Most often, Windows or your antivirus is blocking the game, but other reasons include broken game files, old graphics drivers, or leftover mod files—especially after updating to Patch 7. First, double-check that your computer meets the minimum requirements for Baldur’s Gate 3. I’ll list these requirements in the next section. Next, make sure to close any unnecessary background programs before starting the game.
Baldur’s Gate 3 System Requirements
Minimum
Processor: AMD FX 8350 or Intel i5-4690OS: Windows 10 64-bitRAM: 8 GBGPU: AMD RX 480 (VRAM 4GB+) or Nvidia GTX 970DirectX: Version 11Storage: 150 GB free space on SSDAdditional: DirectX 11 is the default API. Vulkan 1.1 API is also supported.
Recommended
1. Uncheck Run as Administrator
Running the game as an administrator can sometimes make it not start properly, especially with Larian’s launcher. Turning off “Run as administrator” lets the game run normally, which helps it work better with things like Steam Overlay, cloud saves, and anti-cheat systems. These features might not start correctly if the game runs with extra permissions.
2. Close the Steam App Before Launch
Having Steam open can sometimes stop Baldur’s Gate 3 from starting correctly. If you close Steam and then start the game directly from its game file, it can avoid problems caused by things like Steam’s overlay, cloud saving, or other background features that might block the game from opening.
3. Clean the Launcher Cache
If Baldur’s Gate 3 won’t start, it might be because the launcher’s cache files are broken or too full. Deleting these files makes the launcher create new, clean settings, which can fix problems caused by old or damaged files, broken mods, or data from past updates.
4. Clean the App Cache
The app cache holds temporary files for the game and its launcher. Over time, these files can become broken or out-of-date. Clearing the app cache removes these bad files, which helps the game start properly and makes sure it uses fresh and problem-free settings.
5. Verify Integrity of Game Files
Checking the integrity of game files makes sure all the game’s parts are there and not broken. If any files are missing, old, or damaged—especially after an update or removing mods—this process will fix or replace them. This helps solve problems that stop the game from starting or loading correctly.
6. Make a New Windows User Account
Making a new Windows user account gives you a fresh setup without any old or conflicting settings. This helps you see if the problem is caused by your main user account or by something on the whole computer. It’s a good way to check if hidden settings or broken files are stopping the game from starting.
