How to Fix Alan Wake 2 Stuck on Loading Screen Issue?

The Alan Wake 2 loading screen issue causes the game to freeze, usually showing a still logo or a spinning wheel that never goes away, stopping you from getting into the game. This means the game is stuck while trying to load important files, often because of problems with your graphics card or memory.

The most common reason is turning on ray tracing, especially on lower-end computers or when playing on cloud gaming services like GeForce NOW. Other possible causes include old drivers, damaged game files, or sometimes too much video memory being used after playing for a long time.

Make sure you meet the minimum system requirements for Alan Wake 2.

If your PC doesn’t meet the game’s requirements, it can prevent Alan Wake 2 from loading. However, if your system specifications are up to date, follow the solutions below to resolve the loading screen issue.

1. Run Alan Wake 2 as Admin

The first thing you should try is running Alan Wake 2 as an administrator if the game is getting stuck on the loading screen. Giving Alan Wake 2 admin privileges can help fix any problems with game permissions on your system.

To do this, start the Epic Games Launcher as an administrator. When you launch Alan Wake 2 from the Epic Games Launcher running as admin, the game will also have these higher permissions.

1. Open the Start Menu and search for Epic Games Launcher.
2. Click on the Run as administrator option on the right.

   

3. When the User Account Control box pops up, click Yes.
4. Run Alan Wake 2 and check if the issue is resolved.

2. Disable In-game Overlays

In-game overlays can sometimes stop Alan Wake 2 from loading correctly. This usually happens when a third-party app tries to display its overlay on top of the game, which might interfere with how the game runs.

While overlays can be useful, they can also cause the game to malfunction. It’s best to turn off any in-game overlays from apps like MSI Afterburner, Discord, GeForce Experience, or any similar software.

2.1. GeForce Experience

1. Search for the GeForce Experience app in the Start Menu and open it.

   

2. Go to the Settings screen by clicking the gear icon in the top right.

   

3. Use the In-game overlay slider to disable the overlay.

   

2.2. Discord

1. Open the Discord app and click on the Settings icon in the bottom left.

   

2. Go to the Game Overlay tab.
3. Turn off the overlay using the In-game overlay slider.

   

3. Repair Alan Wake 2 Files

Sometimes, the game may be stuck on the loading screen because some game files are corrupted or missing.

To fix this, you need to repair the game files using the Epic Games Launcher’s scan and repair feature. This checks for and replaces any damaged or missing files in your Alan Wake 2 installation.

1. Open the Epic Games Launcher.
2. Click the three dots under Alan Wake 2.
3. Select Manage from the menu.

   

4. On the Manage screen, click Verify.

   

5. Wait for the process to finish scanning and repairing the files.
6. Once done, try launching Alan Wake 2 again.

4. Update Windows

Running an outdated version of Windows can also cause Alan Wake 2 to get stuck on the loading screen. Compatibility issues often arise with older system updates.

1. Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
2. Go to the Windows Update tab.

   

3. Click Check for updates to see if any updates are available.

   

4. Let the updates download and install.
5. Restart your PC and try starting Alan Wake 2 again.

5. Update Graphics Driver

Having an outdated or corrupted graphics driver can cause Alan Wake 2 to fail to load. For the best performance and compatibility, you should update your graphics driver and perform a clean installation. A clean installation ensures all parts of the old driver are removed before installing the new one.

1. Download Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) from the official website.
2. Extract the tool to your computer.
3. Run Display Driver Uninstaller.exe.
4. Click Continue on the Options screen.

   

5. Select your GPU type from the Select device type menu.

   

6. Pick your GPU brand in the Select device menu.

   

7. Click Clean and restart.

   

8. After your PC restarts, go to your GPU manufacturer’s website.
9. Download and install the latest graphics driver for your system.
10. Try launching Alan Wake 2 to see if the issue is resolved.

6. Perform a Clean Boot

Some background apps can interfere with Alan Wake 2, causing it to get stuck on the loading screen. Running a clean boot helps you isolate if any background program is causing the issue. A clean boot starts Windows with only the essential system services, disabling all other startup programs.

1. Press Windows key + R to open the Run box.
2. Type msconfig and press Enter to open System Configuration.

   

3. Go to the Services tab.
4. Check the Hide all Microsoft services box.

   

5. Click Disable all to turn off non-Microsoft services.
6. Click Apply to save changes.
7. Switch to the Startup tab.
8. Click Open Task Manager.

   

9. Disable all startup apps you see in Task Manager by selecting each and clicking Disable.

   

10. Restart your computer and see if Alan Wake 2 loads correctly.