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Start by identifying where you play Sea of Thieves and whether the update failed to download or the game fails after it is installed. Steam, Microsoft Store/Xbox app, Xbox console, PlayStation 5, and Battle.net have different repair paths. Try the least disruptive step for your platform first, and keep any error code with you as you troubleshoot.
First identify the platform and failure
Write down your platform or storefront, when the update occurred, where startup stops, and any exact error text or code. A failed download is different from a game that installs but hangs on a black screen, stays stuck, or crashes. If the problem began immediately after a new patch, check Sea of Thieves’ current official support pages for a known issue; the detailed procedures below were published or updated between 2021 and 2024 and may not address a current incident.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Sea of Thieves: Standard Edition – Xbox One | $38.87 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Sea of Thieves Xbox One (Renewed) | $30.14 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![Sea of Thieves: Standard Edition – Xbox One [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41RiuntPiNL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Sea of Thieves: Standard Edition – Xbox One [Digital Code] | $35.19 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Sea of Thieves - Xbox One/PC - Full Game - Key Card | $57.90 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Sea of Thieves Xbox One | $76.41 | Buy on Amazon |
Before changing game files or settings, fully close the game and launcher, then restart the device. This is a low-impact diagnostic step, not a guaranteed or universal fix.
Fixes for Windows, Microsoft Store, or the Xbox app
Install Windows updates first
- Open Windows Update in Settings, install pending updates, and restart the PC.
- Try launching Sea of Thieves again. Rare’s Windows launch guide, last updated June 23, 2023, calls an up-to-date Windows operating system its “most common fix” for PC reports of a black screen, a stuck launch, or a crash shortly after startup. That is guidance for the symptoms covered by that article, not confirmation of a current patch problem or a guaranteed result. Rare’s Windows launch troubleshooting.
If the Microsoft Store update will not start
- Open Microsoft Store, search for Sea of Thieves, and open the game’s product page to prompt the update.
- If it still does not start, run
wsreset, then repeat the Store steps. Rare’s PC force-update instructions were last updated February 17, 2021, so treat them as a Store-specific baseline. Rare’s PC update instructions.
If the Store could not update the game after the February 2024 update
Rare’s notice about that specific February 2024 update said a complete reinstall might be needed. If the Store does not offer a download after uninstalling, the notice suggests resetting the Store; it also says the game can be installed through the Xbox app. This advice is specific to the incident described in the notice, not a universal post-update repair. Read Rare’s February 2024 Microsoft Store notice.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors#1 Best Overall
- A shared-world adventure game by acclaimed UK developer Rare Ltd. Xbox Live Gold required to play (sold separately)
- Live the essential pirate life in a world rich with Rare’s irreverent charm. Sail and fight together, hunt treasure and create your own legends
- A fantastical world of unspoiled islands, mythical monsters and mouth-watering loot. Total freedom to decide how you approach the world and its players
- Xbox One Console exclusive
- Battery: no battery used;Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) Content Description: Crude humor, use of alcohol, violence
If Game Pass shows 0x8007139F or 0x00000001
For either code during installation, updating, or launch through Game Pass on Windows, use the dedicated guidance linked by Xbox Support. Rare’s article, last updated June 22, 2023, says the issue may be related to a recent Windows update; it does not establish that every occurrence has that cause. Rare’s error-code guidance.
If the basic update steps do not help
Rare’s Windows launch guide lists these further checks. Work through them selectively, changing one thing at a time so you can tell whether it helped:
Rank #2
- A shared-world adventure game by acclaimed UK developer Rare Ltd. Xbox Live Gold required to play (sold separately)
- Live the essential pirate life in a world rich with Rare's irreverent charm. Sail and fight together, hunt treasure and create your own legends!
- A fantastical world of unspoiled islands, mythical monsters and mouth-watering loot
- Total freedom to decide how you approach the world and its players
- Available on the Xbox One family of devices and Windows 10 PCs. Supports Xbox Play Anywhere and cross-platform play** (**Play on one device at a time. PC hardware requirements may vary for games on Windows 10).The Hungering Deep, the first major Sea of Thieves content update landing May 2018, brings with it an exciting new threat to the Sea of Thieves world. Work together with other crews on a completely new adventure with gameplay enhancements and unique rewards.The May kick-off of the Sea of Thieves weekly events programme also introduces fun new ways to play with weekly events and rewards.
- Sign in to a local administrator account.
- Update your graphics drivers.
- Confirm the Microsoft Store is using the intended account and check its offline permissions.
- Check Windows date and time settings.
- Check for conflicts involving VPN software, antivirus, MSI Afterburner, Nahimic, or Readyboost.
- Reset or reinstall the game only after simpler checks. A reinstall is more disruptive and may not address an update or account problem.
- As a later diagnostic step, try the region or language settings listed in Rare’s guide, and restore the original settings if the change does not help.
These are troubleshooting candidates from Rare’s guide, not fixes guaranteed to work for every PC. See the full Windows procedure.
Fixes for Steam on Windows
Verify the installed game files
- In Steam, open Library and right-click Sea of Thieves.
- Select Properties, then Local Files.
- Choose “Verify Integrity of Local Game Files…” and let Steam finish before trying to launch the game.
Rare’s Steam troubleshooting article, last updated June 23, 2023, lists file verification as a Steam-specific step. Rare’s Steam launch troubleshooting.
Rank #3
- Sea of Thieves offers the essential pirate experience, from sailing and fighting to exploring and looting – everything you need to live the pirate life and become a legend in your own right.
- Whether you’re voyaging as a group or sailing solo, you’re bound to encounter other crews in this shared-world adventure – but will they be friends or foes, and how will you respond?
If verification does not resolve the launch failure
The same Rare guide lists installing available Windows updates, restarting, reinstalling the game, checking date and time and region settings, updating graphics drivers, and investigating possible conflicts involving Nahimic, VPN software, antivirus, or MSI Afterburner. Try lower-impact checks before reinstalling, and change one setting at a time.
Fixes for Xbox console
Perform a hard reset
- With the console powered on, hold its power button for 10 seconds, until it shuts down.
- Turn the console back on and try launching Sea of Thieves.
Rare says this procedure clears the console cache and may resolve launch problems. It is a troubleshooting step, not a promise that every failure is cache-related. Rare’s Xbox One launch guidance.
If it still will not launch
Rare’s guide also points to resynchronizing cloud data and trying to launch with a different profile. If those steps fail, contact Xbox Support. For a client/server version mismatch or a Lavenderbeard error, Rare has separately advised Xbox users to hard reset and redownload the client when a newer game version has been deployed. Check that the error and version-mismatch context matches your situation before relying on that older advice. See Rare’s Xbox launch article.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.PlayStation 5 and Battle.net
Do not use Microsoft Store, Steam, or Windows instructions for these platforms. Sea of Thieves’ official support index lists PlayStation 5 install/crash guidance and Battle.net support material, but the material reviewed for this article does not establish a general post-update launch procedure for either platform. Find the current article for your platform and symptom in Sea of Thieves Support.
Best Value
- A shared-world adventure game by acclaimed UK developer Rare Ltd. Xbox Live Gold required to play (sold separately)
- Live the essential pirate life in a world rich with Rare's irreverent charm. Sail and fight together, hunt treasure and create your own legends!
- A fantastical world of unspoiled islands, mythical monsters and mouth-watering loot
- Total freedom to decide how you approach the world and its players
- Available on the Xbox One family of devices and Windows 10 PCs. Supports Xbox Play Anywhere and cross-platform play** (**Play on one device at a time. PC hardware requirements may vary for games on Windows 10).The Hungering Deep, the first major Sea of Thieves content update landing May 2018, brings with it an exciting new threat to the Sea of Thieves world. Work together with other crews on a completely new adventure with gameplay enhancements and unique rewards.The May kick-off of the Sea of Thieves weekly events programme also introduces fun new ways to play with weekly events and rewards.
Choose the repair that matches the problem
| Platform or issue | First relevant step | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Windows launch failure | Install pending Windows updates and restart. | Rare’s PC launch guide, updated June 23, 2023; covers black-screen, stuck, or crash-at-startup reports. |
| Microsoft Store update not starting | Open the game’s Store product page; if needed, run wsreset and retry. |
Rare’s PC force-update guide, updated February 17, 2021. |
| Steam launch failure | Steam Library > right-click Sea of Thieves > Properties > Local Files > “Verify Integrity of Local Game Files…” | Rare’s Steam launch guide, updated June 23, 2023. |
| Xbox console launch failure | Hold the powered-on console’s power button for 10 seconds, then reboot. | Rare’s Xbox One launch guidance; it may help but is not a guaranteed fix. |
| Game Pass on Windows: 0x8007139F or 0x00000001 | Follow the dedicated Xbox Support guidance linked from Rare’s article. | Rare’s error-code page, updated June 22, 2023; a Windows update may be involved. |
These are separate platform paths, not interchangeable repairs. Reinstalling is not the first choice when a platform-specific update, file verification, or lower-impact check is available.
Quick Recap
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