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How to Restart Genshin Impact

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Restarting Genshin Impact is often the quickest fix for crashes, frozen loading screens, and controllers or menus that stop responding. The “right” restart method depends on your platform—Windows, macOS, Android, iPhone/iPad, or PlayStation.

This guide walks you through clean restarts first, then escalates to file verification and cache clearing when a simple relaunch won’t cut it. Follow the steps for your device, then use the troubleshooting section if you still hit the same problem.

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What Restarting Genshin Impact Actually Fixes

A restart forces the game client to reload its assets, reconnect to services, and reinitialize memory. That helps with common issues like a stuck “Connecting…” screen, corrupted runtime state, and menu input that stops responding.

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It won’t repair corrupted downloads unless you verify files (PC) or clear app data/cache (mobile). For persistent crashes, you’ll need the escalation steps below.

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Prerequisites Before You Restart

Before you restart, do these quick checks so you don’t lose time:

  • Save state: If you’re on a character selection screen or in a menu, your progress should already be server-synced. If the game is frozen, proceed with a force-close.
  • Network: If you suspect connectivity issues, pause and confirm your internet works in another app (YouTube, browser, or a speed test).
  • System resources: Close extra apps (especially browsers with many tabs) if you’re on low RAM devices.

Quick Restart (Fastest Method)

The fastest restart is: fully exit the game, wait 10–20 seconds, then launch it again. This clears most temporary runtime hangs without changing files.

If the game crashes repeatedly, you’ll still need a deeper restart (force-close, cache clear, or file verification).

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Restart by Platform (Follow the Steps That Match Your Device)

Windows PC

On Windows, a proper restart means exiting the game process—not just closing the window.

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Under Processes, find Genshin Impact (or GenshinImpact.exe), then click it.
  3. Select End task.
  4. Wait 10–20 seconds.
  5. Relaunch Genshin Impact from the launcher or your desktop shortcut.

macOS

On macOS, force-quitting is the clean way to restart if the game is unresponsive.

  1. Click the Apple menu () in the top-left.
  2. Choose Force Quit….
  3. Select Genshin Impact and click Force Quit.
  4. Wait 10–20 seconds.
  5. Open the game again from Finder or the launcher.

Android

For Android, exit fully using the app switcher so the process doesn’t linger in the background.

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  1. Open Recent Apps (the square/overview key).
  2. Find Genshin Impact and swipe it away to close.
  3. Wait 10–20 seconds.
  4. Tap the Genshin Impact icon to relaunch.
  5. If it keeps freezing: go to Settings > Apps > Genshin Impact > Storage and use Clear cache.

iPhone and iPad (iOS and iPadOS)

On iPhone and iPad, the goal is the same: kill the app process so it restarts cleanly.

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  1. Open the app switcher (swipe up from the bottom and pause, or double-press the Home button on older devices).
  2. Swipe Genshin Impact off the screen to close.
  3. Wait 10–20 seconds.
  4. Relaunch Genshin Impact.
  5. If you still get stuck: uninstall and reinstall the app (the most reliable “full reset” on iOS/iPadOS).

PlayStation 5 (PS5)

On PS5, restarting the game is usually easiest via the Home menu, then fully launching again.

  1. Press the PS button to open the Home screen.
  2. Highlight Genshin Impact.
  3. Press Options on your controller.
  4. Select Close Game.
  5. Wait a few seconds, then launch Genshin Impact again.

PlayStation 4 (PS4)

On PS4, use Close Application so the game process actually stops.

  1. Press the PS button.
  2. Highlight Genshin Impact.
  3. Press Options and choose Close Application.
  4. Wait 10 seconds.
  5. Start Genshin Impact again.

If Restart Doesn’t Work: Escalation Steps

If a simple restart doesn’t change the behavior, escalate. The goal is to fix stale network connections, corrupted local files, or a cache problem.

Clear game-side issues on PC (verify files)

File verification helps if your install has missing or corrupted assets. Depending on your launcher, the wording varies, but the process is similar.

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  • Launcher check: Open the Genshin Impact launcher and look for Verify, Repair, or Check files (if available).
  • Windows storage: Make sure you have sufficient free disk space so the game can update and repair properly.

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Clear OS app cache on mobile

Android often benefits from cache clearing before a full data reset.

  • Go to Settings > Apps > Genshin Impact > Storage.
  • Tap Clear cache first.
  • If the problem persists, you may need Clear storage (this can require re-login and redownload of some content).

On iOS and iPadOS, cache clearing isn’t offered the same way, so uninstall/reinstall is the reliable equivalent.

Update the game and device components

Common restart failures happen after a partial update or an outdated platform component.

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  • PC: Update Windows and your GPU drivers. Then restart the PC and launch again.
  • Android/iOS: Update the OS if a system update is pending and update Genshin Impact from the app store.
  • PlayStation: Ensure system software and the game are fully updated.

Check connectivity and DNS basics

If you get stuck on “Connecting…” even after a restart, the issue may be network path, not the client.

  1. Turn Airplane mode on for 10 seconds, then off.
  2. Try a different network (mobile data vs Wi‑Fi).
  3. Restart your router (unplug 30 seconds, plug back in, wait 2–3 minutes).
  4. If you know what you’re doing, try a public DNS like 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8.

Log out and back in (where it’s available)

Some restart symptoms come from a stale account session. Logging out forces a fresh token.

  • Open Settings (or Account) in the login screen.
  • Choose Log out (or equivalent) and log back in.

If you can’t reach the menu due to crashes, skip this and focus on cache/file verification.

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Troubleshooting Common Restart Problems

Use the symptom below to find the fastest fix.

Game won’t open after restart

First, confirm the game process truly ends.

  • Windows: Task Manager > End task for all Genshin Impact-related processes.
  • macOS: Force Quit from the Apple menu.
  • Mobile: Force close from the app switcher, then relaunch.

If it still fails, update the game and verify/repair (PC) or reinstall (iOS) to reset corrupted install state.

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Stuck on the loading screen

Loading hangs usually point to either network trouble or a client cache problem.

  1. Fully restart the game (close/force quit, then reopen).
  2. Switch networks (Wi‑Fi ↔ mobile data) if you can.
  3. On Android: clear cache and relaunch.
  4. On PC: verify/repair files and restart your computer.

Restart loop (closes immediately)

If the game crashes repeatedly right after launch, you need a deeper reset than a relaunch.

  • PC: Update GPU drivers, then verify files.
  • Mobile: Clear cache; if it keeps happening, uninstall/reinstall.
  • PlayStation: Close the game and relaunch after a full console restart if available.

Audio glitches or missing voice/text after relaunch

Sometimes assets don’t finish updating or download correctly.

  1. Restart the game once.
  2. If it persists, update the game to the latest version.
  3. On mobile/PS, make sure the download/install completes fully before relaunching.
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Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Using only the minimize button: Minimizing often keeps the game running, so it doesn’t reset the stuck state.
  • Closing during updates: If the game is downloading assets, let it finish before restarting again.
  • Overusing clear storage without a plan (Android): Clearing storage can require redownload and re-login. Try cache first.
  • Not restarting the device after driver/system updates: Driver updates can require a reboot before they fully apply.

FAQ: Restarting Genshin Impact

Will restarting Genshin Impact delete my progress?

Normal restarts won’t delete your progress because saves sync to the server. If you clear storage on Android or uninstall on iOS, you may lose local download cache—not your account progress (unless you have login issues).

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Do I need to restart my whole PC or console?

No, not usually. Start with a full game close/force quit. If the restart loop continues after driver updates or verification, rebooting the device can help.

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What if I’m on a PlayStation and the game freezes during launch?

Close Game/Close Application from the Home menu, relaunch, and if it keeps freezing, restart the console and confirm the game is fully updated.

Is “clear cache” safer than reinstalling?

Yes. Clearing cache removes temporary files without the bigger reset effect of reinstalling. If cache clearing fails, reinstall (or file verification on PC) is the next step.

Can a controller or keyboard issue look like a game restart problem?

Yes. If the game opens but input doesn’t work, unplug/replug controllers, restart the device, and check input settings before doing deeper fixes.

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Bottom Line

Restart Genshin Impact by fully closing the app/game process, waiting a few seconds, then relaunching. That alone fixes many crashes and frozen screens.

If it doesn’t, escalate in the right order: verify/repair on PC, clear cache on Android, uninstall/reinstall on iOS, and check updates plus network stability. If you tell me your device and the exact behavior (error text or where it freezes), I can recommend the fastest targeted fix.

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