Payday 2 Not Launching on Windows – FIXED!

Are you having trouble in launching Payday 2? 

Payday 2 is a first-person shooter game available for all platforms, including Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. The game has made its place in almost every gamer’s collection. However, Windows users are facing issues with Payday2 specifically. The most common of all is Payday 2 not launching on Windows. Considering there have been hundreds of user threads on social media and forums discussing the same.

The issue is often subject to system errors and installation issues; however, there is a lot more to it.

In this post let us look at some of the reasons why Payday is not launching on your PC. We will also try identifying a few functioning fixes to help resolve the error easily. 

Keep reading, as all your issues related to Payday2 not working properly on Windows will be resolved by the end of this post!

Why is Payday 2 Not Launching on PC

Several issues may stop your game from launching. Sometimes, the error lies in the installed copy of the game, while sometimes, the PC is at fault. This makes it almost impossible to identify why Payday 2 is not launching on PC. However, a few common causes that might help you simplify the problem and understand what to do next are given below. Check them out – 

• Missing permissions
• Outdated drivers
• Error with game files
• Other Program Conflicts

All these issues are poles apart and will require dedicated solutions to fix. However, they surely give you an idea and a direction to work in. For instance, if you know that you have not updated the necessary drivers for a while, you know that it may be the causing factor. Hence you can work in the direction and use the fixes. And similarly for other issues.

4 Ways to Fix Payday 2 Not Launching on Windows

If you still cannot identify which of these issues is causing the Payday 2 not launching error on your PC, do not worry. All these fixes can be used one after the other without negatively affecting PC performance. Check out the list of ways to fix Payday 2 not launching on Windows in the next section and troubleshoot the error.

Fix 1 – Allow Admin Privileges to the Game

Any game you play requires overlay permissions, the ability to silence the notifications, and, of course make changes to your system drives (to save data). All the permissions are usually allowed on a PC however, if you are unable to launch a game like in the case of Payday 2, chances are that it requires admin privileges. 

To allow Payday 2 to launch as an administrator every time you launch it, here are the steps you can follow –

Step 1 – Spot the game on your PC and right-click on it to find the quick-access menu.
Step 2 – From the menu, open Properties.

Step 3 – In the properties window, navigate to the Compatibility tab.

Step 4 – In that tab, you may find an option that says Run this program as administrator. Enable it by clicking on the same.

Step 5 – After making the changes, click on Apply to save the changes. 

Applying the changes will give Payday 2 all the required permissions. If you were getting a flickering screen after launching the game and it did not move ahead, now it will, as it has all the required permissions.

Fix 2 – Perform a Clean Boot and Try Again

If the not launching issue has appeared after you have recently installed any application., or the game conflicts with another tool functioning on your PC, then there are chances that another application (running) is stopping your game from working properly. In that situation, the best we can do is perform a clean boot so that all the apps are closed and you have a fresh PC to start with. Here’s how you do it – 

Step 1 – Press Win+r to bring up the Run search on your PC.
Step 2 – In the Run search box, use the command msconfig to open the System Configuration.

Step 3 – You can navigate to the services tab in the opened Window.
Step 4 – Click on Hide Microsoft Services so that you do not stop any crucial services.

Step 5 – Next, click the Disable All button so all the background services stop.

Step 6 – Once you have disabled the services, stop it and exit the window.
Step 7 – Restart your PC and let it boot properly. 

After the PC restarts, you can try launching Payday 2 again to find that it now works fine. If it works fine, you must identify what process may conflict with the game. If it does not work, do not worry; we also have other fixes!

Fix 3 – Update Drivers on Your PC

For any operation to run properly on Windows, some drivers support them. In the case of a game like Payday 2, you need up-to-date GPU drivers and properly functioning audio and system drivers. If any of these drivers is outdated, you may face the typical Payday 2 not launching situation.

To update these drivers, you must know how to download and update existing drivers on Windows. However, if you are unfamiliar with the traditional ways, we have covered you!

You can use the Advanced Driver Updater, a dedicated driver updater tool that allows you to find and update the existing outdated drivers on your PC. And that too in just 3 easy steps –

Step 1 – Download and install the app on your PC.

 Step 2 – Run a scan for outdated drivers using the tool.

Step 3 – Click on Update All to finish the process.

After easily installing the updates, the tool will restart your PC. Let it restart, and once everything is sorted, you may launch the game. 

Fix 4 – Check the Game Files

If you have worked on system fixes and have had no luck, the game files are likely the cause. Fortunately, with Steam, you can check the files for errors and get rid of the problematic files automatically. Here’s how you can run the check – 

Step 1 – Open Steam > Games > View Games Library.

Step 2 – Go to Payday 2 and open its properties.
Step 3 – In properties, navigate to Local Files.

Step 4 – After that, click on Verify the Integrity of Game files.

Step 5 – Let the process work, and it will automatically finish the file checking and replacement. 

It is one of the most used fixes for resolving the Payday 2 not launching on your PC. 

Payday 2 Not Launching Error is now GONE!

Other than these fixes, you can check your Visual C++ Redistributable files to see if they require any updates or repairs. You can do so by heading to the control panel. With the help of all these fixes, you may get what you were looking for. Payday 2 not launching on Windows is definitely a frustrating error. However, if you do not try the fixes, you may be missing out on a great gaming experience. 

Try these fixes out, and let us know how they helped you. If you have something else you tried when you faced the issue, and it helped, and we missed mentioning it, feel free to share your trick with our readers in the comments section! 

That will be all for this post. Thanks for reading, good luck!

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