Starfield not responding or launching on PC [Fix]

Starfield is a game where gamers explore the vast reaches of space, embark on interstellar experiences, and eagerly unravel the mysteries of the cosmos. However, this excitement has quickly become disappointing for some as Starfield does not start at all! In this article, we will see what can be done if Starfield is not responding or launching on your Windows computer.

Why does my Starfield keep stuttering?

There are several reasons behind why Starfield is stuttering. Some common factors are insufficient hardware, outdated Graphics drivers, high game settings, drivers or software conflicting with the game, bad Internet connection, and maxed-out system resources. If you are in the same boat as other players, start with restarting the PC as well as the router, moving on to clearing game files and launcher cache.

Fix Starfield not responding or launching on Windows 11/10

If Starfield is not responding or launching on your PC, execute the solutions mentioned below:

Quit unnecessary tasks running in the background
Restart the game as well as all the devices
Update the graphics Driver
Verify the Integrity of the game files
Clear the game client cache
Maximize Starfield using the Task Manager
Run Network and Internet Troubleshooter
Update DirectX and Visual C++ Redistributable
Make sure that Windows Firewall isn’t blocking Starfield
Reinstall the game

Let’s look into the details of these solutions.

1] Quit unnecessary tasks running in the background

Starfield needs resources dedicated to the time users are playing it, otherwise, any competition against the game will ensure the current issue. Therefore, to avoid this from happening, Click Ctrl + Alt + Delete to open Task Manager, and then navigate to the Memory tab. Pick out all the programs using more resources, except for File Explorer, and then right-click on them. Lastly, select the End Task button.

2] Restart the game as well as all the devices

The game not launching or responding issue is one of the general errors whose common causes include glitches and bad Internet connection. Both of them can happen because of the glitches in the Computer, and router. So, properly shut down everything, wait for a few minutes, and restart them.

3] Update the Graphics driver

Outdated Graphics Drivers are unquestionably one of the prime reasons behind not launching or responding to issues in any game and sometimes in software. It’s best to always best to keep the Graphics driver up-to-date. So, if you haven’t updated it in recent times, update the Graphics Driver ASAP!

4] Verify the Integrity of game files

In this solution, we will rule out the perspective of corrupted game files. Follow the steps mentioned below to verify the integrity of game files.

Launch Steam, and navigate to Library.
Find and right-click on Starfield, and select the Properties option.
Now, tap on the Local Files tab, and then select the Verify integrity of game files button.

After the process is completed, check if Starfield is now responding/launching or not.

5] Clear the Steam Download cache

It is possible that game caches responsible for easy setup can be the ones behind all this chaos. And this is something that is bound to happen in almost every game. However, this is also easily fixable by deleting Steam’s cache, as this automatically replaces corrupted ones with new ones.

For Steam, launch Steam, go to Steam > Settings, and click the Downloads tab. There, select the Clear Download cache. Once this is done, Steam will automatically reboot itself.

6] Maximize Starfield using the Task Manager

Do keep in mind that this is a workaround and not a solution. Here, we need to open the Task Manager by Ctrl + Shift + Esc, look for Starfield or starfield.exe, right-click on it, and select Maximize.

7] Run Network and Internet Troubleshooter

Gamers can also face the issue at hand if the Internet is not fast enough. If you have already checked the Internet connection, then run the Network and Internet troubleshooter. To do the same, follow the steps mentioned below.

Launch the Get Help app by searching it out from the Start Menu.
Type “Run the Windows network and internet troubleshooter” in the search bar and hit Enter.
Look for the Yes/No button.
Click the Yes button if the current solution solves your problem.
Click the No button if it doesn’t.
Keep clicking on the No button until it resolves your issue.

See if this helps.

8] Update DirectX and Visual C++ Redistributable

Not going too much into depth, DirectX and Visual C++ Redistributable are the software components or libraries that improve graphics and performance. Hence your games need an updated version of both DirectX and Visual C++ Redistributable to work smoothly. So, update to the latest version of the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable package and update DirectX from Microsoft.

Additionally, users can do the same via the game installation folder.

Click Win + E to open File Explorer and then navigate to the following directory path:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Steamworks Shared\_CommonRedist\vcredist

Once there, run all the following executable files:
- 2012\vc_redist.x64.exe
- 2013\vc_redist.x64.exe
- 2019\vc_redist.x64.exe

If you’ve different folders, then run the vc_redist.x64.exe file in those folders.

Next, navigate to the following directory path:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Steamworks Shared\_CommonRedist\DirectX

At the location, run the DXSETUP.exe file to reinstall/update DirectX.

Once done, reboot the PC, and check if the issue continues to persist or not.

Read: Games crashing after upgrading to the latest version

9] Make sure that Windows Firewall isn’t blocking Starfield

Windows Firewall is a security program assigned to look after your computer and make sure that it is safe from virus and malware attacks. However, at times, it can be a little too strict. Hence, we must allow Starfield through the Firewall and check if that resolves the issue.

10] Reinstall the game

Reinstalling the game is the last resort we recommend only if none of the above-mentioned could resolve the issue. Doing so eliminates all the possibilities of corrupted files or installation errors and rules out the chances of any missing packages that could not be installed the first time. Hence, uninstall the game and then download it again.

Hopefully, you can resolve the issue using the solutions mentioned in this post.

Read: Why are games crashing on my PC?

How much RAM do you need for Starfield?

One of the most important things to keep in mind for a smooth gaming experience is making sure that the PC meets the system requirements needed.

Operating System: Windows 10/11 with updates
Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, Intel i5-10600K
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080
DirectX: Version 12
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
GPU: AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 125 GB available space
Additional Notes: SSD Required

If you meet the mentioned requirement, Starfield will run perfectly on your computer.