Fix: isaac-ng.exe has stopped working

The Binding of Isaac is a beautiful indie game and it’s a randomly generated action RPG shooter with heavy Rogue-like elements. The game was originally released in 2011 but The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is more of a remake which really helped the game launch its major success. There are other versions as well and they share the problem below!

Still, users are getting the “isaac-ng.exe has stopped working” message which means that The Binding of Isaac crashes to Desktop. The game is unplayable because of these problems and it often occurs right on startup. Fixing this problem shouldn’t be that difficult but still make sure to follow steps correctly.

What Causes the “isaac-ng.exe has stopped working” Error?

The thing which often causes this error message when playing The Binding of Isaac is broken or missing game files. This can applied both to game files in Documents where save files and preferences are stored and the main installation files in the directory where you installed the game.

The second most common cause for the problem is definitely outdated graphics card drivers which can’t support some in-game settings. You should update them as soon as possible. Finally, Steam Overlay seems to cause this problem in certain cases as it’s not fully compatible with plenty of games which don’t like anything being displayed over their window.

How to Fix isaac-ng.exe stopped working

Solution 1: Delete its Folder in Documents

Deleting the game’s main preference folder in Documents is a great way of sort of restarting the game without actually losing your save files, your progress but possibly solving your issue. The process is quite easy so make sure you try this method out before proceeding further.

1. Navigate to the folder’s location in the File Explorer simply by opening a folder and clicking This PC or My Computer from the left navigation pane or by searching for this entry in the Start menu.

2. Anyway, in This PC or My Computer, double-click to open your Local Disk and navigate to Users >> Your Account’s Name >> Documents >> My Games. Windows 10 users can simply navigate to Documents after opening File Explorer from the right-side navigation menu.

3. Right-click the The Binding of Isaac: folder in My Games and choose the Delete option from the context menu. Confirm any dialogs which may appear prompting you to confirm your choice.
4. Open the game afterwards by launching Steam and double-clicking the game from the Steam Library tab: Alternatively, you can locate the game’s shortcut on Desktop and run it if you haven’t installed the game via Steam. Check to see if the game crashes again.

Note: In the My Games folder, there should be a The Binding of Isaac Mods folder. If the method above has failed to work, you should try removing the content inside by moving it somewhere else to see if the game crashes. If the crashing stops, one of the mods you have downloaded is faulty and you shouldn’t use it anymore!

1. If you fail to find this folder, open Steam, navigate to the Library tab, right-click on The Binding of Isaac entry, and choose Properties. Switch to the Local Files tab and click Browse Local Files. If the game is installed without Steam, right-click a game’s shortcut and choose Open file location.

2. Either way, locate a file called options.ini, right-click on it, and choose Open with >> Notepad. Use the Ctrl + F key combination or navigate to Edit >> Find from the top menu in the Notepad window and type “enablemods” in the bar.
3. Once you locate the option, change the number next to it from 1 to 0 and check to see if the game still crashes!

Solution 2: Manually Install the Latest Graphics Card Driver

Talking about the importance of video card drivers when playing video games is just unnecessary as they are probably the first thing which may cause issues on your computers when it comes to video games crashing. Accordingly, The Binding of Isaac Rebirth is no exception and you should manually install the latest available graphics card driver in order to run the game properly.

1. Click the Start menu button, type in “Device Manager” afterwards, and select it from the list of available results by simply clicking the first one. You can also tap the Windows Key + R key combo in order to bring up the Run dialog box. Type in “devmgmt.msc” in the dialog box and click OK in order to run it.

2. Since it’s the video card driver you want to update on your computer, expand the Display adapters section, right click on your graphics card and choose the Uninstall Device option.

3. Confirm any dialogues or prompts which may ask you to confirm the uninstallation of the current graphics device driver and wait for the process to complete.
4. Look for your graphics card driver on the card’s manufacturer’s website and follow their instructions which should be available on the site. This will depend on the manufacturer, of course! Save the installation file on your computer and run the executable from there. Your computer may restart several times during the installation.

5. Check to see if The Binding of Isaac keeps crashing and displaying the “isaac-ng.exe has stopped working” message!

Nvidia Drivers — Click Here!

AMD Drivers — Click Here!

Note: If you are on Windows 10, latest drivers are almost always installed alongside other Windows updates so make sure you keep your computer’s OS up to date. Windows Update is run automatically on Windows 10 but you can check by following the instructions below for a new update.

1. Use the Windows Key + I key combination in order to open Settings on your Windows PC. Alternatively, you can search for “Settings” by using the search bar located at the taskbar or click the cog icon above the Start menu button.

2. Locate and open the “Update & security” section in the Settings app. Stay in the Windows Update tab and click on the Check for updates button under the Update status in order to check whether there is a new version of Windows available.

3. If there is one, Windows should install the update immediately and you will be prompted to restart your computer afterwards.

Solution 3: Disable Steam Overlay for the Game

There is something about Steam Overlay which makes games simply want to crash. It’s a weird problem as this overlay is sometimes quite useful but you might want to consider disabling it for this game only as it causes it to crash for some users who have purchased and installed the game through Steam

1. Open up Steam by double-clicking its entry on the Desktop or by searching for it in the Start menu. Windows 10 users can also search for it using Cortana or the search bar, both of them next to the Start menu.

2. Navigate to the Library tab in the Steam window, and locate Just Cause 2 in the list of the games you own in your library.
3. Right-click the game’s entry in the library and choose the Properties option from the context menu which will appear. Stay in the General tab in the Properties window and clear the box next to the “Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game” entry.

4. Apply the changes, exit, and try running the game. Check to see if “isaac-ng.exe has stopped working” message appears after launching or while playing.

Solution 4: Reinstall the Game

The final solution might appear the easiest for some users if they have done it before with any other program. This time, you will be able to keep your save files as well as that is an option you will see during the uninstallation so make sure you keep it checked. Reinstall the game and check to see if the problem still appears!

1. Click the Start menu button in order to open Control Panel by searching for it. Otherwise, you can click on the Settings icon above the Start menu button after opening it in order to open the Settings app.
2. In the Control Panel main window, switch to View as: Category at the top right part of the window and click on Uninstall a Program under the Programs section.

3. If you are a Windows 10 user in the Settings app, clicking on Apps section from the Settings window should open the list of all installed programs on your PC.
4. Locate The Binding of Isaac entry in the list either in Settings or Control Panel, click on it once and click the Uninstall button located in the Control Panel window. Confirm any dialog choices to uninstall the game, and follow the instructions which will appear on screen.

Alternative for Steam Users:

1. If you have purchased and installed the game via Steam, start Steam by double-clicking its icon on the Desktop or by searching for it in Start menu. Head over to the Library tab in the Steam window by locating the Library tab at the top of the window, and locate The Binding of Isaac in the list of games you own in your library.
2. Right-click on its entry and choose Uninstall.
3. Follow the instructions which will appear on screen and confirm any dialogs prompting you to confirm your choice to uninstall the game.

If you have installed the game from a disk, make sure you insert it in the DVD tray, and wait for the installation wizard to open. Follow the instructions on-screen to install the game again and wait for the process to finish.

If you purchased it via Steam, you will need to download it again from Steam by locating its entry in the Library and choose the Install button after right-clicking on it. Check to see if the “isaac-ng.exe has stopped working” error appears again.