How to Fix Battlefield 6 Not Launching / Crashing Issue?

When Battlefield 6 won’t launch or keeps crashing with DirectX errors, black screens, or freezes, it’s usually a clash between the game/anti-cheat and a system setting. Most cases fall into:

• GPU driver / DirectX initialization (bad/outdated drivers, shader compilation issues)
• Windows security / exploit protection (blocks the game/anti-cheat and causes silent closes)
• Corrupted game/config files (broken files/settings trigger loops and instant crashes)
• Unstable overclocks/undervolts (XMP/EXPO, GPU/CPU tuning causes random freezes/crashes)

1. Update or Reinstall GPU Drivers

Outdated/corrupted drivers are a top cause of DirectX errors and startup crashes. Install drivers from NVIDIA/AMD/Intel. If issues started after a recent update, testing one known-stable version back can help.

To follow our detailed guide on this whole process, visit: How to update graphics driver in Windows? (AMD, Nvidia, Intel)

2. Disable Exploit Protection Overrides (Only for the Game)

On some PCs, Windows Exploit Protection blocks how the game/anti-cheat attaches at launch, causing silent closes after the splash. The safest test is disabling only the key mitigations for bf6.exe (and, if needed, the anti-cheat exe).

Important: This reduces protection for that executable. Revert if it doesn’t help.

1. Press Windows + S, type Windows Security, and press Enter.
   
2. Click App & browser control.
3. Under Exploit protection, click Exploit protection settings.
   
4. Open the Program settings tab.
5. Click Add program to customize > Choose exact file path.
6. Select the Battlefield 6 executable (the main bf6.exe inside the install folder).
7. Set:
   • Control flow guard (CFG): enable Override system settings → set to Off
   • Force randomization for images (Mandatory ASLR): enable Override system settings → set to Off
8. Click Apply, then restart the PC.
9. If it still closes after splash: add the anti-cheat executable too and apply the same two overrides.

3. Switch from Borderless to Fullscreen/Windowed

If you’re getting black screens/freezes, switching Display Mode can help because it changes the presentation path. Some setups are less stable in Borderless.

1. Launch Battlefield 6 and open Settings.
2. Go to Display or Graphics.
3. Locate Display Mode.
4. If it’s Borderless, switch to Fullscreen or Windowed.
   
5. Save changes and restart the game.

4. Repair or Reinstall Game Files

Corrupted/incomplete files can trigger launch failures and DirectX errors. Verify/repair replaces missing or damaged files. If it still crashes, reinstall for a clean baseline.

Launcher note: Steam uses Verify integrity. Other launchers usually have Repair/Verify in the game’s Manage menu.

1. Open Steam and go to Library.
2. Right-click Battlefield 6 > Properties.
   
3. Open Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files.
   
4. If it still crashes after verification, reinstall the game.

5. Reduce Graphics/Memory Overclocking (ADVANCED USERS)

Overclocks/undervolts on CPU, GPU, or RAM can cause freezes, black screens, and hard crashes. For testing, return everything to stock first.

Also check RAM: Temporarily disable XMP/EXPO (set to Auto/Default) while troubleshooting.

1. Open your GPU tuning tool (MSI Afterburner, Precision X1, AMD Adrenalin, Intel Arc Control).
2. Reset Core Clock / Memory Clock and any undervolt profiles to defaults.
3. Revert aggressive power limits/fan curves to a normal profile.
4. Restart your PC and test again.