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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 & 11To set a launch parameter in GOG GALAXY, open the game’s Configure screen, create a custom executable entry, put the switch in its Arguments field, and select that entry as the Default executable. The Play button will then start the game with the argument attached.
What launch parameters do
A launch parameter is a command-line switch passed to a game when it starts. Developers use switches to select a graphics API, bypass a problematic setting, enable a recovery mode, or change another startup behavior. A parameter is not a universal GOG GALAXY setting: it belongs to a particular game, executable, operating system, and troubleshooting situation.
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For example, the documented switches in GOG support material include -safe for Unreal Gold after a settings-related failure, -force-openg as a general launch-parameter example, and -glcore for a Windows/Linux Sunless Skies troubleshooting case. Mac users in that Sunless Skies case are instructed to use -force-glcore instead. These examples are not interchangeable. A game can ignore an unknown switch, reject it, or fail to start.
Set a parameter in GOG GALAXY
The current Galaxy workflow uses a custom executable entry rather than changing the main executable’s path. The argument is stored separately from the file path, and the custom entry must be selected as the default for the normal Play button to use it.
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- Open GOG GALAXY and select the game whose startup behavior you need to change.
- Open the game customization menu. Click the sliders or customization icon next to the Play button.
- Open the configuration page. Choose Manage installation, then select Configure. In German-language Galaxy, the equivalent labels are Installation verwalten and Konfigurieren.
- Enable or open Custom executables/arguments. This section contains the executable tasks Galaxy can launch for the game.
- Duplicate the existing file entry. Select the first file entry, commonly shown as File 1, and choose Duplicate. Duplicating preserves the original entry so you can return to an unmodified launch later.
- Name the new entry. Use a label that identifies its purpose, such as
Safe mode,OpenGL troubleshooting, orTest parameter. - Enter the switch in Arguments. Type the game’s documented parameter in the Arguments field. Enter only the switch unless the game’s documentation specifies additional values.
- Choose the intended executable. Confirm that the file entry points to the executable that should receive the parameter. A game with a separate launcher may require the argument on the launcher task or on the game task; follow that title’s instructions.
- Set the entry as Default executable. Select the duplicated entry as the default, then click OK.
- Start the game with Play. Launching through Galaxy’s normal Play button now uses the selected executable-plus-arguments task.
Why duplication is the safer choice
Keeping the original file entry gives you a clean fallback. If the switch causes a crash, a blank window, or no visible improvement, return to the same configuration screen and select the original entry as the default. You can also keep several labeled entries for different troubleshooting modes, provided each one uses a parameter documented for that game.
Where the argument belongs
Galaxy separates the executable file from its command-line arguments. Put the switch in the Arguments field, not at the end of the executable’s file path. The practical model is:
- File or executable field: the path to the program Galaxy should start.
- Arguments field: the switch or switches passed to that program.
- Default executable: the task Galaxy runs when you click Play.
GOG Developer Docs describe task arguments as arguments used when launching a given task and explain that primary tasks are used by Galaxy when the Play button is clicked. Selecting the custom entry as default is therefore essential; merely saving an entry does not make the Play button use it.
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Examples of documented parameters
The following examples show how a parameter can be entered, but they do not form a universal list. Use them only when the relevant game’s support article or developer documentation calls for that exact switch.
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| Parameter | Documented context | Platform qualification |
|---|---|---|
-safe |
Unreal Gold recovery after a settings-related failure | The cited support instruction concerns Unreal Gold |
-force-openg |
Example in GOG’s general launch-parameter instructions | Use only if the game’s documentation accepts it |
-glcore |
Sunless Skies graphics troubleshooting | Windows and Linux in the cited support case |
-force-glcore |
Sunless Skies graphics troubleshooting | Mac in the cited support case |
Spelling matters. A leading hyphen, capitalization, or platform-specific prefix can determine whether a switch works. Do not combine these examples simply because they appear in the same list; each has a separate game or platform context.
How to find the right switch
Start with the game, not with a general list of command-line options. Search that title’s GOG Support article, read its manual, or consult documentation from the game’s developer. Confirm all four of the following before saving a custom entry:
- The parameter is supported by the specific game version you installed.
- The spelling and punctuation match the documentation exactly.
- The switch applies to your operating system.
- The argument belongs to the executable task you intend to launch.
A parameter that changes the renderer may be accepted by one title but ignored by another. A recovery switch may be designed for a single startup failure and have no useful effect during ordinary play. Treat every switch as a title-specific instruction rather than a Galaxy-wide feature.
Use a shortcut instead of Galaxy
If you launch the game directly from a desktop or Start-menu shortcut, place the parameter on the shortcut’s Target line. This method does not use Galaxy’s custom executable configuration.
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- Right-click the game shortcut and choose Properties.
- Open the Shortcut tab if it is not already selected.
- Click in the Target field and move the cursor to the end of the existing executable path.
- Type one space, then append the documented switch.
- Click Apply, then OK.
- Start the game from that shortcut.
The executable path normally remains in quotation marks, while the argument follows outside those closing quotation marks. GOG’s example is:
"C:GOG GamesSherlock Holmes - Crimes and PunishmentsBinariesWin32Sherlock.exe" -nosettingslimitlowThe space between the closing quotation mark and -nosettingslimitlow separates the path from the argument. If you place the switch inside the quotation marks, Windows can interpret it as part of the filename and the shortcut may fail.
Choosing between Galaxy and a shortcut
| Method | Best fit | What you control |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy custom executable | You normally start the game with Galaxy’s Play button | Executable task, argument field, label, and default selection inside Galaxy |
| Shortcut Target line | You launch the game directly without relying on Galaxy | The executable path and appended argument in the shortcut |
The Galaxy method keeps the parameter attached to the game’s Galaxy task. The shortcut method is simpler for direct launching, but each shortcut carries its own copy of the argument. Changing a Galaxy entry does not update an unrelated desktop shortcut.
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If the game behaves exactly as before, check the launch chain before trying another switch.
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- Return to the game’s Customize menu and open Manage installation → Configure.
- Open Custom executables/arguments and confirm that the parameter is in Arguments, not in the file path.
- Check that the custom entry points to the intended executable.
- Confirm that the same entry is marked as the Default executable.
- Close and relaunch the game with Galaxy’s Play button rather than an old desktop shortcut.
If a launcher appears first, determine whether the parameter is meant for that launcher or for the game it starts. The correct target varies by title, so do not assume that adding a switch to the first visible executable will pass it to the final game process.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot a parameter that has no effect
The switch is ignored
Recheck the game’s documentation for the exact spelling and the correct platform variant. Remove unverified switches instead of stacking several guesses. A clean test with one documented parameter makes it easier to tell whether the game recognized it.
The game will not start
Set the original executable entry as the default, or remove the parameter from the shortcut Target line. Then launch normally to confirm that the game still works without the switch. If the game starts only after removing the argument, the switch may be unsupported, misspelled, attached to the wrong executable, or incompatible with that edition.
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Some games use a launcher, configuration utility, or wrapper before the main executable. Compare the executable named in the custom entry with the file identified by the game’s support instructions. If the documentation distinguishes launcher arguments from game arguments, create the entry for the correct task rather than changing the first file you see.
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The installation may be damaged
For supported Galaxy titles, use Manage installation → Verify/Repair before continuing with deeper troubleshooting. The Sunless Skies support procedure presents verification and repair as an initial recovery step. After the check completes, test the documented parameter by itself.
The Mac spelling differs
Do not substitute the Windows/Linux form automatically. In the cited Sunless Skies case, Windows and Linux use -glcore, while Mac uses -force-glcore. That difference illustrates why the operating system must be checked alongside the game name.
Remove or change a launch parameter
Galaxy entry
Open the game’s customization menu, choose Manage installation → Configure, and open Custom executables/arguments. Select the normal entry as Default executable to return to an unmodified launch. You can edit the custom entry’s label or Arguments field later, or keep it for another troubleshooting session.
Shortcut
Open the shortcut’s Properties, edit the Target field, and delete the space plus the appended switch. Leave the quoted executable path intact, then apply the change.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using a parameter from another game: Similar graphics problems do not mean the same switch is supported everywhere.
- Forgetting the default selection: A saved custom entry is not enough; Galaxy’s Play button uses the entry marked as default.
- Putting the switch in the path: Keep the executable path and Arguments field separate.
- Using the wrong operating-system form: The Sunless Skies example demonstrates that Mac can require a different spelling from Windows and Linux.
- Launching through an old shortcut: A shortcut can bypass Galaxy’s selected task and therefore bypass its argument.
- Testing several unknown switches at once: Remove them and test one documented argument so the result is diagnosable.
- Changing files before checking Galaxy’s repair tool: Verify/Repair can address an installation problem before you change launch settings further.
Quick decision guide
- Use Galaxy Configure → Custom executables/arguments when you want the Galaxy Play button to apply the parameter.
- Use a shortcut’s Target line when you launch the executable directly.
- Use only the switch documented for your game, executable, and operating system.
- Duplicate the existing Galaxy entry so the original remains available as a fallback.
- Make the custom entry the Default executable before testing.
- If the result is unchanged, verify the entry, executable, spelling, platform variant, and installation before trying anything else.
What the Galaxy setup changes
Galaxy is not rewriting the game or permanently modifying its files. It is selecting a launch task whose executable has an associated argument list. When that task is primary and marked as default, clicking Play starts the executable with those arguments. This is why the configuration can be reversed by selecting the original entry and why a direct shortcut may behave differently from Galaxy.
Once the documented switch works, keep its label specific and record the platform or purpose in the name. For example, Sunless Skies - Mac renderer fix is clearer than Custom 1. Clear labels matter when several entries exist and prevent you from accidentally making a temporary recovery option your everyday default.
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