Fix: Saints Row Keeps Crashing on Startup on PC

OS: Windows 10 64bit
Processor: Intel Core i3-3240 / Ryzen 3 1200
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: GeForce GTX 970 / AMD Radeon RX 480
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 50 GB available space
VRAM: 4 GB

Recommended Requirements:

OS: Windows 10 64bit
Processor: Intel Core i5 12600 / AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: GeForce RTX 3080TI / AMD Radeon RX 6800XT
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 50 GB available space
VRAM: 12 GB

2. Disable fullscreen optimizations

It seems that disabling the fullscreen optimization option did work for some users. To do so:

Open the Epic Games Launcher > Click on Library.
Right-click on Saints Row > Click on Manage.
Select Browse local files > Go to Saints Row installed location.
Now, right-click on SaintsRow.exe > Select Properties.
Click on the Compatibility tab > Tickmark Disable fullscreen optimizations to enable it.
Once done, click on Apply and then OK to save changes.

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 Saints Row exe application 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., Epic Games Launcher) 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 An outdated or missing graphics driver can trigger issues with properly functioning graphics-intensive programs.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

If in case, you’re running the outdated Windows OS version or build then make sure to follow the steps below.

Press the 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, reboot your PC to apply changes.

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 the 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 Saints Row 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 Saints Row 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. Verify and Repair Game Files

Sometimes missing or corrupted game files on the PC may occur some issues with the game application launching properly or start crashing. It doesn’t mean that you’ll always get an error message or warning notice after crashing. A minor but useful game file may get corrupted or missing quite easily. Luckily, most of the game launchers do come with a useful feature to automatically verify and repair game files online. To do so:

Open the Epic Games Launcher > Click on Library.
Click on the three-dots icon next to Saints Row.
Click on Verify > Wait for the process to complete and restart the launcher.
It should resolve the Saints Row Crashing issue on the PC.

10. Delete Temporary Files from System

It’s also recommended to manually delete all the stored temporary files from the system by following the steps below. Maybe a corrupted temporary file or dump is conflicting with the actual game to run properly.

Press the Windows+R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Now, type %temp% and hit Enter to open the Local Temporary folder under AppData. [C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Temp]
Here you’ll see a bunch of temporary data files listed > Just press the Ctrl+A keys to select all files.
Then press the Shift+Delete keys to permanently remove those temporary files.
Some temp files may not get deleted. So, just skip those files, and delete the rest of them.
Once done, you should restart the computer to apply changes.

11. Adjust Nvidia Control Panel Settings

As per the recommended Nvidia control panel settings, we’ve provided some adjustments that you should also try at your end in the case, the Saints Row game is crashing a lot. This method is only applicable to Nvidia graphics card users.

Right-click on the desktop screen (blank) to open the context menu.
Now, select Nvidia Control Panel to open it > Select Manage 3D settings.
Click on Program Settings > Select Saints Row from the list. [If not available, click on Browse and add it to the list]
Make sure to change or adjust some of the settings mentioned below:
- Image sharpening – Off
- Low latency mode – Off
- Power Management – Prefer maximum performance
- Texture filtering – Quality – Performance
- Threaded optimization – On
Once done, save changes, and reboot the PC to change effects immediately.

12. 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.

13. 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 the 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.

14. 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 the Saints Row crashing issue on your PC.

15. Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime

If your Windows computer isn’t running on the latest version or somehow 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.

16. 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 with 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.

17. Try Disabling Overlay Apps

Sometimes a couple of applications may come with an additional overlay app that greatly helps the streamers or gamers. However, these overlay apps can eventually conflict with the game files to run smoothly and may cause 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 Saints Row.
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.

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.

18. 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 a lot. We can understand that overclocking CPU/GPU can make a huge impact in improving gameplay but sometimes it may also cause issues with the bottleneck or compatibility too. Just set the frequency to default for optimal performance.

19. Update Saints Row

Even an outdated game patch version can trigger several potential issues on the gaming device that leads to crashing issue, lags, stutters, and more. It’s recommended to check for the game update periodically and install the latest update whenever available. You can follow the steps below to do the same.

Open the Epic Games Launcher > Head over to Library.
Now, click on the three dots icon next to Saints Row.
Make sure the Auto Update option is turned on.
It should automatically install the available update for the Saints Row game and reduces startup crashing too.

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

Fix: Saints Row Keeps Crashing on Startup on PC

Why Saints Row is Crashing?