If Baldur’s Gate 3 crashes, stutters, or runs at a low frame rate on PC, start by identifying when the problem happens, then test one change at a time. Larian’s troubleshooting guidance recommends closing interfering software, comparing DirectX 11 with Vulkan, checking for leftover mods, reducing graphics load, and verifying game files. These are diagnostic steps, not guaranteed fixes; the right result depends on your PC and the symptom.
First, identify when the problem occurs
The timing helps you choose the right troubleshooting path. A crash before the main menu is different from a crash during a session, while stuttering or low FPS may leave the game running.
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- Before the main menu: use the startup-crash checks below.
- During play: follow the gameplay-crash checks, especially if the failure happens in a repeatable location or around a loading transition.
- Stuttering or low FPS: try the graphics and display tests, then compare rendering APIs if the game launches.
Note whether the problem began after a game update, graphics-driver change, or mod change. That timing can help you describe the issue, but it does not by itself establish the cause.
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Try these checks for crashes during gameplay
Larian’s “Crashes during gameplay (PC)” guidance includes checks for competing software, rendering APIs, and mod files.
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Close overlays and other nonessential software
Exit nonessential programs before launching the game, particularly overlays and monitoring, tweaking, or chat software. Retest the same situation. If the crash stops, reopen programs one at a time to see whether the symptom returns.
Compare DirectX 11 and Vulkan
Use the game launcher to switch from the current rendering API to the other option—DirectX 11 or Vulkan—then test the same scene or workload. Compare whether the crash recurs and whether play is smoother. Larian recommends this as a troubleshooting test; its guidance does not establish a universally better API.
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Check for leftover mods
Mod files can remain after you stop actively using mods. If you have installed mods, check the locations Larian identifies, including the game’s Data folders and the user’s AppData Mods folder. Its gameplay-crash guidance also mentions removing modsettings.lsx where applicable. Follow Larian’s listed locations rather than deleting unrelated user data or save files.
Try these checks if the game crashes at startup
For a failure before the main menu, use Larian’s separate “Crashing upon startup (PC)” guidance. Close nonessential software and test the other rendering API through the launcher. If the game still will not start, verify its installation files through your storefront.
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Verify files in Steam
- In Steam, open your Library and right-click Baldur’s Gate 3.
- Choose Properties, then the local-files option and Verify integrity of game files. Steam’s labels may change; use the current equivalent verification option if they differ.
- Let the check finish, then launch the game and see whether the startup crash remains.
Verify or repair in GOG Galaxy
- Open the game’s options in GOG Galaxy.
- Choose Manage Installation > Verify/Repair.
- When the process finishes, try starting the game again. If the client’s labels have changed, use its equivalent verify or repair option.
Reduce stuttering or low FPS with controlled graphics tests
Larian’s “Graphical Issues” guidance suggests testing resolution, graphics settings, and display mode. Change one setting at a time and retry the same area or workload, so you can tell which change—if any—affects the symptom.
- Temporarily lower the resolution or graphics settings, then compare smoothness with the original settings.
- Try Windowed or Fake Fullscreen instead of the current display mode.
- If your monitor’s refresh rate is above 60 Hz, try setting a 60 FPS cap in the game options. This is a test suggested by Larian, not a claim that 60 FPS is ideal for every monitor or PC.
For each test, note whether stuttering improves, the frame rate feels more consistent, or the problem is unchanged. The cited guidance supplies no benchmark figures or universal performance winner.
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When the problem continues, collect diagnostic details
If these checks do not resolve the issue, gather evidence before contacting support or reporting a bug. Larian’s troubleshooting and bug-report guidance point players toward error details, logs, and crash dumps. A log may help investigation, but it does not necessarily identify the cause on its own.
- For a Windows crash, note the relevant Event Viewer error details, including any faulting module listed.
- Gather the game logs or crash dumps requested in Larian’s support instructions.
- Record when the failure occurs and which changes you tested, including API, graphics settings, display mode, or file verification.
Official guidance cited here covers general PC troubleshooting. It does not establish a single cause for a symptom, provide a hardware compatibility matrix, or identify patch-specific known issues. Check Larian’s live support pages for current instructions.
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