Ready or Not is a gritty, tactical first-person shooter that has captured the attention of players looking for intense, realistic SWAT-style gameplay. However, for many users, the excitement comes to a halt when the game gets stuck on the loading screen — preventing them from jumping into the action.
This issue can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you’ve just installed the game or launched it after an update. It often leaves players staring at a screen that refuses to move forward, with no error messages or clues.
The good news? This is usually a fixable problem — and you don’t need to be a tech expert to resolve it.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through a step-by-step troubleshooting process that covers the most common causes of the loading screen freeze and how to fix each one. Whether it’s a permissions issue, graphics driver conflict, or something as simple as Windows Firewall blocking the game, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s jump in and get your game running smoothly again.
“Ready or Not” is a tactical first-person shooter that has gained popularity for its realistic gameplay. However, like many PC games, it can sometimes run into technical issues — one of the most common being the game getting stuck on the loading screen. If you’re experiencing this frustrating bug, don’t worry. This guide walks you through step-by-step solutions to fix the problem quickly and effectively.
✅ 1. Run the Game as Administrator
Running the game with administrative privileges can resolve many permission-related issues.
How to do it:
- Right-click the Ready or Not game shortcut or
.exefile. - Select “Open file location” to go to the game’s install folder.
- Right-click the game’s main
.exefile (usually namedReadyOrNot.exe). - Choose “Properties”, then go to the “Compatibility” tab.
- Check the box that says “Run this program as an administrator.”
- Click Apply, then OK.
- Relaunch the game and check if it works.
✅ 2. Disable Full-Screen Optimization
Some systems experience compatibility issues with full-screen optimization. Disabling it might help.
Steps:
- Repeat the above steps to reach the “Compatibility” tab.
- Check the box “Disable full-screen optimizations.”
- Click Apply, then OK.
- Relaunch the game.
✅ 3. Run in Compatibility Mode (Windows 8)
If the issue persists, try running the game in Windows 8 compatibility mode.
Steps:
- Go to the game’s
.exefile > Right-click > Properties > Compatibility tab. - Check “Run this program in compatibility mode for:”
- Choose Windows 8 from the dropdown.
- Click Apply, then OK.
- Launch the game and check if the issue is resolved.
Note: If this doesn’t work, go back and uncheck compatibility mode and full-screen optimization while keeping Run as Administrator enabled.
✅ 4. Allow the Game Through Windows Firewall
Sometimes, the Windows firewall blocks game processes, causing loading screen freezes.
How to allow the game:
- Open Windows Security from the Start menu.
- Go to Firewall & network protection > Allow an app through firewall.
- Click Change settings, then Allow another app.
- Click Browse, navigate to your Ready or Not install directory, and select the game’s
.exefile. - Click Add, then OK.
✅ 5. Update Your Graphics Drivers
Outdated or corrupted GPU drivers can cause performance issues and loading bugs.
If you’re using:
- NVIDIA: Open GeForce Experience > Go to the Drivers tab > Click Check for updates.
- AMD: Open Adrenalin Software > Check for updates from the home screen.
Update to the latest version, then restart your PC and relaunch the game.
✅ 6. Verify Game Files on Steam
Corrupted or missing files could be the root of the problem.
To verify on Steam:
- Open Steam.
- Go to Library > Right-click on Ready or Not > Click Properties.
- Select Installed Files > Click “Verify integrity of game files.”
Steam will scan and replace any missing or broken files.
✅ 7. Force the Game to Run in DirectX 11 Mode
Some users have resolved loading issues by forcing the game to run using DirectX 11.
Steps:
- In Steam, right-click Ready or Not > Select Properties.
- Under the General tab, find Launch Options.
- Type in:
-dx11 - Close the window and try launching the game again.
✅ 8. Reinstall the Game (Last Resort)
If all else fails, uninstalling and reinstalling the game can help reset everything.
Steps:
- Open Steam > Right-click on Ready or Not > Select Uninstall.
- After uninstalling, reboot your PC.
- Reinstall the game via Steam or Epic Games.
- Try launching it again after installation.