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If Elden Ring appears stuck while loading, first install the latest game update, then choose troubleshooting steps for your platform and the exact symptom. There is no single publisher-confirmed fix for every loading hang: PC ray-tracing guidance applies only in particular circumstances, and file verification is recommended for a specific error—not for every stalled load.
Before troubleshooting, note where the load stops
Identify whether the game hangs while starting, loading a character or save, or entering a particular area. Record your platform, game version, any exact error message, and whether the problem began after a game update, graphics-setting change, or other recent change. These details help distinguish a general loading stall from a documented, symptom-specific issue.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Elden Ring (PS5) (European Version) | $34.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Elden Ring, 1 PS5-Blu-ray Disc | $73.93 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Demon's Souls - PlayStation 5 | $39.45 | Buy on Amazon |
Install the latest game update
Bandai Namco’s version 1.17 notes, dated 27 August 2026, say, “Please apply the latest update before playing.” They list PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam as target platforms. The notes do not claim that this update fixes loading screens generally. Read the version 1.17 patch notes.
PlayStation
Bandai Namco’s version 1.02 update notice lists checking for game updates on PS4 and PS5. Its menu directions date from February 2022, so labels may have changed with console software updates. Use the console’s current game-update controls to check for an available update rather than relying on old menu names. See the publisher’s version 1.02 update notice.
#1 Best Overall
- Collaborating with George R.R. Martin to create the ELDEN RING mythos has been a genuinely delightful experience and a source of wonderful inspiration. The team is working hard to ensure that the world of ELDEN RING will be a fascinating place for players to explore, filled with peril and wonder from its furthest reaches to its lowest depths. This is a FromSoftware title through and through, rich in fantasy and RPG action. We sincerely hope you look forward to it.
- Building the world of ELDEN RING with Miyazaki-san and his team was a treat! The graphics, mythos, and action-RPG gameplay will deliver an unforgettable experience. I can’t wait for people to see what ELDEN RING has in store for them.” Said George R.R. Martin.
Xbox
The same version 1.02 notice also documents managing game updates on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. As with its PlayStation directions, the listed interface is historical; check for updates using the current console menus. See the publisher’s version 1.02 update notice.
Steam
Version 1.17 lists Steam among its target platforms. Check that Steam has installed the latest available update for Elden Ring before trying PC-specific steps.
PC: check ray tracing if the issue followed a setting change
Bandai Namco says ray tracing could be enabled by default under some circumstances after version 1.09. If a startup or stability problem began after a graphics-setting change or update and ray tracing is enabled, the publisher advises turning it off from the title menu or in-game. It also recommends checking the relevant PC environment and updating graphics drivers when ray tracing is contributing to startup or instability problems. This is a documented possibility, not a diagnosis for every loading hang. Read the version 1.09.1 notes.
Bandai Namco’s February 2022 performance notice separately says that updating graphics-card drivers may improve PC performance. That statement concerns performance generally; it does not guarantee that a driver update will resolve a loading screen. Read the publisher’s performance notice.
Rank #3
- Discover where the journey began - Experience the original brutal challenge, completely remade from the ground up. All presented in stunning visual quality with enhanced performance, this is the world of Boletaria as you have never seen it before.
- Become the Slayer of Demons - Venture to the northern kingdom of Boletaria – a once prosperous land of knights, now beset with unspeakable creatures and ravenous demons. Meet strange characters, unhinged and twisted by the world around them, and unravel the unsettling story of Demon’s Souls.
- Face the world’s greatest warriors in ferocious PVP combat - With online invasions adding to the danger of your quest. Or play cooperatively by summoning allies to aid in your fight against the demons. Active PS Plus subscription required for online multiplayer.
Use file verification only for the documented PC error
If the PC version displays the exact message “Inappropriate activity detected,” Bandai Namco’s version 1.16 notes advise verifying the game files. The publisher says this message can appear without cheating. This instruction is tied to that particular error and is not a confirmed general fix for a loading screen that simply appears frozen. Read the version 1.16 notes.
If the loading problem continues
Bandai Namco’s February 2022 notice directs players with other issues to its support team. It discusses performance issues from that period, so it should not be taken as proof that those historical problems explain a current loading hang. When contacting support, include your platform, game version, where loading stops, the exact error text if any, and what changed shortly before the issue began. Find the publisher’s support direction.
The official guidance cited here does not establish clearing a cache, reinstalling the game, deleting save data, disconnecting peripherals, or modifying anti-cheat files as universal fixes. Avoid destructive or unsupported steps unless platform support or the publisher gives advice that matches your specific case.
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