CSGO Won't Launch on Windows 10? Here's The Fix

Imagine launching your favorite game again and again and it keeps crashing – can you feel the pain?

This is exactly what many Counter-Strike: Global Offensive lovers are reporting. A lot of players have reported that their favorite game keeps crashing at launch. At this time, nobody could predict the exact cause of the crash, but both hardware and software settings can be blamed.

Don’t worry if your game is also acting up weirdly, this guide will help you solve the problem in no time.

How to Fix CSGO Won’t Launch Issue

If your CSGO won’t open at all, then follow these simple and easy fixes that will help you solve the issue in no time. These fixes are generally very basic, but often people forget to try them. Here’s what you need to do to fix the problem:

Run CS:GO as an Administrator
Verify the integrity of game files
Update your graphics driver
Stop Overclocking your CPU
Close unnecessary programs
Check for Windows Updates
Reinstall your game and/or Steam

Fix #01 – Run CS:GO as an Administrator

Sometimes playing the game on a standard user account can cause the game to crash. If you are facing crashes, then try to play the game as an administrator to see if the problem vanishes. Here’s how you can do it.

First, exit Steam.
Right-click on the Steam icon and select Run as Administrator.
Click on Yes to confirm.
Now launch the game from Steam.

Many gamers found this fix perfect for their crashes, and we hope it works for you as well. In case, it does not – don’t worry – the list is long.

Fix #02 – Verify the integrity of game files

When there are any corrupt or missing game files in the folder, the game starts to crash. Your CSGO launch issues might also be the result of such missing files, so here’s how you can verify the integrity of your game files:

Run Steam.
Once it opens up, click LIBRARY.
Right-click on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and select Properties.
Click the LOCAL FILES tab, then click VERIFY INTEGRITY OF GAME FILES.

Now relaunch your game and check to see if it still crashes.

Fix #03 – Update your graphics driver

CSGO won’t launch if you are using a wrong or outdated graphics driver on your PC. So here is the deal – update your graphics driver and get rid of this problem once and for all.

To install the graphics driver, go to your manufacturer’s website and check for any updates. From there, you can download the driver without any hassle. Once you have downloaded the correct driver in correspondence with your system, install it in your PC and relaunch the game.

Fix #04 – Stop Overclocking your CPU

Overclocking is another potential cause of this problem. Often, when you overclock your PC, the CPU reaches over 90% utilization leading to game crashes at launch.

You can set your CPU clock speed to default to let the game launch at a normal speed. Most probably, this will solve the problem for you.

Fix #05 – Close unnecessary programs

If you are facing launch issues with your game, make sure to check if any unnecessary programs are running in the background. It’s possible that your PC doesn’t have enough power or memory to support them all.

Try to close down all the apps and downloads that are slowing down your PC, then check to see if it solves the problem.

Fix #06 – Check for Windows Updates

If the game is not launching then you can also try updating the Windows of your PC. Sometimes outdated Windows 10 versions are the culprit behind your PC lags and application failures. Here’s how you can do it:

Press the Windows logo key and type “windows update” in the search field, then select Windows Update Settings.
Click on Check for updates.
Install downloads (if any).

Relaunch your game and check if your CSGO is still crashing at launch.

Fix #07 – Reinstall your game and/or Steam

Last but not least, try reinstalling the CSGO and/or the Steam to see if it solves the problem for you. Here is how you can reinstall the game:

Run Steam.
Click on Library.
Right-click on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and select Uninstall.
Now click on Delete.
Launch the Steam and download the game again.

Once done, check if it you are able to launch the game without any issues. If the problem persists, try reinstalling the Steam. Do as follows:

Right-click on the Steam icon and select Open file location.
Locate the steamapps folder and right-click on it, then select Copy. Save the copied folder in some other location as a backup.
Now press the Windows logo key and type “control” in the search field, then select Control Panel.
Select View by: Category at the top right corner, then click on the Uninstall a program option under the Programs category.
Right-click on Steam and Uninstall it
Once done, download and install Steam again.
Right-click on the Steam icon and click on Open file location.
Paste the copied steamapps folder.
Now, restart CS:GO to check if the problem has been resolved now.

Most probably you will not need to search for other fixes once you have tried the ones on our list. These fixes take less time and there is a high chance that you will find a cure for CSGO won’t launch issues.

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