disable it once and try connecting to the network.

Read our guide on how to temporarily disable your antivirus in Windows 10 and follow the instructions to temporarily disable your antivirus program on your PC.

If you have a solution to your problem after disabling the antivirus program on your computer, then you are advised to completely uninstall the program from your PC.

Read our guide on Force Removal of Programs That Won't Remove in Windows 10 to remove an antivirus program from your computer.

Method 2: Set the Walheim Process High Priority

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. Valheim may fail to download to your computer if it lacks resources.

1. Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys at the same time to launch the taskbar.

2. Now find the Valheim 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 and restart your computer and check if the problem of Valheim crashing in Windows 10 is resolved.

Method 3: 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 Valheim crashing issue if they are interrupted by the update process or if 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. Read our guide on how to verify the integrity of game files on Steam.

Method 4: Enable Game Mode

The Game Mode option available on PC is used to prioritize and improve the gaming experience, and to reduce unnecessary interruptions. Game Mode gives priority access to resources for the games you play, while other apps running in the background get fewer resources. So follow the steps below to turn on Game Mode to optimize your gaming experience.

1. Press the Windows + I keys at the same time to open Settings.

2. Click on the game option.

3. Select the Game Mode option from the left panel.

4. Here, turn on the switch for Game Mode.

Once Game Mode is enabled on your PC, restart the game.

Method 5: Adjust Windows appearance and performance

Here's how you can fix the problem that Valheim is not responding by tweaking the appearance and performance of your computer.

1. Press the Windows key, type "Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows" and click "Open".

2. Select the Customize for best appearance option.

3. Now click "Apply" and then "OK" to save the changes.

After that, play a test game and see if Valheim works without problems.

Method 6Disable the Steam Overlay

The Steam Overlay is a part of Steam that allows users to access their friend list and web browser, and allows for in-app purchases. This is an important tool, but sometimes it causes Valheim to crash. If you want to fix this problem, then disable the Steam game overlay.

1. Launch Steam and click on the LIBRARY menu.

2. Now right-click on Valheim and select the "Properties…" option.

3. In the GENERAL menu, uncheck Enable Steam overlay while playing.

4. Finally, restart the game and check if the problem with starting Valheim is resolved.

Method 7: Update or Roll Back GPU Drivers

Graphics drivers help heavy graphics and video processing applications simplify their tasks. If you encounter any launch conflicts when launching a game like Valheim, make sure you are using an updated version of your device drivers as they act as a link between your PC hardware and operating system.

Option I: Update the graphics driver

Many users have suggested that updating the drivers fixed the Valheim crashing issue. Read and follow the steps in our guide 4 Ways to Update Graphics Drivers in Windows 10 to do so.

Option II. Rollback graphics driver updates

Sometimes the current version of graphics drivers can cause startup conflicts, in which case you need to restore the previous versions of the installed drivers. This process is called driver rollback and you can easily roll back your computer drivers to their previous state by following our guide How to roll back drivers in Windows 10.

Save your changes and check if you have a fix for the issue causing Valheim to be unresponsive.

Method 8: Reinstall the GPU Driver

If you are still experiencing Valheim crashing issue after updating your GPU drivers, please reinstall your device drivers to fix any incompatibility issues. You can easily reinstall your graphics drivers by following the instructions in our How to Uninstall and Reinstall Drivers in Windows 10 guide.

Method 9: Update the .NET Framework

The .NET platform on a Windows 10 PC is essential for the smooth running of modern apps and games. Many games have an auto-update feature for the .NET framework, so it will update automatically whenever an update is available. Otherwise, if you are prompted to update on your PC, you can manually install the latest version of the .NET Framework as described below to fix the problem starting Valheim.

1. Visit .Net Framework official download page .

2. If there are any updates, click the appropriate/recommended link and select the Download .NET Framework 4.8 Runtime option.

Note. Do not click "Download .NET Framework 4.8 Developer Pack" as it is used by software developers.

3. Run the downloaded setup file and follow the on-screen instructions to successfully install .NET Framework on your Windows PC.

After that, check if you have fixed the problem in question or not.

Method 10: Update DirectX

To enjoy smooth media playback in Valheim, 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. Worth updating DirectX required for this game.

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 problem occurs again.

Note. Make sure "Verify WHQL Digital Signatures" is checked on the "System" tab, and on all tabs, check if "WHQL Logo" is set to "Yes".

Method 11: Change Windows Defender Firewall settings

You will also face the issue of Valheim crashing due to an overly reactive or overly protective antivirus package on your Windows 10 PC. This prevents the connection between the game launcher and the server. So, to fix this problem, you can whitelist Valheim in your firewall settings or disable the problem temporarily.

Option I: Valheim Whitelist

To allow Valheim in Windows Defender Firewall, follow our guide Allow or block apps through Windows Firewall and follow the steps as instructed.

Option 2: Turn off the firewall (not recommended)

If you don't know how to turn off Windows Defender Firewall, our How To Turn Off Windows 10 Firewall guide will help you with that.

Option III: Create a New Rule in the Firewall

1. Press the Windows key and type Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security. Then click Open.

2. Now in the left pane, click Inbound Rules as shown in the figure.

3. Then, in the right pane, click New Rule… as shown.

4. Now make sure you have selected the "Program" option under "What type of rule do you want to create?". menu and click "Next>" as shown in the figure.

5. Then click the "Browse..." button corresponding to the path to this program: as shown.

6. Then navigate to the C:Program Files (x86) Valheim folder and double click on the installation file. Then click on the Open button.

7. Then click Next > in the New Inbound Rule Wizard window as shown in the figure.

8. Now select the radio button next to Allow the connection and click Next > as shown.

9. Make sure the Domain, Private, Public fields are selected and click Next > as shown.

10. Finally, add a name to the new rule and click Finish.

Done! Check if you fixed Valheim not responding, the issue is fixed or not.

Method 12: Restore the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Package

Alternatively, you can try to repair the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Packages to fix the Valheim crash issue as follows:

1. Press the Windows key, type "Apps and features" and 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 modify any Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Packages by following the steps above.

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 13: Reinstall the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable

If the previous Microsoft C++ Visual Redistributable repair method did not resolve the Valheim crash issue, you will have 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 computer.

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.

Launch the game again and check if you're still experiencing the loading issue. This time you won't run into any problems.

***

We hope this guide was helpful and you were able to resolve the Valheim crash issue on your Windows 10 PC. Let us know which method worked best for you. Feel free to contact us with your questions and suggestions through the comments section below.

Related posts