Fix: Fallout 4 Script Extender (F4SE) Not Working

The Fallout 4 Script Extender which is also known as “F4SE” or “FOSE” is a community developed modder’s resource that extends the Scripting capabilities of the game. However, quite recently a lot of reports have been coming in of the F4SE not working. The application is reported to crash while trying to launch or show a black screen for an extended period of time before crashing.

What Causes the F4SE to Stop Working?

We investigated the matter after receiving information about the error and came up with a set of solutions that you can implement in order to get rid of this problem. Also, we looked into the causes of the problem which were triggering the issue and some of the most common ones are listed below.

Now that you have a basic understanding of the nature of the issue we will move forward towards the solutions. However, it is recommended that you try to apply these solutions according to the provided order to make sure that they don’t conflict with each other.

Solution 1: Updating the F4SE application.

Developers mostly don’t support third-party modding facilities for their games and therefore try to prevent those in every update of the game. It is possible that the Creation Club updated and is now preventing you from using the F4SE application. Therefore, it is recommended to update the F4SE application. For that:

1. Download the Latest Version of F4SE from here.
2. Extract the “f4se_1_10_120.dll(the numbers can differentiate depending on versions)”, ”f4se_loader.exe” and the “f4se_steam_loader.dll” to the fallout installation folder.

   

   The default file path is usually:

   C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Fallout 4\

3. Launch the Game by running the “f4se_loader.exe” that you just copied inside the folder.

Note: Replace any Files when asked while copying.

Solution 2: Disabling Conflicting Mods.

Another possibility is that the mods that you have installed might be conflicting with the F4SE complication due to them being outdated or malfunctioning. Also, if the versions of the mods and the F4SE application coincide it can cause issues with the application. Therefore in this step, we are going to disable any conflicting mods.

1. Open the Nexus Mod Manager.
2. Right-click on a Mod that is not supported by NMM and is applied through the F4SE.
3. Disable the mods one by one and try to run the game after disabling each one.

   

4. If the game launches once you disabled a particular mod it means that the conflict was being caused due to that mod.
5. Try to update the Mod and check to see if the problem persists.
6. If the Mod still causes issues, disable it until the issue is fixed by the Mod developers.

Solution 3: Deleting Plugins.

The plugins used by the application might be corrupted or outdated and thus causing the issue. These are automatically replaced by the application if they are deleted. Therefore in this step, we are going to be deleting these plugins which will later be automatically replaced.

1. Open the Fallout 4 Installation folder it is usually located in

   C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Fallout 4\

2. Open the “Data>F4SE>Plugins” Folders.
3. Delete everything inside the Plugins folder.

   

4. Now download the Fallout 4 Script Extender and install it.
5. Make sure to also reinstall all the fallout 4 script extender Mods.
6. Run the game and check to see if the problem persists.

Solution 4: Run Compatibility Troubleshooter.

Sometimes, the application might be facing issues with your operating system, therefore, it is always a good idea to run the compatibility troubleshooter for the application and let it select the best settings for you. For that:

1. Navigate to the game installation folder.
2. Right-Click on the “f4se_loader.exe” and click on the settings.
3. Click on the “Compatibility” tab.
4. Select the “Run Compatibility Troubleshooter” button.
5. Windows will now automatically determine the best settings for your computer.
6. Test those settings and apply if the issue is solved.

   

Solution 5: Verifying Integrity of Files.

In some cases, it is possible that the game might be missing important files that are necessary in order for the game to run properly. Therefore, in this step, we are going to be verifying the game files. For that:

1. Open the Steam application and login to your account.
2. Navigate to the Library and Right–Click on Fallout 4.
3. Select Properties.

   

4. Click on the “Local Files” tab.

   

5. Select the “Verify the integrity of game cache” option.

   

6. Steam will now take some time to verify the game files, once it is finished try to run the game and check to see if the problem persists.

Solution 6: Granting access in Firewall.

It is possible that the windows firewall might be preventing the game from making contact with the game servers. In this step, we are going to be allowing the application through the Windows Firewall.

1. Click on the start menu and select the Settings Icon.
2. In the Settings select the “Updates & Security” option.
3. Click on the “Windows Security” option on the left pane.
4. Inside the Windows Security option, Select “Firewall and Network Protection”.
5. Select the “Allow an app through firewall” option.
6. Click on “Change Settings” and grant all the Fallout4 related applications access through both “Private” and “Public” networks.
7. Click on “OK”, run the game and check to see if the problem persists.

   

Solution 7: Running as an Administrator

There are many instances where because of strict protocols because of UAC, F4SE is unable to execute properly. Since F4SE makes use of scripts, they require elevated permissions in order to work. If you are not running the program with administrator privileges, you might face the problem.

1. Navigate to the main executable of F4SE, right-click on it and select Run as administrator. You can also set the program to always run with administrator access using the compatibility tab.
2. Once with administrator access, check if the issue is resolved for good.