Fix Grounded Crashing on Windows 10 PC

If Grounded keeps crashing on your Windows 10 PC—whether it’s at launch, during gameplay, or when loading a save—this guide walks you through the most effective fixes. You’ll start with the simplest checks and move to more advanced solutions, covering everything from driver updates to game file verification.

What You’ll Need

• Administrator access to your Windows 10 PC
• Stable internet connection (for verifying game files and downloading updates)
• Your game platform client (Steam, Xbox App, or Microsoft Store) installed and logged in
• At least 10-15 GB of free disk space for temporary files and shader caches

Step-by-Step

1. Check system requirements and update Windows. Make sure your PC meets Grounded’s minimum specs (Windows 10 64-bit, 8 GB RAM, GTX 650 Ti or better). Press Win + I to open Settings, go to Update & Security, and click “Check for updates.” Install any pending updates and restart your PC.
2. Update your graphics drivers. Go to your GPU manufacturer’s website (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) and download the latest driver for your model. Use the auto-detect tool if unsure. After installation, restart your PC.
3. Run Grounded as administrator. Right-click the game’s .exe file (or its shortcut), select “Properties,” go to the “Compatibility” tab, check “Run this program as an administrator,” and click Apply. Also check “Disable fullscreen optimizations” in the same tab—this often resolves rendering crashes.
4. Verify game files. In Steam, right-click Grounded in your library, select “Properties,” go to “Local Files,” and click “Verify integrity of game files.” For the Xbox app, go to the game’s page, click the three dots, select “Manage,” then “Verify and repair.” This replaces any corrupted or missing files.
5. Disable overlays. Turn off Steam Overlay (Steam Settings > In-Game > uncheck “Enable Steam Overlay”), Discord overlay (User Settings > Overlay > disable), and any other overlay like MSI Afterburner or RivaTuner. Overlays are a common crash trigger for Unreal Engine games.
6. Adjust in-game graphics settings. Launch the game and lower the following: set “Graphics Quality” to Medium or Low, disable “Motion Blur,” “Depth of Field,” and “Ambient Occlusion,” and set “Anti-Aliasing” to Off or FXAA. If the game crashes before you can change settings, edit the config file: go to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Grounded\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor\ and open GameUserSettings.ini with Notepad, then set sg.ResolutionQuality=50 and sg.ViewDistanceQuality=0.
7. Run in windowed mode. In the same config file, set FullscreenMode=2 (windowed) and LastConfirmedFullscreenMode=2. This bypasses fullscreen-related crashes.
8. Clear DirectX shader cache. Press Win + R, type cleanmgr, select your system drive, and click OK. Check “DirectX Shader Cache” and run the cleanup. This removes corrupted shader data that can cause crashes.
9. Close background programs. Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and close any unnecessary apps, especially web browsers, video players, and RGB control software. These consume RAM and can conflict with the game engine.
10. Disable fullscreen optimizations for the entire system (optional). If the game still crashes, go to Windows Settings > System > Display > Graphics settings, select “Desktop app,” browse to the Grounded .exe, add it, and set it to “High performance” (dedicated GPU).
11. Reinstall the game. Uninstall Grounded completely, restart your PC, and reinstall it. This is the last resort, but it clears any leftover corrupted files.

Common Mistakes

• Skipping Windows updates: Grounded requires recent Windows 10 builds; missing updates can cause compatibility crashes.
• Using outdated drivers: Many players assume Windows Update handles GPU drivers, but it often installs generic ones. Always get drivers from the manufacturer.
• Overclocking: If you have an overclocked CPU or GPU, revert to stock speeds. Unstable overclocks cause random crashes.
• Ignoring the config file: If the game crashes at launch, you can’t change settings in-game. Editing the INI file is the only way to lower them.
• Not disabling overlays: Overlays are notorious for crashing Unreal Engine games. Disable them all, even if you think they’re harmless.

Tips

• Keep your GPU drivers updated regularly, but wait a few days after a new release to see if others report issues.
• Set a page file size of at least 8 GB (System Properties > Advanced > Performance > Advanced > Virtual Memory) to avoid memory-related crashes.
• Play in a window or borderless mode if you have dual monitors—fullscreen can cause crashes when alt-tabbing.
• Monitor your temperatures with a tool like HWMonitor. If your CPU/GPU exceeds 90°C, clean your fans and improve airflow.
• Join the official Grounded Discord for community-reported fixes; players often find new workarounds quickly.

Troubleshooting

If the game still crashes after trying all steps, do the following:

• Check the Windows Event Viewer: Press Win + R, type eventvwr, go to Windows Logs > Application, and look for errors with source “Application Error” or “.NET Runtime.” Note the faulting module (e.g., nvwgf2umx.dll means GPU driver issue).
• Try a clean boot: Run msconfig, go to Services, check “Hide all Microsoft services,” click “Disable all,” then on the Startup tab open Task Manager and disable all startup items. Restart and try the game. If it works, re-enable services one by one to find the culprit.
• Test with a different GPU driver version: If the latest driver crashes, install an older stable version (e.g., one from a few months ago). Use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) to remove the current driver completely first.
• Check for game-specific patches: Grounded receives frequent updates; ensure your game is updated to the latest version. Sometimes a patch introduces crashes and a hotfix follows.
• If all else fails, contact Obsidian support with your crash logs (found in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Grounded\Saved\Crashes). They may provide a targeted fix.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Grounded crash on startup? Most common causes are outdated GPU drivers, corrupted game files, or missing Windows updates. Start with verifying files and updating drivers.

Can I fix crashes by lowering graphics settings? Yes, lowering settings reduces GPU load and memory usage, which often stops crashes, especially on older hardware.

Does Grounded crash more on Windows 10 than Windows 11? Some players report more crashes on Windows 10 due to driver compatibility, but the fixes are the same.

Will reinstalling the game delete my save? No, your save is stored in the cloud (if you have a Microsoft account) or locally in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Grounded\Saved. Reinstalling the game does not delete that folder.

How do I know if my GPU is too old? Check the minimum requirements: Grounded needs at least a GTX 650 Ti or equivalent. If your GPU is older, consider upgrading or lowering settings to minimum.

Is there a way to prevent crashes during co-op? Ensure all players have the same game version and stable internet. Host the game from the most powerful PC, and disable overlays on all systems.

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