Start by updating the Steam version, checking the title-screen build number, removing mods, and verifying the game files. Then disable ray tracing, update the graphics driver, and test with overlays and mouse-control utilities closed. Do not bypass Easy Anti-Cheat for online play.
This guide covers the original Elden Ring on Windows 10/11 through Steam, including the base game and Shadow of the Erdtree. It does not cover Elden Ring Nightreign, which has separate patches and technical issues.
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Identify the problem before changing anything
“Crashing,” “freezing,” “stuttering,” and “low FPS” are different problems. Use the symptom that best matches what you see:
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| Symptom | Likely areas to investigate first |
|---|---|
| Crash before the title screen | Game files, mods, graphics driver, Easy Anti-Cheat, overlays, permissions, or unsupported hardware |
| Crash after the Easy Anti-Cheat screen | Anti-cheat service, security software, injected overlays, modified files, or a damaged executable |
| Black or white screen | Ray tracing, display mode, HDR, driver initialization, monitor handshake, or corrupted graphics settings |
| Several-second freeze followed by recovery | Shader compilation, asset streaming, driver timeout, background software, or temporary system pressure |
| Stutter without a crash | Frame pacing, ray tracing, shader data, background utilities, mouse software, or settings that exceed the system’s practical capability |
| Permanent lockup or forced power-off | Driver, overclock, RAM, temperature, power delivery, storage, or a broader Windows or hardware fault |
| Failure only in one area or during one effect | A rendering issue, shader cache problem, ray tracing, or a patch regression |
| Online-only failure | Easy Anti-Cheat, regulation files, account or network services, or a modified installation |
1. Update the game and check its build number
Open Steam, go to Library, select ELDEN RING, and allow any pending update to finish. You can also right-click the game, choose Properties, and check the update settings.
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After launching, look at the lower-right corner of the title screen and record both App Ver. and Regulation Ver. The official PC update dated May 28, 2026 reported App Ver. 1.16.2 and Regulation Ver. 1.16.1. That update addressed short and extended freezes, unexpected termination, and display corruption. These numbers are date-sensitive; future patches may replace them. If Steam updated the game but the title screen still shows the old build, restart Steam and check again.
See the official May 28, 2026 update notice for the reported version and fixes.
2. Back up your save and remove every mod
Before changing the installation, manipulating configuration files, or reinstalling, make a separate copy of your save data outside the Steam folder. Check whether Steam Cloud is enabled, but do not blindly overwrite a local backup with a potentially newer or corrupted cloud save.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteTemporarily remove or disable Seamless Co-op, randomizers, ReShade, FPS unlockers, DLL replacements, custom launchers, mod engines, and texture or visual modifications. Restoring a mod launcher does not always restore every altered executable or DLL, so the test installation must be genuinely vanilla.
Test the unmodified game offline first. Only test online after the original files and Easy Anti-Cheat configuration have been restored. Do not rename, replace, or bypass the anti-cheat launcher as a routine crash fix. That can force offline play, create version mismatches, damage the intended online configuration, and expose you to unreliable instructions.
3. Verify Steam’s game files
- Open Steam and select Library.
- Right-click ELDEN RING and choose Properties.
- Open Installed Files.
- Select Verify integrity of game files.
- Wait for the check to finish, restart Steam, and launch the game.
Older Steam interfaces may call the section Local Files and the operation Verify integrity of game cache. Verification reacquires missing or altered files and normally does not delete personal saves, but a save backup is still sensible before troubleshooting.
Steam file verification is particularly important after mod removal, an interrupted update, a crash during patching, or a false “Inappropriate activity detected” message. Bandai Namco recommends verifying files and restarting before retesting in that situation. Use the official Steam support page for Elden Ring if validation repeatedly fails.
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4. Turn ray tracing off
If the game opens, go to System > Graphics > Ray Tracing Quality and set it to Off. Restart the game after changing it.
Ray tracing can sometimes become enabled unintentionally and cause unstable performance or display problems on particular PC configurations. It is especially worth checking if the problem began after a patch, a driver update, or changing a graphics preset. This is a diagnostic step, not proof that ray tracing is the cause of every crash.
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If the game cannot reach the menu, avoid publishing or applying random configuration-file edits. Prefer supported methods of resetting the graphics configuration, then launch with a conservative baseline. Unverified paths and settings can create another problem on a different build.
Bandai Namco’s patch notes specifically discuss ray tracing and PC instability.
5. Test safe graphics and display settings
Once the game launches, use these settings for the first stability test:
- Ray Tracing Quality: Off
- Display Mode: Borderless Windowed
- Resolution: Your monitor’s native resolution initially
- Preset: Medium or Low
- Optional effects: Temporarily disable motion blur and depth of field
- Frame rate: Use the game’s normal supported limit, not an unlocker
- HDR: Temporarily off for black screens, flickering, washed-out images, or monitor handshake problems
Change one setting at a time after stability returns. Lower settings reduce rendering load and are useful for diagnosis, but they cannot repair bad RAM, overheating, a failing GPU, or a system-wide driver fault.
For a black or white screen, also try a standard monitor refresh rate, disconnect extra monitors or unusual display adapters, and test borderless mode before changing several other variables.
6. Update, roll back, or clean-install the graphics driver
Identify the actual GPU in Task Manager > Performance > GPU or Device Manager. Download the driver directly from the manufacturer:
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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Install the current package using its clean-install or factory-reset option where offered, reboot, and test with default driver settings. Bandai Namco has also recommended current graphics drivers as a general PC performance measure; that does not guarantee that a particular driver fixes every crash.
A rollback is more appropriate when the problem began immediately after a driver update and other games show the same behavior. A full clean removal is an advanced step for repeated driver corruption, display-driver resets, or crashes across multiple DirectX 12 games. Create a restore point and download the replacement driver before removing the existing one. Do not install unofficial “optimized” drivers, modified DLLs, or random driver packages.
7. Disable overlays and conflicting utilities
Close or disable these temporarily:
- Steam Overlay
- Discord Overlay
- NVIDIA App or GeForce overlay
- AMD Adrenalin overlay
- Xbox Game Bar
- MSI Afterburner and RivaTuner Statistics Server OSD
- RGB, motherboard-monitoring, recording, and streaming utilities
- ReShade and other post-processing injectors
- Third-party mouse-control, macro, or polling-rate software
Bandai Namco specifically identifies third-party applications that control mouse behavior as a possible source of unstable frame rates. A clean boot can help when you cannot identify the conflicting program. Re-enable utilities one at a time after the game is stable so the offending program can be identified.
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8. Repair Easy Anti-Cheat properly
For a crash at the anti-cheat splash screen, first verify the game files. Then check whether antivirus or security software quarantined or blocked an Elden Ring or Easy Anti-Cheat file. Use the Easy Anti-Cheat installer included with the game to repair its service, if available, restart Windows, and retest the unmodified installation.
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Do not disable Easy Anti-Cheat for online play or present an anti-cheat bypass as a general stability solution. If an offline mod setup is necessary, keep it separate from the clean online installation and understand that it does not repair online functionality.
9. Clear shader caches cautiously
A damaged or stale shader cache can contribute to crashes after a driver update, repeated stalls during loading, freezes in the same scene, temporary black screens, or persistent stutter. Treat cache deletion as an advanced diagnostic step, not an official guaranteed Elden Ring fix.
- Close Elden Ring and Steam.
- Restart Windows once.
- Clear only the relevant driver shader cache through the GPU control panel or supported Windows storage tools.
- Do not delete unrelated folders or random game data.
- Launch the game and allow shaders or assets to rebuild.
The first run may stutter more while the cache is recreated. If the issue does not change, restore the previous settings and continue to driver and system diagnostics rather than repeatedly deleting caches.
10. Check requirements and feature support
Steam lists these requirements for the original PC game:
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 | Windows 10/11 |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 3 3300X | Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600X |
| Memory | 12 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics | GTX 1060 3 GB or RX 580 4 GB | GTX 1070 8 GB or RX Vega 56 8 GB |
| API support | DirectX 12, feature level 12.0 | |
| Storage | 60 GB available space | |
These are compatibility baselines, not guarantees of smooth frame pacing or crash-free play. Integrated graphics, mobile GPUs, external GPUs, virtual machines, unsupported DirectX feature levels, and preview Windows builds deserve extra caution. A GPU can have sufficient nominal VRAM and still fail because of its driver, thermals, power delivery, or feature support.
Check the Steam listing and Bandai Namco’s official game page for requirements, noting that published specifications can change.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.11. Diagnose Windows and hardware problems
These steps belong late in the process, especially when the entire computer freezes, reboots, or crashes in multiple games:
- Remove CPU, GPU, and RAM overclocks and undervolts.
- Check CPU and GPU temperatures under load.
- Test RAM with Windows Memory Diagnostic or a reputable bootable memory test.
- Check storage health and maintain adequate free space.
- Install pending stable Windows updates.
- Test another demanding DirectX 12 game.
- Open Event Viewer > Windows Logs > System and look for display-driver resets, WHEA errors, Kernel-Power events, or storage errors.
- Use Reliability Monitor to find recurring application or hardware failures.
To repair potentially damaged Windows components, open Command Prompt as administrator and run:
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DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannowRestart after both commands complete. Do not begin with registry edits, TDR-delay changes, disabled security protections, or other tweaks that can hide a failing GPU or unstable overclock.
12. Reinstall only after the software checks
A full reinstall is reasonable when verification repeatedly fails, the installation contains unknown modifications or DLLs, or the game still crashes after a clean driver and clean-boot test. Back up saves first, uninstall the game, remove leftover mod files, reinstall through Steam, verify the fresh installation, and test it before restoring optional software.
Reinstalling cannot fix overheating, unstable RAM, defective storage, inadequate power delivery, or a driver problem shared by other games. If clean Elden Ring files still fail while another demanding title also crashes, stop treating this as a game-only problem.
When to contact support or investigate hardware
Contact Steam support or Bandai Namco support after recording the game version, Windows version, GPU driver version, exact symptom, and whether mods and overlays were removed. Include crash reports or Reliability Monitor details when available.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Prioritize hardware diagnosis when you see artifacts, overheating, sudden shutdowns, WHEA errors, repeated display-driver resets, memory-test failures, or crashes in several demanding games. Repeated forced power-offs can corrupt Windows and storage, so do not keep cycling the power button when the system shows signs of a broader failure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will verifying Elden Ring’s files delete my saves?
Steam verification normally reacquires missing or altered game files rather than personal saves, but back up your save data before major troubleshooting anyway.
Should I disable Easy Anti-Cheat to stop crashes?
No. Repair it after verifying the installation, and do not bypass it for online play. Modified files, security software, and driver conflicts can all resemble an anti-cheat failure.
Does reinstalling Elden Ring fix every crash?
No. Reinstallation can remove damaged files and leftover modifications, but it cannot repair unstable hardware, overheating, bad RAM, or system-wide driver problems.
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