How to Fix Elden Ring: Nightreign Crashing and Freezing?

Elden Ring: Nightreign may occasionally crash, freeze, or become unresponsive, particularly during loading screens, combat transitions, or when rendering complex environments. While these issues may appear to originate from the game itself, they often result from how Windows and your GPU handle background processes. When the communication between the game engine, graphics driver, and operating system becomes desynchronized, data processing stalls can occur, leading to frame hangs or complete application shutdowns.

This instability is commonly caused by permission conflicts, corrupted driver data, or incorrect GPU allocation. In simpler terms, your system may be struggling to assign memory or access shaders properly, disrupting frame rendering and overall game stability. Although the causes vary by system, most issues can be resolved through targeted adjustments to Windows settings, GPU configurations, and file integrity checks.

Follow the steps below in order. Each method explains why it works and what issue it resolves to help you confidently fix Elden Ring: Nightreign crashes and improve stability.

1. Run the Game as an Administrator

Running Elden Ring: Nightreign as an administrator grants it access to essential directories and background services that Windows might otherwise restrict. Without these elevated permissions, Windows can silently block file operations or driver calls, resulting in crashes, freezes, or startup failures. Granting administrative access ensures smoother communication between the game and system components.

1. Open File Explorer (Windows + E).
2. Navigate to the game’s installation folder:

   C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN

3. Locate eldenring.exe.
4. Right-click it and choose Run as administrator.
5. Launch the game and test performance and stability.

2. Perform a Clean Installation of the Graphics Driver

A clean installation removes leftover files and registry entries that interfere with communication between your GPU and the game. By reinstalling, you effectively reset the graphics stack, which improves shader compilation and frame consistency.

1. Go to your GPU manufacturer’s official website (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel).
2. Download the latest driver for your graphics card.
3. Run the installer and select Clean Installation or Factory Reset if available.
4. Restart your PC once installation is complete.
5. Reopen the game and verify stability.

3. Force the Game to Use Your Dedicated GPU

If Elden Ring: Nightreign defaults to your integrated GPU, it may lack the VRAM and performance required for stable gameplay. Forcing the game to run on your dedicated GPU ensures proper rendering and resource allocation.

1. Right-click your desktop → Display settings.
2. Scroll down and select Graphics.
3. Under “Custom options for apps,” click Browse and select eldenring.exe from the installation folder.
4. Choose High performance → Save.
5. Restart the game to apply the change.

4. Verify the Integrity of Game Files

Interrupted updates or corrupted downloads can cause essential assets to malfunction. Steam’s integrity check automatically replaces missing or damaged files, restoring your game’s base functionality. See our full guide on verifying game files.

1. Open Steam → Library.
2. Right-click Elden Ring: Nightreign → Properties.
3. In the Installed Files tab, click Verify integrity of game files….
4. Wait for Steam to replace missing or corrupted files.
5. Restart your computer, then relaunch the game.

5. Enable V-Sync from the NVIDIA Control Panel

V-Sync synchronizes your game’s frame rate with your monitor’s refresh rate to prevent screen tearing and frame pacing issues. Without it, rendering at uncapped frame rates can overwork your GPU and cause instability. Use this method if you notice micro-stutters, tearing, or inconsistent frame pacing.

1. Right-click your desktop → NVIDIA Control Panel.
2. Select Manage 3D settings from the sidebar.
3. Find Vertical sync → set to On.
4. Click Apply to save changes.
5. Restart the game and observe performance improvements.

If crashes persist after all steps, consider a full clean reinstall of Elden Ring: Nightreign. This refreshes every associated file and dependency, removing lingering corrupted data that integrity checks can’t fix.