Most of the time, the main cause is a broken User Data folder or issues with the browser’s graphics settings, especially after an update. Other possible causes include old drivers, bad extensions, or incorrect settings. Now that we’ve covered the possible causes, let’s look at several easy methods you can use to fix the issue and get your Brave browser working again.
1. Disable Hardware Acceleration
As mentioned above, one common reason Brave won’t start is due to its hardware acceleration feature. Hardware acceleration is designed to boost performance by shifting workload from the CPU to the GPU, but sometimes this leads to problems. Normally, you could disable this option from Brave’s Settings, but if the browser won’t open, we have to use a workaround by changing how Brave starts on your computer. Here’s how to do it:
2. Disable Third-Party Antivirus
Another possible cause is interference from your antivirus software. Some third-party antivirus programs may mistakenly block Brave. Antivirus tools are great for keeping your computer safe but can sometimes block apps you want to use. If you suspect your antivirus is the problem, try temporarily disabling it and then launching Brave. For example, a user reported that PC Matic caused this type of issue. If Brave opens normally with your antivirus turned off, then you know the antivirus was causing the problem. To fix this long-term, add Brave to your antivirus’s whitelist or “allowed apps” list so it won’t be blocked in the future.
3. Reinstall Brave
If none of the above methods work, there may be a problem with Brave’s installation files. In that case, reinstalling Brave usually solves the issue. To avoid losing your settings, try an in-place installation first—this means downloading and installing the latest Brave setup directly over your existing installation. This generally updates all necessary files without deleting your preferences. If this doesn’t work, you’ll need to uninstall Brave completely using the Control Panel before reinstalling it. Here’s how to do a full reinstall:
