Fix: Cuphead Keep Crashing on Startup on PC 2023

3. Run the Game File as an Administrator

It’s also recommended to always run the game executable file as administrator access on the Windows PC so the User Account Control (UAC) can allow all the access properly. Sometimes the system may think you’re trying to run the game without authorizing it. This is a one-time process for each game. Make sure to follow the steps below to do so:

Right-click on the Cuphead 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.
Now, you can just double-click on the game exe file to launch it.

Once done, you can also do the same steps for your specific game launcher (E.g., Steam) used to run the game. So, you’re giving the same UAC access to the game launcher too.

4. Update Graphics Drivers

You should try checking for the graphics driver update on your Windows PC and installing the latest version to ensure no update is pending at your end. An outdated or missing graphics driver can trigger issues with properly functioning graphics-intensive programs. To do that:

Right-click on the Start Menu to open up the Quick Access Menu.
Click on Device Manager from the list to open the interface.
Now, you’ll need to double-click on Display adapters to expand it.

Device Manager Update Display Adapter

Then right-click on the dedicated graphics card name you’re using to bring the context menu.
Next, click on Update driver > Choose Search automatically for drivers.
The system will automatically check for the available update.
If an update is available, it’ll automatically download and install the latest version.
Once done, make sure to restart your PC to apply the changes.

If you cannot find any update, then make sure to head over to the official graphics card website and search manually for the latest update. If a new version is available, just download the file on your PC and install it. Whatever graphics card you use, jump to the link below as per the manufacturer.

5. Update Windows

An outdated Windows OS build can sometimes trigger system glitches, performance drops, app crashes, and more. The latest version can include additional features, bug fixes, improvements, the latest security patches, etc. To do that:

Press Windows + I keys to open up the Windows Settings menu.
Click on Windows Update from the left pane > Check for updates.
If there is an update available, you should select Download and Install.
Wait for the update process to be completed.
Once done, make sure to restart your computer to apply changes.
Then run Cuphead game and check if the crashing issue is still bothering you or not.

6. Check for Optional Updates

You should also check for the optional updates by following the steps below because some of the device driver updates and security patch updates may appear in a separate section.

Press Windows + I keys to open up the Windows Settings menu.
Click on Windows Update from the left pane > Click on Advanced Options.
Now, scroll down a bit and find the Additional options section.
Click on Optional updates > If there is an update available, make sure to select the update.
Click on Download & install > Reopen the system once the update is installed.

7. Switch to Dedicated GPU

You should also ensure that your using the dedicated GPU on your Windows computer instead of using the integrated HD graphics. To do so:

For Nvidia GPU:

Right-click on the desktop screen to open the context menu.
Now, click on Nvidia Control Panel to open it.
Head over to 3D Settings > Select Manage 3D Settings.
Open the Program Settings tab and choose Cuphead from the drop-down menu.
Next, select the preferred graphics processor for this program from another drop-down menu.
Finally, your Nvidia GPU should show as High-Performance Nvidia Processor.
Save the changes and reboot the PC.

For AMD GPU:

Right-click on the desktop screen to open the context menu.
Now, open Radeon Settings > Navigate to Additional Settings.
Go to Preferences > Select Power > Choose Switchable Graphics Application Settings.
Select Cuphead from the list of installed applications. [If the game isn’t in the list, you can select Add Application and include the game exe file]
Finally, select High Performance from the Graphics Settings, option > Reboot the PC.

8. End Background Processes

The chances are high that somehow your system becomes laggy or gets overloaded by a lot of unnecessary background running tasks. These tasks basically consume system resources like CPU, Memory, or internet bandwidth which can seriously impact the game launching experience. If those tasks (third-party) aren’t necessary for you then try closing them completely by following the steps below.

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc shortcut keys on the keyboard to open Task Manager.

End Task Manager

Click on the Processes tab > Make sure to select the task individually that you want to close.
Then click on End Task to close it.
As mentioned, do the same steps for each task that you want to close.
Once done, close the Task Manager window, and restart your PC.

9. Perform Disk Cleanup

In a periodic time, you should run a disk cleanup process on your computer to remove unwanted or junk files which are also known as temporary files. This method can improve the system performance and reduce app crashes a lot. To do so:

Open the Start menu by clicking on the Windows icon.
Here you can search Disk Clean up and open it from the result.
Now, select your C: Drive. [By default, the Windows OS is installed on C: drive] If you’ve installed Windows on a different drive then select the same.
Then select everything that you want to delete from the list such as downloaded program files, temporary internet files, DirectX shader cache, Windows error reports, delivery optimization files, and more.
Once selected, make sure to click on OK.
Now, click on Delete Files and wait for the process to be completed.
Finally, restart your PC to apply changes.

10. Run Additional Command-Line Argument

You should also run a command-line argument on the specific game launcher to forcefully launch Cuphead game with the required DirectX version. The chances are high that somehow your system isn’t able to run the specific game with the latest DirectX version. To do that:

Launch the Steam client > Make sure you’re signed in to the account.
Go to LIBRARY > From the left pane, right-click on the Cuphead game.
Click on Properties > Select GENERAL.
Type -dx12 under the Launch Options.
Now, go back to the main launcher menu, and run the game.
If prompted, select the option, and you’re good to go.

11. Disable Windows Firewall

If in case, you’re using the default Windows Firewall protection on your PC then you should turn it off temporarily and check for the issue again. To do this:

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

12. Turn Off Antivirus Protection

You can also try turning off the Windows Defender option on your PC to ensure there is no antivirus software blocking the game files to run properly.

Press Windows + I shortcut keys to open the Windows Settings menu.
Click on Update & Security > Click on Windows Security from the left pane.
Now, click on the Open Windows Security button.
Go to Virus & threat protection > Click on Manage settings.
Next, you’ll need to simply turn off the Real-time protection toggle.
If prompted, click on Yes to proceed further.

If in case, you’re using any other antivirus program on your PC then make sure to turn it off.

13. Set High Performance in Power Options

Mostly the Windows system is set on the default Balanced Power Mode which offers both performance and power consumption at the same time. But sometimes, this mode can occur performance issues on your PC when it comes to graphics-hungry programs. It’s better to set the power mode to High Performance, which can improve the tasks. However, this mode will consume more power or battery juice than normal. To do this:

Click on the Start Menu > Type control panel and search for it.
Open Control Panel from the search result.
Now, go to Hardware and Sound > Select Power Options.
Click on High Performance to select it.
Once done, make sure to reboot the PC to apply changes.
It might fix Cuphead Crashing issue on your PC.

14. Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime

If your Windows computer isn’t running the latest version or the required version of the Microsft Visual C++ Runtime then you may encounter several issues whatsoever. To do that:

Press the Windows key from the keyboard to open the Start Menu.
Now, type apps & features to search.
Open Apps & Features from the search result.
Click on the Microsoft Visual C++ program(s) from the list individually.
Select each program and click on Uninstall.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete uninstallation.
Next, visit the official Microsoft website and download the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime.
Once done, install it on your computer > Restart the system to change effects.

15. Perform a Clean Boot

As per some reports, multiple programs are always running in the background from when the Windows system boots up. So, those services may consume the system resources and internet data without your knowledge. It’s better to perform a clean boot and turn off unnecessary startup applications by following the steps below.

Press Windows + R shortcut 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.
Click on the Startup tab from Task Manager.
Make sure to click on the particular task which has a higher startup impact.
Once selected, click on Disable to turn it off. [Do the same steps for each program that has a higher startup impact]
Finally, make sure to restart your computer to apply changes.

16. Try Disabling Overlay Apps

Sometimes a couple of applications may come with an additional overlay app that basically helps the streamers or gamers a lot. However, these overlay apps can eventually conflict with the game files to run smoothly and may cause several issues like FPS drops, black screen issues, lags, glitches, etc. You should try disabling the overlay apps manually before launching the game again to cross-check whether the crashing issue has been fixed or not. To do so:

Disable Discord Overlay:

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

Disable Xbox Game Bar:

Press 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.

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.

There are some other overlay apps that can cause trouble for you something as MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB software, etc. You should turn them off as well.

17. Repair Game Files

A corrupted or missing games files on the PC can eventually trigger multiple issues with the game launching or performance whatsoever. To do so:

Launch the Steam client > Click on Library.
Right-click on Cuphead 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, just restart your computer.

18. Update Cuphead

If none of the methods worked for you, then check for the Cuphead game update because an outdated game version can have bugs or stability issues. So, if you haven’t updated your game for a while, then follow the steps below to check for updates and install the latest update.

Open the Steam client > Go to Library > Click on Cuphead from the left pane.
It’ll automatically search for the available update. If there is an update available, make sure to click on Update.
Wait some time to install the update > Once done, close the Steam client.
Finally, reboot your PC to apply changes and launch the game again.

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