Fix: Diablo 4 Can’t Use Skills and Abilities

Players can finally jump into Diablo 4 after waiting for so many years to experience the full-on Early Access launch where the title will take a leap on June 6, 2023, to release the standard edition. Meanwhile, so many fans have already purchased Diablo 4’s Digital Deluxe or Ultimate Edition but somehow multiple bugs or issues are troubling a lot of them. Blizzard Entertainment is aware of some of those issues and new bugs keep arising such as Diablo 4 can’t use skills and abilities unexpectedly.

Now, if you are unable to use skills in Diablo 4 then you’re not alone because this serious bug is affecting a lot of players right now. Well, we’re expecting that developers will fix this issue pretty soon but until then Ultimate Edition users of Diablo IV Early Access will have to wait for the official fix. So, this unexpected bug currently prevents players to use abilities, emotes, or dash and other movement skills. As per several reports, affected players can only use potions and walk around but they can’t fight at all.

Fix: Diablo 4 Can’t Use Skills and Abilities

Whereas some other players can use potions, pick up loot items, and interact with clickable objects only. However, the player can not use any abilities, activate an emote or use Dash, etc. Some of the unfortunate Diablo 4 players have confirmed that they suffer from the game-breaking bug where they can’t be able to use skills, attacks, or teleport. One common this has been reported that players in dungeons have to do with teleporting to another player or after using a waypoint but can’t confirm 100%.

Though there is no specific fix available yet, we’ve managed to share with you a couple of possible workarounds that should come in handy. So, without further ado, let’s check out all methods one by one.

1. Check the System Requirements

Below are the current minimum and recommended system requirements for Diablo IV on Windows computers. If your PC specifications aren’t compatible with this system requirement, you should try upgrading the specific requirement to make it compatible. In case, the system requirements are compatible with your computer, you can skip to the next method.

Minimum Requirements:

• OS: 64-bit Windows 10 version 1909 or newer
• Processor: Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD FX-8350
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 or AMD Radeon R9 280
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: SSD with 90 GB available space
• Internet: Broadband Connection

Recommended Requirements:

• OS: 64-bit Windows 10 version 1909 or newer
• Processor: Intel Core i5-4670K or AMD R3-1300X
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon RX 470
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: SSD with 90 GB available space
• Internet: Broadband Connection

2. Run Diablo IV as an Administrator

You should run the Diablo IV game app file on your PC as an administrator to grant the user account control privilege. It’ll allow the system to run the program file properly which reduces the chances of gameplay issues on the PC. You can follow the steps below to do so:

• Right-click on the Diablo IV application file on your PC.
• Select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.

• Click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to select it.
• Now, click on Apply and then OK to save changes.
• Run the game and check for the issue again.

3. Update Diablo 4

It’s highly recommended to manually check for the game update at your end to avoid any pending game updates by following the steps below. An outdated game version can eventually cause multiple issues or glitches with the gameplay experience.

• Open the Battle.net desktop app on your PC.
• Now, click on the Diablo 4 game.
• Click on the cogwheel icon (settings) next to the Play button.
• Finally, select Check for Updates and wait for the process to be completed.
• If there is an update available, make sure to download and install the game update.

4. Verify and Repair Diablo 4 Files

Sometimes issues with the corrupted or missing game files on the PC might occur several conflicts when it comes to launching the game or during the gameplay. Luckily, you can easily verify and repair the installed game files on the PC version with the help of the game launcher by following the steps below.

• Launch the Battle.net client on your PC.
• Now, click on the Diablo 4 that you’re trying to repair.
• Click on the cogwheel icon (settings) next to the Play button.
• Select Scan and Repair > Click on Begin Scan.
• Wait for the repair to finish > Once done, close the launcher, and reboot the PC to apply changes.

5. Check Updates for Graphics Drivers

Checking for the graphics driver update on the PC is highly recommended by following the steps below. By doing so, you’ll be able to install the latest update, which will fix several graphical issues with the program. To do so:

• Right-click on the Start Menu to open up the Quick Link Menu.
• Click on Device Manager from the list to open it.
• Double-click on Display adapters to expand it.

• Right-click on the dedicated graphics card that you’re using.
• 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, ensure to restart your PC to apply the changes.

If there is no update available on the PC then make sure to visit the official manufacturer website of the graphics card and manually grab the latest version. Search for the particular graphics card model by the following links.

• Nvidia GPU
• AMD GPU
• Intel GPU

6. End Background Tasks

Another thing you can do is simply close unnecessary background tasks on your PC to ensure there is no additional consumption of system resources happening in the background whatsoever. To clear out background tasks:

• Press the Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys to open Task Manager.
• Click on the Processes tab > Select the task that you want to close.
• Once selected, click on End Task.
• Make sure to do the steps for each task individually.
• Once done, restart your PC to change the effects immediately.

7. Reinstall the Battle.net client

During technical troubleshooting, sometimes it’s also necessary to completely uninstall and reinstall the Battle.net desktop app by following the steps below.

Please Note: Uninstalling the Battle.net desktop app does not uninstall your game clients.

• Open the Start menu > Search for Control Panel and open it.
• Click on Uninstall a program > Locate the Battle.net client from the list.
• Make sure to click on it and select Uninstall.
• Now, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation process.
• Once done, reboot the PC to apply changes.
• Head over to the Blizzard Entertainment website and download the latest version of the Battle.net app then install it.
• Finally, reinstall the Diablo IV game in the library.

8. Disable Windows Firewall and Antivirus

The chances are high enough that maybe your default Windows Defender Firewall protection or any third-party antivirus program is preventing the ongoing connections or game files to run properly. So, make sure to temporarily disable or turn off the real-time protection and firewall protection.

• 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.
• 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.

You have to turn off the Windows Security protection too. Just follow the steps below:

• Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
• Now, click on Update & Security > Click on Windows Security from the left pane.
• Click on the Open Windows Security button.
• Go to Virus & threat protection > Click on Manage Settings.
• Just Turn Off the Real-time protection option.
• If prompted, click on Yes to proceed further.
• Additionally, you can also turn off Cloud-delivered protection, and Tamper protection if you want.

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