The PUBG Crashing Nightmare
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (commonly known as PUBG) is one of the most popular battle royale games available on Steam. With millions of active users, it delivers fast-paced action and competitive multiplayer gameplay. However, one persistent issue that players face is the unexpected crashing of PUBG on Steam. Whether it crashes on launch, during a match, or randomly on the main menu, it can be incredibly frustrating—especially if you were just about to score that elusive chicken dinner.
Fortunately, this guide offers you a comprehensive step-by-step breakdown of how to fix PUBG crashing issues on Steam, even if you’re not very tech-savvy. Follow along and get back in the game smoothly.
1. Verify the Integrity of Game Files (First Line of Defense)
Sometimes, crashes happen because certain game files have become corrupted, missing, or improperly installed. Steam offers a built-in tool to fix this automatically.
Steps:
- Open Steam.
- Navigate to your Library.
- Right-click on PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS and select Properties.
- Click on the Installed Files tab (previously known as “Local Files”).
- Select “Verify Integrity of Game Files…”.
Steam will now scan your PUBG installation and replace any damaged or missing files. This process may take a few minutes, depending on your system and storage speed.
✅ Why this works: If any files were corrupted during updates or crashes, Steam will re-download only what’s needed, saving you from doing a full reinstall.
2. Run PUBG as Administrator (Bypass Permission Conflicts)
Games sometimes need elevated permissions to access system resources correctly. Running PUBG as an administrator can prevent Windows from blocking it during execution.
Steps:
- Go back to Steam Library.
- Right-click PUBG > Properties > Installed Files > Click “Browse…” to open the game folder.
- Locate the game’s main executable file (usually named
TslGame.exeorPUBG.exe). - Right-click the file > select Properties.
- Go to the Compatibility tab.
- Check the box that says “Run this program as an administrator”.
- Click Apply and then OK.
Now relaunch PUBG and see if it still crashes.
💡 Pro tip: You can also set this for the Steam client itself if crashes happen immediately on game launch.
3. Update Your Graphics Drivers (Critical for Smooth Gameplay)
Outdated or incompatible graphics drivers are a common cause of PUBG crashes—especially after major game patches or Windows updates.
Option A – Using Device Manager:
- Press Windows Key + S and search for Device Manager.
- Expand Display adapters.
- Right-click your graphics card (e.g., NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660, AMD Radeon RX 580, etc.).
- Choose “Update driver” > Select “Search automatically for drivers”.
If this method says you already have the best drivers installed, it may not be accurate.
Option B – Manual Update via Manufacturer’s Website:
- Go back to Device Manager and copy your exact graphics card model name.
- Search on Google:
- For NVIDIA: https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx
- For AMD: https://www.amd.com/en/support
- For Intel: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download-center/home.html
- Download the latest driver version for your OS.
- Install it, restart your PC, and launch PUBG.
✅ Why this works: New game patches often optimize for the latest GPU drivers. Using outdated drivers may cause the game engine to malfunction.
4. Optional Fixes if PUBG Still Crashes
If the above steps don’t fully fix the issue, try the following:
A. Disable Background Apps
Apps like Discord overlays, screen recorders, antivirus, or game boosters can interfere with PUBG.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- End tasks that are not essential (especially anything with overlays or excessive RAM usage).
B. Lower Graphics Settings
If your PC is struggling to run the game smoothly, lowering in-game settings can help.
- Launch PUBG.
- Go to Settings > Graphics.
- Lower resolution and turn off features like Anti-Aliasing, Post-Processing, and Shadows.
C. Reinstall PUBG
As a last resort, if all else fails:
- Uninstall PUBG from Steam.
- Delete the leftover game folder (usually in
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\PUBG). - Reboot your PC and reinstall the game.
Conclusion
PUBG crashing on Steam is annoying, but it’s often fixable with just a few adjustments. Whether it’s verifying game files, running as administrator, or updating your GPU drivers, these tried-and-tested steps solve the issue for most players.
If you’re still facing problems after trying all of the above, it might be worth checking PUBG’s official forums, Reddit threads, or submitting a support ticket to KRAFTON Support—especially if the crash started after a new patch or update.
Quick Recap Checklist:
✔ Verify game file integrity on Steam
✔ Run the game as Administrator
✔ Update graphics drivers (via Device Manager or official site)
✔ Disable unnecessary background apps
✔ Reduce in-game graphic settings
✔ Reinstall the game if needed