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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →If Call of Duty shaders are stuck compiling on Steam, first stay at the game’s main menu and let shader preloading finish. Then verify the game files in Steam, check the driver advice for your exact Call of Duty release and GPU, and investigate software conflicts if the problem continues. The right driver and troubleshooting steps vary by release, so identify the specific game before applying advice.
Identify the Call of Duty release and the error
“Call of Duty” covers multiple games, and their PC troubleshooting pages are not interchangeable. In Steam, note the exact game you launch. Also record the full error text, GPU model, graphics driver version, and what happens: does preloading take a long time, stop progressing, trigger a crash, or finish while the game performs poorly?
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Activision’s Warzone PC troubleshooting page is for Warzone; its Black Ops 6 PC troubleshooting page and Modern Warfare II PC troubleshooting page cover those releases. Use the page matching your game where possible rather than assuming one title’s instructions apply to another.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Let shader preloading finish at the main menu
Start the game and remain at the main menu until shader preloading completes. Activision says the process is an important part of first boot and that leaving the main menu stops preloading and can lead to performance issues. If the progress indicator is still moving, give it time instead of entering a match or navigating away.
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This is the first step for a shader preloading problem, but it is not a guaranteed fix for every error. If preloading appears frozen or the same issue returns after it finishes, continue with the checks below.
Verify the game files in Steam
Activision’s troubleshooting guidance recommends verifying the integrity of game files for Steam players. The check can identify damaged or missing files and may download repairs; let both the verification and any resulting download finish before launching the game again.
- Open Steam and select Library.
- Right-click the Call of Duty release you play and choose Properties.
- Open Installed Files and select Verify integrity of game files.
- Wait for Steam to complete its check and any repair or download, then launch the game and test shader preloading again.
Steam’s interface wording can vary by version, but the action is the file-integrity verification for the specific game entry. Activision recommends this step for Steam installations in its Warzone, Black Ops 6, and Modern Warfare II PC guidance.
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Check the graphics driver recommendation for your exact game
Do not install a driver version just because it appears on a troubleshooting page for another Call of Duty release. Recommendations differ by title and GPU vendor, and can change over time. Open the matching Activision PC troubleshooting page and compare its current recommendation with the GPU in your PC.
For context, Activision’s Warzone PC troubleshooting page, dated March 11, 2026 and accessed October 3, 2026, lists AMD 25.12.1, NVIDIA 591.59 for desktop/notebook and 582.08 for workstation, and Intel 32.0.101.8531. These are Warzone-specific recommendations, not universal Call of Duty requirements. Activision’s Black Ops 6 page, dated July 2, 2025, lists different recommendations and advises rolling back to its listed version if a newer driver causes issues. Check the current matching page before changing drivers.
Isolate software that may interfere
If waiting, file verification, and a release-appropriate driver check do not resolve the issue, test for background software conflicts. Activision advises Steam users to disable programs that may interfere with Steam. Depending on the release, its PC guidance also discusses a clean boot and software for device or peripheral control, overclocking, or tuning.
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- Close background apps that interact with Steam, the game, graphics, peripherals, or performance tuning, then test again.
- If needed, follow the clean-boot instructions applicable to your Windows version and test whether the problem remains.
- Change one thing at a time so you can identify a conflict, and restore normal settings after testing.
- Do not turn off antivirus protection wholesale. Warzone’s troubleshooting page suggests considering a game-folder exception for antivirus issues; only do so carefully and for the exact game folder.
The exact software to investigate depends on the release and PC setup. For example, the Black Ops 6 guidance specifically mentions device-control, overclocking, and tuning software; consult the corresponding Activision page rather than applying that list as a universal diagnosis.
Contact Activision if the error remains
If the problem persists after these checks, use support for the exact Call of Duty release and its PC crash-report option where available. Include the full error text, game build, GPU, graphics driver version, whether preloading stalls or the game crashes, and the steps you have tried. Those details help distinguish a file, driver, or software conflict from a title-specific issue.
Activision’s support pages are release-specific: Warzone, Black Ops 6, and Modern Warfare II.
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