One of the most frustrating experiences for PC gamers is downloading or purchasing a new game only to find out that it won’t run properly on their system. Whether it’s due to hardware limitations, outdated drivers, or system conflicts, an unplayable game can quickly ruin the excitement. If you’re facing this issue, don’t worry—there are quick fixes you can try before giving up.
In this article, we’ll go over five simple methods to check if your game can run on your PC and troubleshoot any potential issues.
1. Check the System Requirements
Before installing any game, the first step is to compare its minimum and recommended system requirements against your PC’s specifications. Follow these steps:
- Visit the official website or the game’s store page (Steam, Epic Games, etc.).
- Locate the minimum and recommended system requirements.
- Find out your PC hardware details by pressing Windows + R, typing
dxdiag, and pressing Enter. - Compare your CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage space with the requirements.
If your hardware is far below the minimum specs, you may struggle to run the game even at the lowest settings.
2. Update Your Graphics Drivers
Outdated graphics drivers are a common reason why games fail to run smoothly. GPU manufacturers regularly release updates to optimize performance and fix compatibility issues. To update your drivers:
- For NVIDIA: Use the GeForce Experience application.
- For AMD: Use the AMD Radeon Software.
- For Intel: Check the Intel Driver & Support Assistant.
After updating, restart your PC and try launching the game again.
3. Adjust Graphics Settings
If your game launches but runs poorly, tweaking the graphics settings can help. Go to the game’s settings and make the following changes:
- Lower the resolution (e.g., from 1080p to 720p).
- Reduce settings like shadows, anti-aliasing, and texture quality.
- Enable performance-enhancing options like DLSS (for NVIDIA users) or FSR (for AMD users).
- Turn off background applications that use system resources.
By making these adjustments, you may significantly improve your game’s performance.
4. Check for Background Applications
Sometimes, other applications running in the background can use up system resources, making your game struggle. To check and close unnecessary apps:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Go to the Processes tab and look for resource-heavy applications.
- Right-click and select End Task for apps that are consuming high CPU, RAM, or Disk usage.
Additionally, consider disabling startup programs that might slow down your PC.
5. Ensure Your PC Has the Latest Updates
Windows updates often include performance improvements, driver updates, and security patches that may solve issues with game compatibility. To check for updates:
- Press Windows + I to open Settings.
- Go to Update & Security and click Check for updates.
- Install any available updates and restart your PC.
Ensuring that your system is fully updated can resolve software-related problems that prevent games from running.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve tried all these steps and the game still won’t run, consider checking for community support on forums or reaching out to the game’s developers. In some cases, issues may be related to game bugs or specific PC configurations that require additional troubleshooting.
Gaming on a PC requires some technical know-how, but with these simple steps, you can quickly diagnose and fix most issues preventing a game from running properly. Happy gaming!
