If your problem sounds like this:

  • My game crashes to the desktop without showing an error code or message.
  • My game freezes completely and I have to close it.
  • My screen goes black when I launch the game.

This guide covers general game crashes where no specific error code or named error message appears.

If your game displays a specific error code or message, search for that error on the Riot Games Support site first. While these steps can resolve a wide array of issues, a guide designed to address your problem always has a better shot at getting you back on track.

Resolution

Like characters that never stop leveling up, our games are always getting fresh content, shiny visual upgrades, and a sprinkle of special effects magic. Let’s make sure your PC is ready to keep up.

Try these steps in order. Launch your game after each step to see if the issue is resolved.

  1. Check the minimum system requirements. Make sure your PC meets the minimum system requirements for the game you're trying to play.
  2. Restart your PC. Restarting closes temporary processes, frees up memory, and gives your game a clean slate before launching again.
  3. Update graphics card drivers. Outdated graphics drivers can cause crashes, freezes, black screens, and other visual issues, and updating your GPU drivers can help resolve these problems.
  4. Update Windows. Windows updates include bug fixes, security updates, and compatibility improvements that can affect your game and DirectX. Install all available Windows updates, restart your PC if prompted, then try launching your game again.
  5. Perform a clean boot. Clearing up background processes can ensure other programs aren't fighting for the spotlight against your game, and a clean boot helps you clear those potential troubles.
  6. Reset your graphics software. Graphics software such as NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition can override your game's settings and sometimes cause crashes or stability issues, and resetting your graphics software restores those settings to their defaults.
  7. Lower your video settings. Reducing your video settings lowers the amount of work your PC needs to do and may help prevent crashes or freezes. As a starting point, try setting your graphics options to their lowest values, then gradually increase them until you find the right balance between performance and quality. The location of these settings varies by title, but you can generally find them in-or-out-of-game under Settings, which are accessible through the gear-shaped icon.
  8. Reinstall your game.  A clean reinstallation can replace corrupted or missing files that may be causing the crashes.

Still Having Issues?

If you've worked through the steps above and your game is still crashing without an error message, submit a ticket to Player Support. Make sure you attach your logs so we can take a closer look and help get you back in the fight.