Fix 5: Update COD Modern Warfare III
Please follow the steps below to manually check your PC for Call of Duty Modern Warfare III game updates. There may be several issues with launching the game if the game patch version is outdated.
Battle.net:
- Launch Battle.net.
- From the Library, select Modern Warfare III.
- Next to the game, click the cog wheel icon.
- Then click on Check for Updates.
- You can install an update if it’s available.
Steam:
- Initially, go to the Library in the Steam client.
- Right-click Modern Warfare III and select Properties.
- Choose Only update this game when I launch it from Automatic Updates.
- Launch Modern Warfare II and wait for the download to complete.
- To auto-update this game before others (if you wish), select High Priority – Always auto-update this game before others.
Fix 6: Turn Off Antivirus Protection
To ensure the game files are not being blocked by antivirus software, you can also turn off Windows Defender antivirus protection on your PC.
- To open Windows Settings, press Win+I.
- In the left pane, click Update & Security > Windows Security.
- Afterward, on the next screen, click Open Windows Security.
- Navigate to Virus & Threat Protection > Manage Settings.

- After that, you’ll need to turn off Real-time Protection.

- To continue, click on Yes if prompted.
Fix 7: Check for Network Driver Updates
There is also the possibility that your networking driver has become outdated over time, and this is causing the server to not connect. To do this:
- To open the Quick Link Menu, press Win+X.
- Go to Device Manager > Double-click the Network adapters icon.
- Right-click the active network adapter.
- Choose Update driver > Search automatically for drivers.

- Afterward, it will automatically download and install updates if they are available.
- Restart your computer once the changes have been made.
Fix 8: Close Unnecessary Tasks
It is important to keep in mind that unneeded background programs and tasks consume some of the system’s resources, like the CPU and Memory, reducing the performance of the system. Therefore, startup issues like crashing, lagging, or not loading are quite common. The easiest way to do this is by closing all the unnecessary background tasks running in third-party applications. To do this:
- In order to open the Task Manager on the PC, press Ctrl+Shift+Esc.
- Afterward, click on the Processes tab > Select the unnecessary task.
- To close an unnecessary third-party task, click End Task > Repeat these steps for the other unnecessary tasks.

- To apply the changes, restart your computer.
Fix 9: Run MW3 with DirectX11
If Modern Warfare 3 Unexpectedly Stopped Working Error on Windows occurs, it is likely that there is a conflict with the version of DirectX installed on your computer. It might be worth trying to run the game with DirectX11 via the client to see if the issue persists. To do that:
- Navigate to the Battle.net client and select All Games.
- Go to My Games > Scroll down to Modern Warfare 3.
- Right-click it and select Options.
- On the Game Settings page, check the box for Additional command line arguments.
- Simply type -d3d11 into the box and click Done.
- Finally, restart the game to see if the issue persists.
Fix 10: Disable Windows Firewall
In a nutshell, the Windows Firewall prevents your PC from connecting to online servers if it is not authorized. To check again for the issue, you can temporarily disable it.
- To find it, open the Start Menu > Type Windows Firewall.
- Thereafter, from the search results, select Windows Defender Firewall.
- Afterward, on the left pane, click on Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off.
- After that, you simply need to turn off all the options for Private, Domain, and Public Network Settings.
- To save your changes, click OK.

Fix 11: Reinstall COD Modern Warfare III
Following the steps below will allow you to uninstall and reinstall the COD: MW3 game on the gaming device if none of the methods have worked. In some cases, reinstalling the game may be the best option to resolve possible glitches or errors with the game files.
For Battle.net:
- Launch the Battle.net client.
- From the left panel, select Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III.
- On the left side, select Options.
- If prompted, confirm the uninstallation by clicking on Uninstall Game.
- After the Battle.net launcher has been closed, reboot your PC.
- After that, restart Battle.net and install COD: MW3.
- Go to the Options menu and select Modify Install.
- Choose the mode you want to install and click Confirm.
- Lastly, select Start Install > Wait for it to finish.
For Steam:
- On your PC, launch the Steam client.
- In the Library, find COD MWIII and right-click it.
- To uninstall, select Uninstall > Click on Delete.
- After the uninstallation process has been completed, exit Steam.
- Launch File Explorer.
- To find the location, paste C:/Program Files (x86)/Steam/steamapps/common on the address bar and hit Enter.
- Go to the COD MW3 folder and delete it completely.
- Open the Steam Store and reinstall COD MWIII from the Steam Store. Reboot the computer to apply the changes.
So, that’s all we have for you on how to fix the Modern Warfare 3 Application Unexpectedly Stopped Working Error. For those who are experiencing specific issues like getting Multiplayer Not Working or Shaders Optimization Every Time, it’s recommended to click on the provided link to get detailed troubleshooting steps and possible solutions. Always ensure your systems are up-to-date, and be patient as fixes and updates roll out. That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.