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Game Crashes, Freezes, and Stuttering

Diagnose and fix games that crash to desktop, freeze mid-session, or stutter during gameplay

Games crash for a reason – it's almost never random. The usual culprits are outdated GPU drivers, overheating, corrupted game files, or your system running out of VRAM or RAM. Here's how to track down and fix the problem on each OS.

  1. Check your GPU drivers first – outdated or broken drivers are the number one cause of game crashes. See the GPU drivers guide for how to update or clean install them
  2. Verify your game files to rule out corrupted data:
    • Steam: Right-click the game in your Library > Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files
    • Epic Games: Click the three dots next to the game > Manage > Verify
    • GOG Galaxy: Click the game > gear icon > Manage installation > Verify / Repair
  3. Check crash logs in Event Viewer – press Win + R, type eventvwr, and hit Enter. Go to Windows Logs > Application and look for Error entries around the time of the crash. The Faulting module field tells you what caused it (a .dll name often points to a specific driver or library)
  4. Monitor your temperatures during gameplay – if your GPU hits 90C+ or your CPU is thermal throttling, that's your problem. See the overheating guide for fixes
  5. Check your RAM and VRAM usage – open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), click the Performance tab, and watch Memory and GPU while the game runs. If either maxes out, you'll get crashes or stuttering
  6. Clear your shader cache to fix graphical glitches and stuttering:
    • NVIDIA: Delete the contents of C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\NVIDIA\DXCache and GLCache
    • AMD: Open AMD Software > Settings (gear icon) > Graphics > toggle Shader Cache off, restart, then toggle it back on
    • DirectX cache: Open Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files and check DirectX Shader Cache, then click Remove files
  7. Kill background programs hogging resources – game launchers, browsers with tabs open, Discord overlay, and recording software all compete for GPU and RAM
  8. If the game only crashes with DirectX 12 or Vulkan, try switching the graphics API in the game's settings (some games let you choose between DX11, DX12, Vulkan, or OpenGL)
  9. For older games on Windows 10/11, try compatibility mode: right-click the game's .exe > Properties > Compatibility tab > check Run this program in compatibility mode for and pick an older Windows version
  10. As a nuclear option, do a clean GPU driver install using DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) – boot into Safe Mode, run DDU to fully remove the driver, reboot, and install a fresh driver

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my game crash to desktop with no error message?▾

Usually a GPU driver issue or the game running out of VRAM. Update your drivers first, then check VRAM usage during gameplay. On Windows, Event Viewer (Windows Logs > Application) often has the real error even when the game doesn't show one.

Is stuttering different from low FPS?▾

Yes. Low FPS means consistently slow performance – you need to lower settings or upgrade hardware. Stuttering means the frame rate jumps around unpredictably (60fps then suddenly 15fps then back to 60fps). Stuttering is usually caused by shader compilation, thermal throttling, background processes, or a full RAM/VRAM situation. Shader cache clearing and driver updates are the most common fixes.

Should I use DirectX 11, DirectX 12, or Vulkan?▾

It depends on the game and your GPU. DX12 and Vulkan are newer and can be more efficient, but they're also less stable in some games. If a game crashes on DX12, switch to DX11. If it crashes on Vulkan, try DX12 or DX11. There's no universal best choice – try what works.

How do I know if my GPU is overheating during games?▾

On Windows, use Task Manager (Performance > GPU) for a quick temp reading, or install HWiNFO for detailed monitoring. On Mac, check Activity Monitor. On Linux, use nvidia-smi (NVIDIA) or sensors (AMD/Intel). If your GPU consistently hits 90C+ during gameplay, that's too hot – see the overheating guide.

Can bad RAM cause game crashes?▾

Yes. Faulty or failing RAM causes random crashes, blue screens, and freezes that seem to have no pattern. On Windows, run Windows Memory Diagnostic (search for it in Start) to check. On Linux, boot into memtest86+. If your RAM is fine but you just don't have enough (under 16 GB for modern games), you'll see crashes when the game tries to load more data than fits in memory.