How to Fix Borderlands 3 When It’s Not Launching on Windows 10 & 11
Borderlands 3 has had rave reviews since 2019. Yet, some players have also reported technical issues with that game. Some Epic Games and Stream users have said Borderlands 3 doesn’t launch or crashes at the startup when they try to play it.
Borderlands 3 can throw up various error messages when it doesn’t start. Sometimes it might not launch without displaying any kind of error message. These are some general potential fixes that can feasibly fix a variety of Borderlands 3 launch issues in Windows 11/10.
1. Configure Borderlands 3 to Run With Admin Permissions
Windows games can sometimes fail to start because they don’t have access to more restricted system areas. So, confirm Borderlands 3 has full system access.
To do so, you’ll need to set Borderlands 3 to always start with administrative rights like this:
Repeat those steps to set your Epic Games or Steam game client software for launching Borderlands 3 to always run with admin rights. If you have a desktop shortcut for your gaming client software, you can selectPropertiesfrom the shortcut’s context menu.
2. Update Your Game Launcher Software
Some players have said that updating their game launchers can fix Borderlands 3 not starting. You don’t have to reinstall your gaming client to update it. Both Epic Games Launcher and Steam include options you can select to manually update them to their latest versions. These are the three steps for updating Epic Games Launcher:
You can similarly update Steam. To do so, click theSettingsmenu button on Steam. Then selectCheck for Steam client updatesfrom the menu.
3. Set the Preferred Graphics API Setting to DirectX 11
DirectX 12 might be powerful, but it’s also widely reported to generate launch issues for Borderlands 3. Players have confirmed that setting Borderlands 3 to start with DirectX 11 instead of 12 can fix the game not starting.
If Borderlands 3 doesn’t start, you may’t change any settings via in-game options. However, you can set the graphics API via a settings file for that game as follows:
4. Verify the Integrity of Borderlands 3’s Files
Verifying is one of the most regular troubleshooting steps for fixing games that don’t start, be it Borderlands 3 or anything else. Most gaming clients include options to verify (or repair) games. When you select to verify a game, you’re initiating a scan check for it that will repair corrupted or missing files. This is how you can verify Borderlands 3 within Epic Games Launcher:
The steps for verifying Borderlands 3 in Steam are a little different. Open your gaming library in Steam, but then right-click Borderlands 3 from there to selectProperties. Then you can select theVerify integrity of game filesoption on theLocal Filestab.
5. Scan and Repair Your System Files
Corrupted system files can also cause game launch issues. As such, it’s a good idea to perform a verification check for Windows' system files.
To do this, you should run a System File Checker scan to fix Borderlands 3 not launching. This is how to run an SFC scan from the Command Prompt in Windows 11/10:
6. Update Your PC’s Graphics Card Driver
When was the last time you updated your PC’s graphics card driver? If the answer is never (or at least a few months back), your PC’s graphics driver is probably outdated, which might be why your Borderlands 3 game isn’t launching. In this case, updating your graphics card’s driver could be a potential solution.
There are at least three different ways you can update a PC’s graphics card driver. You can update it manually by downloading the latest driver package from NVIDIA, Intel, or AMD websites. Third-party driver updater tools also include options for automatically updating drivers. Or you can utilize AMD or NVIDIA software tools, such as GeForce Experience.
Check out our guide onhow to upgrade your graphics card driversfor further details.
7. Update Visual C++ Runtime Components
If you see an error message that mentions Visual C++ runtime components when trying to launch Borderlands 3, updating runtime components is a probable resolution. Even if you don’t, it’s recommended that you try updating those components. You can do so by following these steps:
8. Disable Third-Party Startup Programs and Services
You can disable third-party startup software and services by setting a clean boot. Configuring a clean boot will both free up system resources for the game and might also disable a few programs or services that were conflicting with Borderlands 3. Follow these steps to perform a clean boot:
9. Reinstall Borderlands 3
Finally, reinstall Borderlands 3 if none of the above work for you. Downloading and installing a 75 GB game will likely take a few hours at least, which makes this resolution less preferable than quicker alternatives. However, reinstalling Borderlands 3 might fix a corrupted installation. you may reinstall Borderlands 3 in Epic Games Launcher like this:
Steam users can also uninstall and reinstall Borderlands 3 in that client software. To do so, right-click Borderlands 3 in your Steam library to selectManage>Uninstall. Then you can click anInstalloption for the game to reinstall it.
Enjoy Borderlands 3’s Blasting Action Again
When you could’t launch Borderlands 3, you’re missing out on its pulsating blasting action. The potential Windows fixes above for Borderlands 3 not launching will probably kick-start that game for many (but not necessarily all) players. In addition, we also recommend players try manually disabling firewalls, antivirus, and overlay software and update Windows 11.
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