Fix: Elder Scrolls Online Launcher is Stuck on Loading?

There have been many problems with Elder Scrolls Online recently and one of them is where the users cant get into the game because the launcher appears to be stuck. This issue is usually caused due to corrupted Microsoft Visual files or due to blockage by the Windows Firewall.

Fixing the ESO Launcher Stuck on Loading

1. Add Exceptions in Firewall

It is very important that you disable the antivirus software that has been installed on the computer temporarily and check if that helps your case. In addition to that, we will be adding exceptions to the Firewall manually. For that:

1. Press the “Windows” + “S” Keys simultaneously and type in “Firewall”
   

   

2. Click on the first option and then click on the “Allow an app or feature through Firewall” option.
   

   

3. Click on the “Change Settings” option.
   

   

4. Scroll down the list and make sure to check both “Public” and “Private” option for anything related to ESO or ESO Launcher.
5. After that, click on the “Allow another App” and add the following exceptions to it one by one.

   Bethesda.net_launcher: C:\Program Files (x86)\ZenimaxOnline\Launcher
   ESO.exe: C:\Program Files (x86)\ZenimaxOnline\The Elder Scrolls Online\game\client\eso.exe
   Steam.exe: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steam.exe

    Note: There are the default locations of install and they might differ according to your configurations.

6. Click on “Apply” to save your settings and launch ESO.
7. Check to see if the issue persists.

2. Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++

Microsoft Visual C++ is an important software that need to be installed in order to run most modern games. If that has been corrupted, the game won’t launch. Therefore, in this step, we will manually be installing it after uninstalling it completely. For that:

1. Press “Windows” + “I” buttons simultaneously to open settings.
2. Click on “Apps” and select “Apps and Features” from the left pane.

   

3. Scroll down and click on “Microsoft Visual C++“.
4. Select the “Uninstall” button and click on “OK” to uninstall it successfully.

   

5. Repeat this process for all versions of Microsoft Visual C++.
6. Click on this link and download the executables.
7. After downloading, click on them to initiate the installation and confirm any onscreen prompts.
8. Wait for the installation to complete and launch ESO.
9. Check to see if the issue persists.

3. Delete Corrupted Program Data

In some cases, the program data that the game is using to extract its launch configurations might have been corrupted due to which this issue is being encountered. Therefore, in this step, we will be completely removing this data and it will be regenerated automatically by the launcher. For that:

1. Close the ESO launcher completely and restart your computer.
2. Navigate to the following location on your computer.

   C:\Program Files (x86)\Zenimax Online\Launcher

    Note: This location might differ according to your configurations.

3. Delete the “Program Data” folder completely and restart the launcher.

   

4. Check to see if the issue persists.

4. Repair the Launcher

It is possible that the ESO launcher has been glitched due to which this issue is being encountered. Therefore, in this step, we will be repairing the launcher. For that:

1. Right-click on the ESO launcher icon and select the “Run as Administrator” option.

   

2. Wait for the launcher to open and select the “Game Options” button from the dropdown menu.
3. Select the Repair option and the file examining process will be started.

   

4. Wait for the process to finish and let the launcher reinstall missing files after downloading.
5. After the process finishes, launch the game and check to see if the issue persists.