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If No Man’s Sky started crashing or showing a black screen after an update, first check whether a hotfix already addresses the exact crash, then disable mods and overlays before trying repairs that reset settings or caches. As of 29 October 2026, Hello Games’ Forsaken 7.11 hotfix is live on Steam and fixes crashes at the Anomaly teleporter and during a warp to another system. Hello Games said it would reach other platforms as soon as possible; do not assume it is installed on console, Mac, or another storefront until that platform shows version 7.11 or 7.011.
What should I check before changing anything?
Match the failure point to the likely cause before deleting files or resetting settings. A crash at a newly fixed location calls for a version check; a startup crash has a different official troubleshooting sequence from a black screen with audio.
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Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems- Crash at the Anomaly teleporter or while warping: check for Forsaken 7.11 / 7.011 on your platform first. Those are the two fixes listed in Hello Games’ 29 October 2026 Steam hotfix note.
- Crash before the main menu on PC: follow the startup sequence below, beginning with the Steam client if applicable, graphics drivers, overlays, recording software, the Visual C++ runtime, and mods.
- Crash or instability shortly after booting on PC: disable mods, then consider the game shader cache, settings files, and file verification.
- Black screen on PC: start with file verification and isolate display mode, overlays, and graphics drivers; if there is audio, the game may be running even though the picture is not visible.
- Black screen on PlayStation: after checking system software, Sony’s Restore Default Settings option is a non-destructive display-settings step. Do not choose a full initialize or reset for this problem.
Make one change at a time and relaunch after each meaningful step. That makes it easier to identify the cause and avoids resetting more than necessary.
Is there already a hotfix for the crash?
Yes, if the crash happens when using the Anomaly teleporter or warping to another system: Hello Games says Forsaken 7.11 fixes both. The studio announced on 29 October 2026 that the update was live on Steam and would come to other platforms as soon as possible.
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Forsaken 7.10 introduced seamless warping, which lets players target nearby stars from space without opening the Galaxy Map. The 7.11 note specifically addresses a crash while warping; it does not say that every crash after 7.10 is fixed. Update through the platform you use, then check its displayed game version before starting a save. Console, Mac, and other-platform rollout timing was not confirmed in the announcement.
If you are on Steam and already have 7.11, but a different crash continues, proceed with the symptom-specific steps below. A player-reported startup crash, loading failure, multiplayer disconnect, or unrelated quest issue should not be treated as one of the two confirmed 7.11 fixes. Hello Games has not published a crash-rate percentage for Forsaken or 7.11.
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Why might this have begun after the update?
A recent patch can expose incompatibilities with mods or injected graphics tools, and a driver or game-file problem can also cause a failure that looks update-related. Hello Games’ PC graphics guidance says mods can cause issues, especially shortly after an update, and directs players to disable all mods before trying other repairs. A black screen can additionally come from display mode, resolution, refresh rate, HDR, or a console display setting; the symptom alone does not establish one cause.
How do I stop No Man’s Sky from crashing on PC startup?
Hello Games’ startup-crash checklist gives a practical order: bring the game platform and graphics drivers up to date, isolate overlays and capture software, repair the runtime if needed, and test without mods. Restart the game after each change rather than applying several fixes at once.
- Update Steam if you own the Steam edition. In Steam, choose Steam → Check for Steam Client Updates. Install any available update, reload Steam, and launch the game again. This step does not apply to Epic or other storefronts.
- Update both discrete and onboard graphics drivers. Get drivers from the GPU maker, including the integrated/onboard graphics chip even if you expect the game to use a separate graphics card. Hello Games warns that Windows may incorrectly report drivers as current and says updating onboard graphics can help the game select the correct GPU. Its named driver pages are NVIDIA driver support, AMD support, and Intel driver support. For laptops and other systems with more than one graphics processor, update both relevant driver families. If you recently changed cards, Hello Games also warns that leftover AMD and NVIDIA drivers can conflict.
- Temporarily disable overlays. Turn off Steam Overlay, Discord Overlay, and NVIDIA Experience Overlay, then test a clean launch. Other overlays, including AMD or Xbox Game Bar overlays, can also be isolated for a black-screen diagnosis.
- Close or uninstall video capture tools for the test. Hello Games names BandiCam as an example of recording software that may interfere. Close other capture utilities before relaunching.
- Install the current Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable. Use Microsoft’s supported redistributable page rather than downloading individual DLL files from third-party sites. Hello Games links to Microsoft’s current page; the x64 installer permalink is Microsoft’s x64 Visual C++ Redistributable. Choose an architecture that matches the application, and use Microsoft’s installer.
- Remove mods and test without them. Disable or remove mods before loading the game, especially if they were installed or updated before the game patch. Do not add replacement DLLs or unofficial configuration downloads as a workaround.
If the game now launches, re-enable any disabled overlay or tool one at a time to see whether the failure returns. Keep mods out until they are confirmed compatible with the game version you are running.
What should I do if the game crashes after loading or shows a black screen on PC?
Start with file verification because it checks for missing or invalid game files without deleting save games. If the install checks out, use the less destructive display and graphics checks before clearing the game’s shader cache or resetting its preferences.
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1. Verify the game installation
- Steam: open Library, right-click No Man’s Sky, choose Properties → Local Files (shown as Installed Files in some Steam versions), then choose Verify Integrity of Game Files. Let Steam finish, restart Steam, and launch the game.
- Epic Games Store: open Library, select the three-dot menu beside No Man’s Sky, then choose Verify.
Verification scans the installation and replaces missing or invalid files; it is not a save deletion step. Steam can flag some configuration files during a scan because they are not intended to be replaced, so do not interpret every such report as proof that the game files remain broken.
2. If audio plays but the screen is black, isolate display mode
Try borderless or windowed mode instead of exclusive fullscreen, set the game to the display’s native resolution, and temporarily lower Shadow Detail and Reflection Quality. Toggle V-Sync and, on a laptop or multi-GPU PC, confirm that the dedicated GPU is selected. The game may still be rendering while its selected display mode or output is not producing a visible picture.
Hello Games’ April 2019 Vulkan update is the historical basis for changing those graphics settings without restarting in that release. If a setting change does not restore the image, restart the game before moving on to another cause.
3. Disable graphics injection and background utilities
Remove ReShade and disable overlays, recording tools, and non-essential GPU utilities for a clean launch. Hello Games specifically names MSI Afterburner and EVGA PrecisionX as background utilities to disable when diagnosing severe graphics or performance issues. These are isolation steps, not proof that any one utility is responsible.
4. Rebuild No Man’s Sky’s shader cache
Close the game before deleting its cache. In the game installation folder, delete the contents of GAMEDATASHADERCACHE. For a typical Steam installation, the folder is SteamsteamappscommonNo Man's SkyGAMEDATASHADERCACHE; if Steam is installed in another library, use that library’s path.
Hello Games says the next load may take slightly longer while the cache is rebuilt, and that the delay should occur once. Do not confuse this game cache with NVIDIA’s separate driver cache folders.
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5. Reset the game’s settings files only after backing them up
If the black screen or instability continues, back up TKGAMESETTINGS and TKGRAPHICSSETTINGS from the game’s BinariesSETTINGS folder, then remove the originals so the game can recreate them. A common Steam path is C:Program Files (x86)SteamsteamappscommonNo Man's SkyBinariesSETTINGS; the correct location depends on the Steam library.
This resets custom graphics and gameplay preferences, so save a copy first if you want to restore them later. It does not delete save games. Reopen the game and configure preferences again only after checking whether the problem is resolved.
Should I clear NVIDIA’s shader cache?
Only consider the separate NVIDIA cache procedure if the PC uses an NVIDIA GPU and the failure remains after the simpler checks. It is not applicable to an AMD- or Intel-only system, and it is distinct from deleting No Man’s Sky’s own GAMEDATASHADERCACHE folder.
The documented procedure is NVIDIA App → Graphics → Global Settings → Shader Cache Size → set to Off → Apply, then restart Windows. Delete the contents of these folders if they exist: %USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalNVIDIADXCache, %USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalNVIDIAGLCache, and %USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalNVIDIA CorporationNV_Cache. If Windows says a cache file is in use, close games and GPU utilities before trying again. Return Shader Cache Size to Driver Default afterward; the cited procedure lists 16 GB as that default. Because cache menus and behavior can change with driver software, do not apply this NVIDIA-only procedure to a different GPU maker’s system.
What should ROG Ally and other handheld users check?
For a startup crash on a ROG Ally or another Windows handheld, Hello Games’ device-specific guidance points to a potentially conflicting Windows compatibility package for Vulkan-based games. This is a targeted package check, not a general instruction to remove graphics components from every PC.
- Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
- Find and uninstall OpenCL, OpenGL and Vulkan Compatibility Pack.
- Restart and try launching No Man’s Sky.
- If it still fails, update both discrete and onboard graphics drivers from their manufacturers, following the PC driver guidance above.
How do I fix a black screen on PS4 or PS5?
First install the available game and system updates. If the display problem remains, use Sony’s Restore Default Settings option rather than a full console reset; Sony says restoring default settings does not affect user or game data.
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- PS5: Settings → System → System Software → Reset Options → Restore Default Settings → Restore.
- PS4: Settings → Initialization → Restore Default Settings → Restore.
Afterward, power off both the console and display completely, reseat the HDMI cable, confirm the television is on the correct input, and relaunch. Sony distinguishes restoring defaults from Reset PS5 or Initialize PS4, which deletes user and game data and cannot be undone. Do not initialize the console to troubleshoot this symptom. A current official Safe Mode cache-clearing path was not established for every PlayStation software version, so avoid relying on a menu sequence that may not apply to your system.
What if I play on Xbox, Switch, Mac, or iOS?
Use the game’s update page or library on your platform to check for the version it has actually received. Hello Games confirmed Steam availability of 7.11 on 29 October 2026 and said other platforms would receive it as soon as possible, but did not provide live timestamps for PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, Mac, or iOS in that announcement.
If your platform does not yet show 7.11 / 7.011, do not assume the Steam fix is already installed. For a crash unrelated to the two hotfixed triggers, use the platform’s normal update and support options; the PC file paths and Windows driver steps in this article do not apply to consoles or iOS. Forsaken 7.10 also included platform-specific changes, such as a PS4 suspend/resume crash fix and memory optimizations for VR and Xbox Series, but those notes are not a diagnosis for every later crash.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What should I avoid while troubleshooting?
Avoid destructive or unsupported changes that can create a second problem without addressing the cause. In particular:
- Do not switch the PC game from Vulkan to OpenGL. Hello Games replaced OpenGL with Vulkan for the PC version in April 2019; OpenGL fallback advice is outdated.
- Do not reset or initialize a PlayStation as a first-line black-screen fix. Restore Default Settings is the non-destructive option described above.
- Do not download replacement DLLs, unofficial settings files, registry cleaners, or cracked executables. Use official driver and runtime installers.
- Do not treat a GPU purchase, HDMI cable purchase, or physical game repurchase as the default fix for an issue that began after a software update.
- Do not assume every report of a crash after Forsaken is confirmed as a 7.11 bug. The published hotfix lists two specific crash scenarios.
A community post has described changing TextureStreamingVk to Off in TKGRAPHICSSETTINGS.MXML for some Intel graphics crashes, but Hello Games has not published that as an official fix and other users said it did not help. Treat it as unverified experimentation rather than a dependable repair; back up settings before any manual edit.
How do I report a crash that still happens?
If the official fixes do not resolve the issue, send one support ticket per issue to Hello Games with information that can help reproduce it. The studio says it may not send an individual reply to every bug report; no reply does not necessarily mean the report was ignored.
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- Include screenshots that show the problem and copies of save files that may help reproduce it.
- On PC, attach recent crash dumps and a full DxDiag.
- Describe the exact sequence before the failure: platform, game version, whether mods and overlays were disabled, and whether the crash occurs at the logo, during loading, after a save loads, during a warp, or at the Anomaly teleporter.
- For a black screen, say whether audio continues and note any recent display-mode, driver, or update change.
- Open one ticket for the issue and add later information to that ticket instead of sending duplicates.
Hello Games’ 28 October 2026 Forsaken update introduced new seamless warping, while the 29 October Steam hotfix fixed one warp crash and one Anomaly teleporter crash. Earlier, the 5 October Cosmos 7.06 update fixed a crash on some NVIDIA GPUs and a rare PS5 loading-screen crash; Hello Games did not specify every affected NVIDIA model. These dated notes can help describe timing, but they do not establish that a different crash has the same cause.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a No Man’s Sky save be lost when I verify the files?
Steam or Epic file verification checks the installation; it is not the same as deleting or resetting a save. Before changing settings files, keep a separate backup of those files if you want to preserve custom preferences.
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The game needs to rebuild shader data after the cache is removed. Hello Games cautions that the next load may take slightly longer and says this should happen only once.
Can minimum PC specs explain a crash after an update?
Minimum requirements are a baseline, not a guarantee that a particular system will run without crashes. Steam’s listing gives Windows 10/11 64-bit, an Intel Core i3, 8 GB RAM, and graphics such as a GTX 1060 3GB, RX 470 4GB, or Intel UHD Graphics 630; drivers, mods, overlays, and bugs can still matter.
Does a black screen mean No Man’s Sky has crashed?
Not necessarily: if audio continues, the game may still be running while the selected resolution or display mode produces no visible image. Try a windowed or borderless mode and native resolution before concluding that the process has stopped.
