6 Ways to Fix Regular In-Game Fallout 4 Crashing on Windows PCs

Players regularly report on Reddit and support forums that Fallout 4 keeps crashing when they try to play it. For example, one player said this on the GOG Galaxy forum, “Of course, I was thrilled to see Fallout 4 release DRM-free, but I’ve reinstalled the game several times now, and no matter what, the game crashes after a couple of minutes.” Those players can start Fallout 4, but the game keeps regularly crashing after just a few minutes. Here are some ways you can fix regular in-game Fallout 4 crashing on Windows PCs.

Read also: 7 Ways You Can Fix Fallout 4 Not Launching on a Windows PC

Disable Weapon Debris

A widely confirmed way to fix regular in-game Fallout 4 crashing is to disable the Weapon Debris setting. This is also an official Bethesda fix for in-game Fallout 4 crashing. You can disable the Weapon Debris setting like this.

1. Launch Fallout 4 from your game client software.
2. Click Options on the menu.
3. Next, click on Advanced to view other graphics settings outside the game.
4. Select Off on the Weapon Debris drop-down menu.
   
   

   The Weapon Debris option

5. Click OK to exit the option windows.

Some players also confirm disabling the Godrays Quality setting on the Advanced Options window can resolve Fallout 4 crashing. So, try disabling the Godrays Quality option if turning off Weapon Debris doesn��t do the trick.

Lower Advanced Graphics Settings

You’ll also notice numerous other graphical settings on the Advanced Options window with the Weapon Debris option. Having those graphical options set overly high for your PC can potentially cause crashing issues. So, try lowering the quality settings for texture, shadow, decal, and lightning to Medium or lower.

Disable Fallout 4 Mods

Have you installed any mods for Fallout 4? If so, try disabling them all to ensure there isn’t an enabled mod causing any issues for the game. This is how you can disable Fallout 4 mods.

1. Launch Fallout 4 from Steam or whatever other gaming client you utilize.
2. Click Start on the Fallout 4 menu to run the game.
3. Select Mods in Fallout 4.
   
   

   The Mods menu option

4. Now select the Disable options for all installed modes in your library.
   
   

   The mods selection menu

Install a New Graphics Card Driver

If you’ve never updated your PC’s graphics driver, the one installed could be somewhat outdated. The latest graphical features in games can generate compatibility issues for outmoded graphics drivers. So, try updating your graphics card’s driver by following the instructions on these AMD and NVIDIA driver Bethesda support pages.

The NVIDIA driver downloads page

Verify the Game Files for Fallout 4

Corrupted or missing game files can cause all kinds of gaming crashing issues. So, I recommend you run a verification scan for Fallout 4 to check for and repair corrupted files detected. These GOG Galaxy, Steam, and Epic Games pages provide instructions for verifying files with those gaming clients:

• Verify games with Steam
• Verify games with GOG Galaxy
• Verify games with Epic Games

The Verify Files option

Set Fallout 4 to Run in Compatibility Mode With Admin Rights

1. Open the Fallout 4 installation folder.
2. Right-click the Fallout4.exe game file to select Properties.
3. Select Compatibility to access the required configuration options.
4. Next, select Run this program in compatibility mode and Windows 7.
   
   

   The compatibility settings

5. Click Run this program as an administrator to enable that setting.
6. Select Apply to set all the compatibility options you’ve selected.

Other Potential Fixes for Fallout 4 Crashing

There are many other possible ways to fix Fallout 4 crashing beyond those mentioned above. Try applying these extra resolutions if the game continues to crash:

• Install missing DirectX components with the DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer, which you can download from this Microsoft page. Installing available Windows 11/10 patch updates can also update DirectX.
• Clear all custom launch parameters set for Fallout 4 via Steam or Epic Games.
• Uninstall and reinstall Fallout 4.
• Set your Steam or Epic Game client to run with administrator rights.

I hope one of those resolutions fixes the regular Fallout 4 crashing on your Windows 11/10 PC. They’re worth trying because they’re potential fixes that have worked for many F4 players. If the game still crashes a lot, you can contact the game’s support service about the issue as outlined on this Bethesda help page.