As for Red Dead Redemption 2, it is one of Rockstar Games which is one of the most popular action-adventure video games. It is a kind of masterpiece that is admired by gamers, but some gamers are experiencing the annoying Red Dead Redemption 2 Crashing on PC issue. If you are one of them, then keep on reading.
Well, some reports indicate that the game starts to crash on startup or in the middle of the game, which is not expected. But just like other PC games, Red Dead Redemption 2 also crashes occasionally, which should can be fixed by following the troubleshooting guide below. Here we have shared all the possible ways to fix the Red Dead Redemption 2 Crashing on PC issue.
How to Fix Red Dead Redemption 2 Crashing on PC
Regarding the possible reasons for the Red Dead Redemption 2 crashing issue, we can consider a few things like running the game without admin access, corrupt or missing game files, drivers Outdated GPUs, etc. While antivirus can also block game files from working properly, background tasks can also cause performance issues etc. Now, without a further ado, let’s look into the possible workarounds to fix the issue.
Solution 1: Check Game Requirements
First, you need to check the game requirements which are listed down below to make sure your PC configuration is compatible.
Minimum Requirements:
OS: Windows 7 – Service Pack 1 (6.1.7601) [64-bit]
Processor: Intel Core i5-2500K / AMD FX-6300
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 770 2GB / AMD Radeon R9 280 3GB
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 150 GB available space
Sound Card: Direct X Compatible
Recommended Requirements:
OS: Windows 10 – April 2018 Update (v1803) [64-bit]
Processor: Intel Core i7-4770K / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
Memory: 12 GB RAM
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB / AMD Radeon RX 480 4GB
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 150 GB available space
Sound Card: Direct X Compatible
Solution 2: Revert Back to Vulkan
In case, if your Red Dead Redemption 2 game crashes or hangs continuously on your computer using DirectX 12, then you can try to revert it back to Vulkan. To revert back to Vulkan, follow the steps listed down below:-
Step 1: Go to C:\Users\%username%\Documents\Rockstar Games\Red Dead Redemption 2\Settings folder from File Explorer.
Step 2: Now, right-click on the system.xml file.
Step 3: Click on Edit with Notepad++.
Step 4: Search for the line <API>kSettingAPI_DX12</API> and change it to <API>kSettingAPI_Vulkan</API>.
Step 5: Press Ctrl + S keys to save changes.
Step 6: Then, Close the notepad window.
Step 6: Finally, you can try checking whether your Red Dead Redemption 2 Crashing on PC issue has been resolved or not.
Solution 3: Perform a Clean Boot
Well, some rogue third-party programs can also cause some problems with system functions that can cause performance, display or even audio related problems. So, we recommend doing a clean boot to fix that problem properly. To perform a clean boot, follow the steps listed down below:-
Step 1: Press Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Step 2: Now, type msconfig and hit Enter to open the System Configuration window.
Step 3: Then, Go to the Services tab.
Step 4: From there, Enable the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox.
Step 5: Then, Check all the services from the list and click on Disable all.
Step 6: Now, Click on Apply and then OK to save changes.
Step 7: Now, click on the Startup tab.
Step 8: Then, Click on Open Task Manager.
Step 9: From there, Go to the Startup tab.
Step 10: Now, Click on the particular tasks which are enabled for startup boot.
Step 11: Then, select Disable for each task one by one.
Step 12: Once done, reboot your computer to change effects.
Solution 4: Manage Paging File Size in Virtual Memory
It is also possible that the virtual memory and automatic swap file size are not working properly on your computer. Make sure to let the Windows system automatically use the virtual memory whenever needed. To manage the paging file size for virtual memory, follow the steps listed down below:-
Step 1: Press Windows + I keys to open Windows Settings.
Step 2: Then, Click on System.
Step 3: Now, Go to About from the bottom of the left pane.
Step 4: Now, click on Advanced system settings.
Step 5: Then, Click on Settings from the Performance option.
Step 6: Now, Go to the Advanced tab.
Step 7: Then, Click on Change from the Virtual memory option.
Step 8: Make sure to enable the Automatically manage paging file size for all drives checkbox.
Step 9: Once done, click on OK to save changes.
Solution 5: Set Priority to High
Sometimes it’s also possible that your system doesn’t allow enough CPU or memory space for your game to run smoothly. Also, you need to set high performance mode for your Red Dead Redemption 2 game on the Nvidia Control Panel. To set the Priority as high, follow the steps listed down below:-
Step 1: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open Task Manager.
Step 2: Then, Click on the Details tab.
Step 3: Now, Right-click on RedDeadRedemption2.exe.
Step 4: Then, Click on Set Priority and select High.
Step 5: Once done, make sure to close the task manager window, and try running the game again.
Step 6: Just like it, set the high-performance mode for your Red Dead Redemption 2 game on Nvidia Control Panel as well.
To turn off the triple buffering and Vertical sync, follow the steps listed down below:-
Step 1: Right-click on the desktop.
Step 2: Then, Select Nvidia Control Panel.
Step 3: From the Manage 3D Settings option, click on the Program Settings tab.
Step 4: Then, Locate and include RDR2 exe file.
Step 5: Now, select Power Management Mode for Prefer Maximum Performance.
Step 6: Simply, Turn Off – Triple Buffering and Vertical Sync.
Step 7: Finally, you should check whether the Red Dead Redemption 2 Crashing on PC has been resolved.
Solution 6: Change Audio Sampling
In case, if the game Red Dead Redemption 2 crashes a lot or quits unexpectedly, make sure to change the audio sampling by following the steps listed down below:-
Step 1: Right-click on the Volume icon in your system tray (Taskbar).
Step 2: Then, Click on Playback devices.
Step 3: Now, Select your active device and go to Properties.
Step 4: Then, Click on the Advanced tab.
Step 5: Make sure to select the 16 or 24 bit as bit depths and 48000 Hz (Studio Quality) as the sample rate.
Step 6: Finally, Click on Apply then select OK to save changes.
Solution 7: Run As Administrator
You should run your game and client as an administrator to give proper access. Without proper access to User Account Control on your system, it will be difficult to play games or open programs. To run the game as an administrator, follow the steps listed down below:-
Step 1: Right-click on the Red Dead Redemption 2 exe shortcut file on your PC.
Step 2: Now, select Properties.
Step 3: Then, Click on the Compatibility tab.
Step 4: From there, Enable the Run this program as an administrator checkbox.
Step 5: Finally, Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.
Step 6: Once done, you can try running Red Dead Redemption 2 to check whether if it’s crashing on your PC or not.
Solution 8: Update the GPU Driver
In addition to updating Windows, you should also update the graphics drivers on your computer to run all programs smoothly. To update the GPU Driver, follow the steps listed down below:-
Step 1: Right-click on the Start Menu to open up the Quick Start Menu.
Step 2: Then, Click on Device Manager from the list.
Step 3: Now, double-click on the Display adapters category to expand the list.
Step 4: Then, right-click on the dedicated graphics card name.
Step 5: Finally, Select Update driver option.
Step 6: Choose Search automatically for drivers.
Step 7: If there is an update available, it’ll automatically download and install the latest version.
Step 8: Once done, make sure to reboot your computer to change effects.
Solution 9: Verify Integrity of Game Files
Well, if your installed game files are missing or corrupted for any reason then you may start to experience some crashes, or errors on your PC randomly. Simply checking the game files can greatly reduce the problem. To verify the game files, follow the steps listed down below:-
Step 1: Launch the Steam client.
Step 2: Then, Go to Steam Library
Step 3: Now, Right-click on Red Dead Redemption 2.
Step 4: Then, Click on Properties.
Step 5: Then, Click on the Local Files tab.
Step 6: From there, Select Verify Integrity of Game Files.
Step 7: Then, Wait for the process to complete and then restart your game.
Solution 10: Try Reinstalling the Game
If your Red Dead Redemption 2 game doesn’t work properly or hangs randomly on the PC at startup, you should try reinstalling the game completely. To reinstall the game, follow the steps listed down below:-
Step 1: Open the Steam client on your PC.
Step 2: Next, click on the Library option.
Step 3: Then, Right-click on Red Dead Redemption 2 from the left pane.
Step 4: From there, Select Manage.
Step 5: Then, Click on Uninstall.
Step 6: Wait for the process to complete.
Step 7: Once done, restart Steam and reinstall the game again.
Step 8: Finally, run the Red Dead Redemption 2 game and check whether if it’s still crashing on your PC or not.
Solution 11: Disable Antivirus Program
If you’re having issues with your Red Dead Redemption 2 game like crashing or lagging, make sure to try disabling your anti-virus program on your computer. Anti-virus programs can basically prevent game files from working properly. To disable the antivirus program, follow the steps listed down below:-
Step 1: Press Windows + I keys to open the Windows Settings menu.
Step 2: Then, Click on Update & Security.
Step 3: From update & security, Click on Windows Security from the left pane.
Step 4: Then, Go to Virus & threat protection.
Step 5: From there, Click on Manage settings.
Step 6: Next, you’ll need to simply turn off the Real-time protection toggle.
Step 7: If prompted, click on Yes to proceed further.
Wrapping Up
I hope this guide helped you in resolving the Red Dead Redemption 2 Crashing on PC issue. If it did, let us know in the comments section down below.
Experiencing difficulties with your Device, check out our “How To” page on how to resolve some of these issues.
