How to Fix Battlefield 1 Keeps Crashing on Startup on PC

Battlefield 1 is a first-person shooter game developed by DICE and published by Electronic Arts. It is the tenth installment in the Battlefield series and the first main entry since Battlefield 4 in 2013. It was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in October 2016. After the new update, many players have reported the crashing problem while playing Battlefield 1 on their PC.

If you are facing issues with Battlefield 1 game like startup crashing or game not launching, don’t worry. We have shared all possible workarounds and reasons that might fix the issue completely. It is also important to note that EA (Electronic Arts) lags in providing bug fixes and error resolutions. Without further ado, let us dive into the possible solutions.

Battlefield 1

Page Contents

Why Does Battlefield 1 Keep Crashing?
How to Fix Battlefield 1 Crashing on PC

Why Does Battlefield 1 Keep Crashing?

It seems that Battlefield 1 players are encountering startup crashing issues a lot on the PC for several reasons, such as the older game patch version, outdated GPU drivers, other background tasks, startup app issues, etc. Whereas the outdated game launcher, outdated Windows version, outdated DirectX version, issues with the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables, and more can cause several issues.

We should mention that issues with the overlay apps, an overclocked CPU/GPU, antivirus program blocking issues, etc, may conflict with the game launching. Sometimes, incompatible hardware on the PC may also be unable to run the Battlefield 1 game if your PC becomes outdated or has low specs on board.

How to Fix Battlefield 1 Crashing on PC

Most PC games have many issues, such as lagging, stuttering, black screen issues, FPS drops, multiple glitches, and more. However, a couple of workarounds mentioned below should go to work for you.

1. Check System Requirements

You should check out the game’s system requirements and your PC’s hardware specifications to determine whether the system is compatible with the game to run properly. If your PC build is older or low in specs, then you should upgrade the outdated hardware to be able to run the game properly. Here, we’ve mentioned the minimum and recommended system requirements of the Battlefield 1 game.

Minimum System Requirements:

Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: 64-bit Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10
Processor: Processor (AMD): AMD FX-6350 Processor (Intel): Intel Core i5 6600K
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: Graphics card (AMD): AMD Radeon™ HD 7850 2GB Graphics card (NVIDIA): NVIDIA GeForce® GTX 660 2GB
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 50 GB available space

Recommended System Requirements:

Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: 64-bit Windows 10 or later
Processor: Processor (AMD): AMD FX 8350 Wraith Processor (Intel): Intel Core i7 4790 or equivalent
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: Graphics card (AMD): AMD Radeon™ RX 480 4GB Graphics card (NVIDIA): NVIDIA GeForce® GTX 1060 3GB
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 50 GB available space

2. Update Graphics Drivers

Updating graphics drivers on your Windows system is always required to run all the programs smoothly. To do this:

Right-click on the Start Menu to open up the Quick Access Menu.
Click on Device Manager from the list.

Now, double-click on the Display adapters category to expand the list.

Device Manager Update Display Adapter

Then right-click on the dedicated graphics card name.
Select Update driver > Choose Search automatically for drivers.
An update will automatically download and install the latest version if available.
Once done, make sure to reboot your computer to change the effects.

Alternatively, you can manually download the latest graphics driver version and install it directly from the official website respective to your graphics card manufacturer. Nvidia graphics card users can update the GeForce Experience app via the official site. Meanwhile, AMD graphics card users can visit the AMD website for the same.

3. Update Windows

Updating Windows OS build is always essential for PC users and gamers to reduce system glitches, compatibility issues, and crashes. Meanwhile, the latest version mostly includes additional features, improvements, security patches, and more. To do that:

Press Windows + I keys to open up the Windows Settings menu.
Next, click on Update & Security > Select Check for updates under the Windows Update section.
If there is a feature update available, select Download and install.
It may take a while to complete the update.
Once done, restart your computer to install the update.

4. Run the game as an administrator

Make sure to run the game exe file as an administrator to avoid user account control regarding privilege issues. It would be best if you also run the Steam client as an administrator on your PC. To do this:

Right-click on the Battlefield 1 exe shortcut file on your PC.
Now, select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.

Make sure to click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to checkmark it.
Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.

Make sure to do the same steps for the Steam client too. It should help you to fix the Battlefield 1 issue on your PC.

5. Close Background Running Tasks

Unnecessary background running tasks or programs can eat up a lot of system resources like CPU or Memory usage that literally reduces system performance. Hence, the startup crashing, lagging, not loading issues appear quite often. Simply, close all the unnecessary background running tasks completely. To do this:

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open up the Task Manager.

End Task Manager

Now, click on the Processes tab > to select tasks unnecessarily running in the background and consuming enough system resources.
Click on End Task to close them one by one.
Once done, restart your system.

Now, you can check whether you’ve fixed the Battlefield 1 Crashing on your PC. If not, follow the next method.

6. Set High Priority in Task Manager

Make your game priority in the higher segment via the Task Manager to tell your Windows system to run the game properly. To do this:

Right-click on the Start Menu > Select Task Manager.
Click on the Processes tab > Right-click on the Battlefield 1 game task.
Select Set Priority to High.
Close Task Manager.
Finally, run the Battlefield 1 game to check if it crashes on the PC.

7. Reinstall DirectX (Latest)

You should try reinstalling the latest version of DirectX from the official Microsoft website on your PC/Laptop. You need to download and install the DirectX installer package and run it. Remember that you’ll require DirectX 11 or above to properly run the Battlefield 1 game.

8. Force Run the Game in DirectX 11

First, launch the Steam client > Go to LIBRARY.
Locate and right-click on the Battlefield 1 game.
Click on Properties > Select GENERAL from the left pane menu > Type -dx11 under the Launch Options.
Now, go back and launch the game. If prompted, click on the radio button next to the Play option of Battlefield 1.

9. Disable Windows Firewall or Antivirus Program

The chances are high enough that your default Windows Defender Firewall protection or any third-party antivirus program prevents the ongoing connections or game files from running properly. So, temporarily disable or turn off the real-time protection and firewall protection. Then it would be best if you tried running the game to check whether the Battlefield 1 Crashing on PC issue has been fixed. To do this:

Click on the Start Menu > Type firewall.
Select Windows Defender Firewall from the search result.
Now, click Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off from the left pane.

A new page will open > Select the Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended) option for both the Private & Public Network Settings.

Once selected, click on OK to save changes.
Finally, restart your computer.

Similarly, you have to turn off the Windows Security protection too. Just follow the steps below:

Press Windows + I keys to open the Windows Settings menu.
Click on Update & Security > Click on Windows Security from the left pane.

Windows Security

Now, click on the Open Windows Security button.
Go to Virus & threat protection > Click on Manage settings.

$C:\Users\PC\Desktop\Virus & threat protection Windows 11.png$

Next, you’ll need to simply turn off the Real-time protection toggle.
If prompted, click on Yes to proceed further.
Additionally, you can also turn off Cloud-delivered protection, Tamper protection if you want.

10. Set High Performance in Power Options

If in case, your Windows system is running on the Balanced mode in Power Options, just set the High-Performance mode for better results. Although this option will take higher power usage or battery usage. To do this:

Click on the Start Menu > Type Control Panel and click on it from the search result.
Now, go to Hardware and Sound > Select Power Options.
Click on High Performance to select it.
Make sure to close the window and fully shut down your computer. To do this, click on the Start Menu > Go to Power > Shut Down.
Once your computer is turned off, you can power it on again.

This should fix the Battlefield 1 Crashing issue on your PC in most cases. However, if none of the methods worked for you, follow the next one.

11. Close the game from Background Apps

If the Battlefield 1 game is still going through issues, turn it off from the Background Apps feature on your PC. To do so,

Press Windows + I keys to open the Windows Settings menu.
Click on Privacy > Scroll down from the left pane and select Background apps.
Scroll down and look for the Battlefield 1 game title.
Just turn off the toggle next to the game title.
Once done, close the window and restart your computer.

This method should help you out. However, you can follow the next method if this doesn’t fix the issue.

12. Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime

Make sure to reinstall your computer’s Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime to completely fix multiple gaming issues or errors. To do that:

Press the Windows key from the keyboard to open up the Start Menu.

Type Apps & Features and click on it from the search result.
Now, locate the Microsoft Visual C++ program(s) in the list.

Select each program and click on Uninstall.
Visit the official Microsoft website and download the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime.
Once done, install it on your computer, and restart the system to change effects.

13. Perform a Clean Boot

Some of the apps and their services may start automatically while booting the system right away. In that case, those apps or services will use a lot of internet connection and system resources. If you also feel the same, perform a clean boot on your computer to check for the issue. To do that:

Press Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Now, type msconfig and hit Enter to open System Configuration.
Go to the Services tab > Enable the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox.

Click on Disable all > Click on Apply and then OK to save changes.
Now, go to the Startup tab > Click on Open Task Manager.
The Task Manager interface will open. Here go to the Startup tab.
Then click on the particular task which has a higher startup impact.
Once selected, click on Disable to turn them off from the startup process.
Do the same steps for each program that has a higher startup impact.
Once done, make sure to restart your computer to apply changes.

14. Try Disabling Overlay Apps

A couple of popular apps seem to have their own overlay program that can eventually run in the background and cause gaming performance or even launching issues. You should turn them off to fix the issue by following the steps below:

Disable Discord Overlay:

Launch the Discord app > Click on the gear icon at the bottom.
Click on Overlay under App Settings > Turn on the Enable in-game overlay.
Click on the Games tab > Select Battlefield 1.
Finally, turn off the Enable in-game overlay toggle.
Make sure to reboot your PC to apply changes.

Disable Xbox Game Bar:

Press the Windows + I keys to open Windows Settings.
Click on Gaming > Go to Game Bar > Turn off Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using the Game bar option.

If you ca unable find the Game Bar option, search for it from the Windows Settings menu.

Disable Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay:

Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience app > Head over to Settings.
Click on the General tab > Disable the In-Game Overlay option.
Finally, restart the PC to apply changes and launch the game again.

Also, remember that you should always disable some other overlay apps like MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB software, or any other third-party overlay apps that run in the background.

15. Verify the Integrity of Game Files on Steam

If, in case, there is an issue with the game files and somehow it gets corrupted or missing, then make sure to perform this method to check for the issue easily.

Launch Steam > Click on Library.
Right-click on Battlefield 1 from the list of installed games.
Now, click on Properties > Go to Local Files.

Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files.
You’ll have to wait for the process until it gets completed.
Once done, restart your computer.

16. Disable CPU or GPU Overclocking

It’s also worth mentioning not to enable CPU/GPU overclocking on your PC if your game is crashing or stuttering. We can understand that overclocking CPU/GPU can greatly impact gameplay, but sometimes it may also cause issues with the bottleneck or compatibility. Just set the frequency to default for optimal performance.

17. Update Battlefield 1

If you haven’t updated your Battlefield 1 game for a while, follow the steps below to check for updates and install the latest patch (if available). To do this:

Open the Steam client > Go to Library > Click on Battlefield 1 from the left pane.
It’ll automatically search for the available update. If there is an update available, make sure to click on Update.
It may take some time to install the update > close the Steam client.
Finally, reboot your PC to apply changes, and then try relaunching the game.

That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.