The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a role-playing action game that is developed and published by CD Project. This game series is ongoing, and it has left quite a footprint in the digital world. Even with great popularity, some users came across a particular issue in which the game crashes during the gameplay or in the cinematics. After the game crashed, it automatically directs the user to the desktop without any error messages. This is so annoying, as there is no type of message. In this article, you will see all the causes and possible solutions for Witcher 3 crashing issue. So, continue reading to fix Witcher 3 freezing on PC.

How to Fix Witcher 3 Crashing on Windows 10

In this section, we have compiled a list of possible reasons that cause Witcher 3 freezing PC issue. Analyze them deeply so you will get a better knowledge of how to troubleshoot them accordingly.

• Corrupt gaming files in Steam
• The necessary NVIDIA streamer service is not running on your PC
• Cloud synchronization feature is active and interfering with the app
• Antivirus or Windows Defender Firewall is blocking the game and you cannot access all its features.
• You are using an outdated version of the Windows operating system
• The drivers on your PC are not compatible or outdated
• Your PC uses an outdated version of the .NET framework
• Misconfigured files of the game that can only be fixed when you reinstall them

System Requirements to Play Witcher 3

Before seeing the solutions, you must check whether your computer meets the system requirements of this game.

1. Minimum System Requirements

• CPU: Intel CPU Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz / AMD CPU Phenom II X4 940
• RAM: 6 GB
• OS: 64-bit Windows 7 or 64-bit Windows 8 (8.1)
• VIDEO CARD: Nvidia GPU GeForce GTX 660 / AMD GPU Radeon HD 7870
• PIXEL SHADER: 5.0
• VERTEX SHADER: 5.0
• FREE DISK SPACE: 40 GB
• DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 1.5 GB

2. Recommended Requirements

• CPU: Intel CPU Core i7 3770 3.4 GHz / AMD CPU AMD FX-8350 4 GHz
• RAM: 8 GB
• OS: 64-bit Windows 7 or 64-bit Windows 8 (8.1)
• VIDEO CARD: Nvidia GPU GeForce GTX 770 / AMD GPU Radeon R9 290
• PIXEL SHADER: 5.0
• VERTEX SHADER: 5.0
• FREE DISK SPACE: 40 GB
• DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 2 GB

You must make sure that your computer has the recommended system requirements that are required to run the game smoothly.

Basic Troubleshooting Methods

Following are a few preliminary checks that you can follow to fix the said error.

• Disable Overclocking: Every high-end computer is built with the option of Overclocking which helps in outputting more juice than your specifications that you already have. Running the graphics card or processor faster than the default speed refers to overclocking. When this happens;
  • Your computer will reach the maximum temperature after a particular time.
  • The computer detects this and adjusts the clock speed to the normal speed until it is cooled down.
  • The clock speed is increased again after they cool down. This increases the performance of your computer and is a great help if you don’t have a powerful computer.
  • It must be noted that all the games do not support overclocking. The same applies to Witcher 3. So, you must try disabling all overclocking on your computer and try launching the game. If it launches well, the issue Witcher 3 crashing on PC is fixed.

• Disabling Mods: Mods change the graphics a bit and also adds more features than the stock version of the game. This ultimately changes the gaming experience for gamers. As mods are the third party, they are known to have conflicts with the engine of the game and it can cause various errors. The game might crash if the version of the game and the version of the mod doesn’t match together. In this case, you should try disabling all the mods on your computer and check if Witcher 3 freezing PC issue is fixed.

• Check for Overheating: Computers often get overheated when they are used for a long time or when they perform heavy tasks. Whenever the computer gets overheated, you may face this error. So, make sure to main the temperature of your computer while playing games. You can download temperature checking utilities to check the temperature while playing games.
• Check Connectors: Checking connectors is also a thing to check if you face this issue. Make sure that they are connected properly. This is a very common occurrence with multiple users. The data will not be transferred properly if the connection is not stable. This could also cause Witcher 3 crashing on Windows 10 error. Always make sure that your connectors are connected properly.

Method 1: Verify Integrity of Game Files (On Steam)

Before trying the technical troubleshooting methods, it is smarter to check if you have a valid game installation. We have seen many cases in which the game files are either missing or corrupt or it had incomplete installations. Users could also experience this issue if they are interrupted by the update process or if the game files are being moved. Read our guide on how to verify integrity of game files on Steam.

Method 2: Change Game Priority

The preference of an application or process tells the computer the importance and if it should be given preference over the others while allocating the resources. The priority of every application is normal except the system processes, by default. Witcher 3 might crash if it didn’t get enough resources.

1. Hit the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys simultaneously to open the Task Manager.

2. Now, search for The Witcher 3 process.

3. Then Set priority to High as depicted below and check if this works.

Note: Change the priority with great caution as changing the priority of the process carelessly could make your system extremely slow or unstable.

4. Close the Task Manager and reboot the PC and check whether Witcher 3 crashing on Windows 10 issue is solved.

Also Read: Fix Desktop Window Manager Stopped Working

Method 3: Restart NVIDIA Streamer Service

NVIDIA Streamer Service comes with the latest graphics card that is released by NVIDIA. It runs like a background service on your computer at all times and it comes into play whenever you are streaming with the NVIDIA application. In this solution, we will be navigating to the Services and restarting the service manually.

1. Open the Run dialog box by pressing Windows + R keys together.

2. Type services.msc and press the Enter key to launch the Services window.

3. Find NVIDIA GeForce Experience Service and double-click on it.

Note: Right-click on the service and choose Restart to make sure that the service is running correctly.

4. Click on Start if the Service status is stopped.

5. Choose the Automatic option from the drop-down menu of Startup type.

6. Click on Apply and then click on OK to save the changes.

7. Repeat the same steps for NVIDIA Streaming Service as well.

Method 4: Disable Steam Cloud Synchronization

The Steam Cloud is a platform that allows users and games to save the progress and their data in the Steam cloud so that a user can log into the client whenever and the client downloads and updates the progress and preferences automatically. This is a nice feature that makes Steam preferable when compared to other engines but it may cause many issues.

1. Open Steam and Sign in with your login details.

2. Then, click on the Steam tab from the top left corner of the screen.

3. Then. Click the Settings option from the drop-down menu.

4. Now, click on the Cloud tab in the left pane and then uncheck the option which is marked Enable Steam Cloud synchronization for applications which support it as shown in the image.

5. At last, click on OK to save the changes and then close the application. Check if you have fixed Witcher 3 crashing on PC issue or not.

Also Read: Fix Steam Client Bootstrapper Not Responding in Windows 10

Method 5: Disable VSync

Vertical Sync (VSync) allows the users in synchronizing the frame rate of the game with the monitor refresh rate which increases the stability. This feature is usually enabled by default and is embedded in Witcher 3. Even though this mechanism is really helpful, it is known to cause some issues in the gameplay. In this solution, we will go to the settings of the game and disable the option.

1. Open Witcher 3 and then click on Options.

2. Then, click on Video and choose Graphics.

3. Click on VSync and then turn off the option in the Graphics option.

4. You can also change other graphics settings there if this method didn’t work.

5. Save the changes and then exit.

6. See if Witcher 3 freezing PC issue is resolved after restarting Witcher 3.

Method 6: Disable Frame Rate Cap

Witcher 3 also has an in-game option that allows the user to set the maximum frame rate. Although you can manage the frame rate, it also causes some issues with the game. In this solution, you will have to navigate to graphics settings and then remove the cap. This will help you fix Witcher 3 crashing issue.

1. Go to the Graphics settings.

2. Look for the option Maximum Frames Per Second in the Graphics settings and move the slider to Unlimited i.e. 60.

Check if Witcher 3 crashing on PC issue is resolved after restarting the game.

Also Read: Fix Nvidia User Account Locked in Windows 10

Method 7: Play in Full Screen

Changing the game to full screen may fix Witcher 3 freezing PC. It is seen that a borderless window causes the CPU works harder as it creates more load in it. This is because the desktop will also be running in the background.

1. Go to Graphics Settings using the Options from the main menu as shown in Method 6.

2. Then, click on Display Mode and then set the option to Full screen.

3. Save the changes and then exit. Check if Witcher 3 freezing PC issue is resolved after restarting the game.

Method 8: Extend System Partition

You will not be able to install any updates of the game on your computer if there is insufficient space in the system partition. There are many ways to increase the memory space in your computer, but this might not be helpful in every situation. You have to extend the system reserved partition for fixing Witcher 3 crashing on PC issue. There are many third-party tools to extend the system reserved partition but, it is preferable to do it manually. Follow the steps given in this article How to Extend System Drive Partition (C:) in Windows 10.

Also Read: Fix Cannot Create New Partition Unallocated Space on Windows 10

Method 9: Disable Antivirus Temporarily (If Applicable)

Any new latest updates of the game may sometimes be prevented by the antivirus suite. Antivirus software like Avast and Norton are most likely to prevent any latest update of Windows and it is advised to disable any third party or inbuilt antivirus software temporarily to fix this issue. Read our article on How to Disable Antivirus Temporarily on Windows 10 and follow the steps in the guide to disable your Antivirus program temporarily on your PC.

After fixing Witcher 3 crashing on your PC, make sure to re-enable the antivirus program since a system without a security suite is always a threat.

Method 10: Disable Windows Defender Firewall (Not Recommended)

At times, Windows Defender Firewall in your computer may prevent the game from being opened due to some security reasons. In this case, Witcher may crash due to Windows Defender Firewall. If you don’t know how to disable the Windows Defender Firewall, go through our guide How to Disable Windows 10 Firewall, and follow the instructions that are given.

You can follow this guide Allow or Block Apps through the Windows Firewall to allow the app.

Make sure to enable the Firewall suite again after updating your device as a computer without a firewall program is a threat.

Also Read: How to Uninstall McAfee LiveSafe in Windows 10

Method 11: Update Windows

If your computer has any bugs then it might cause the Witcher 3 error, you can simply fix this by updating your operating system. Follow the steps that are given in this guide How to Download and Install Windows 10 Latest Update if you are new to updating your Windows 10 PC.

Check if the Witcher 3 freezing PC issue is fixed after updating the Windows.

Method 12: Update Graphics Drivers

If the drivers are corrupt or outdated, it may cause Witcher 3 crashing on the PC. If you do not know to update the graphics drivers follow the instructions given in this guide 4 Ways to Update Graphics Drivers in Windows 10.

Also Read: Fix Set User Settings to Driver Failed in Windows 10

Method 13: Reinstall Graphics Drivers

If updating your graphics drivers did not fix the discussed issue, then try reinstalling the graphics drivers. There are various methods to reinstall the graphics drivers on Windows. If you are new to reinstalling the graphic drivers, read this guide How to Uninstall and Reinstall Drivers on Windows 10 and follow the instruction given there.

After reinstalling the graphics drivers, check if Witcher 3 freezing PC issue is resolved.

Method 14: Roll Back Graphics Drivers

There is no use in reinstalling or updating the drivers if the current version of the graphics drivers is not compatible with your game. Rolling back the drivers to the previous version is all you have to do and to do so follow the instructions that are given in this guide How to Rollback Drivers on Windows 10.

Once you have rolled back your drivers, check if you have fixed Witcher 3 crashing issue or not.

Also Read: Top 14 Best Graphics Card for Linux

Method 15: Update .NET Framework

Most users enjoy uninterrupted service of modern games and apps and the .NET framework is essential in Windows 10 for this. Many games will have an auto-update option for the .NET framework and hence, it will be updated automatically whenever there is an update available. You can also install the latest version of the .NET framework and to do so follow the following steps.

1. Go to the official Microsoft website and check for new updates for the .NET framework.

2. Click on the recommended or corresponding link and click the Download. .NET Framework 4.8 Runtime option, if there are any updates.

Note: As some software use Download .NET Framework 4.8 Developer Pack, it is not recommended to click on it.

3. Go to My downloads and run the downloaded file by double-clicking on the setup file.

4. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the .NET framework on your computer.

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We hope that this guide was helpful and you could fix Witcher 3 crashing on Windows 10. Let us know which method worked for you the best. Also, if you have any queries/suggestions regarding this article, then feel free to drop them in the comments section.