Many players have reported Counter-Strike 2 not starting because of the “Failed to create D3D device” error. For example, one player said this on Reddit, “My Counter-Strike has been all sorts of whack lately whenever I try to launch the game, it crashes and gives me the ‘failed to create D3D device.’” This was a widely reported issue for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and the same error can occur for the CS2 sequel and other games. Here are some ways you can fix the “Failed to create D3D device” error.
Read also: 8 Ways to Fix Counter-Strike 2 Not Launching on a Windows PC
Set New Launch Options for Counter-Strike 2
Many players confirm setting new Steam launch options for Counter-Strike 2 can fix the “Failed to create D3D device” error. The allow_third_party_software launch option is most widely confirmed to work. This is how you can set new launch options for Counter-Strike 2.
- Bring up the Steam window and click Library within its tab bar.
- Right-click the Counter-Strike 2 game to select a Properties option for it.
- Input -allow_third_party_software into the Launch Options box on the General tab.
The Launch Options in Steam
- Restart Steam and try launching your game again.
If the allow_third_party_software launch parameter doesn’t work for you, other alternatives could potentially resolve the issue. For example, players have confirmed they’ve fixed the “Failed to create D3D device” error with window and HD resolution launch parameters. So, try setting these alternative launch options:
- -window
- -w 1920 -h 1080
- -dxlevel 90
- -high -threads n -no-browser
- -dx11
- -dx12
- -force-vulkan
- -force-opengl
Clear Steam’s Cache
A corrupted Steam cache is a potential cause for the “Failed to create D3D device” error. You can clear Steam’s cache like this.
- Simultaneously press the Windows logo button and E to access File Explorer.
- Go to the Program Files (x86) > Steam > appcache folder.
- Select everything in the appcache folder by pressing Ctrl + A.
The appcache folder
- Right-click anywhere in the appcache folder to select Delete.
Update Video (GPU) Driver
Steam support recommends players update video drivers for graphics cards to fix the “Failed to create D3D device” error. This can resolve the issue if caused by an outmoded or even faulty graphics driver on your PC. This is how you can install a new AMD or NVIDIA GPU driver on a Windows PC.
- To check your PC’s graphics card model, press the Windows logo + R hotkey, enter dxdiag, and select OK. Select Display 1 in the DirectX Diagnostic Tool to view graphics card model info for your PC.
- Open your web-browsing software and go to the NVIDIA or AMD graphics driver download page.
- Select the graphics card model shown in the DirectX Diagnostic Tool and press Submit or Search.
The NVIDIA driver download page
- Click the option for downloading the latest graphics driver for your PC’s GPU.
The download option for a driver
- Go into File Explorer and open the folder containing your downloaded graphics driver package.
- Double-click the file for the graphics driver and select to install it from the setup window that opens.
- Restart your Windows 11/10 laptop or desktop to complete the driver update.
Set a Recommended Display Resolution
Counter-Strike players have also confirmed changing display resolutions to the recommended settings can fix the “Failed to create D3D device” error. So, check the Windows resolution setting and change it if necessary. You can set a recommended display resolution like this:
- Bring up the tool for file searching by utilizing the Windows logo + S hotkey.
- Enter resolution settings in the search box.
- Click Change the resolution of the display to access monitor settings.
The Display resolution
- Click the Display resolution drop-down menu and select the recommended setting there.
Verify Counter-Strike 2’s Files
Verifying game files isn’t the most widely confirmed solution for the “Failed to create D3D device” error. However, that could be worth trying if other possible solutions don’t work for you. This Steam help page has instructions for verifying game files with Valve’s gaming client.
The Verify integrity of game files option
Other Possible Ways to Fix the “Failed to Create D3D Device” Error
The possible resolutions for the “Failed to create D3D device” error above aren’t necessarily the only potential fixes. These are some additional potential fixes for that gaming issue you can also try:
- Delete all files in the AppData > Local > Temp folder.
- Update DirectX components with the DirectX End-User Runtimes Installer.
- Enable all AMD and NVIDIA services with MSConfig.
The “Failed to create D3D device” error is an old gaming issue that has blighted Counter-Strike 2 and the original CS:GO for years. Many players have fixed that D3D gaming error with the potential resolutions above. So, maybe one could work for you as well.
