The Last of Us Part 1 Crashing & Not Launching – How To Fix

The Last of Us remake has finally been released, much to the delight of fans of the original game. However, we (and many other players) have experienced crashing or not launching issues with the game, which can be frustrating and ruin the gaming experience. To this end, we created this guide to teach you how to fix The Last of Us Part 1 Crashing or Not Launching. It worked for us, so you might find your solution here as well!

How to fix The Last of Us Part 1 Crashing & Not Launching

Verify Game Files

Here are the steps to verify game files on Steam and Epic Games Launcher:

• Steam
  • Log in to your Steam account and go to your game library.
  • Find The Last of Us Part I and right-click on the game title.
  • Select Properties and then click on the Local Files tab.
  • Click on the Verify Integrity of Game Files button to begin the process.
  • Steam will automatically download and replace any missing or corrupted files.
• Epic Games Launcher
  • Open the Epic Games Launcher and log in to your account.
  • Go to your game library and find The Last of Us Part I.
  • Click on the three dots next to the game title and select Manage from the dropdown menu.
  • Click on the Verify button to begin the verification process.
  • The Epic Games Launcher will automatically download and replace any missing or corrupted files.

Update your graphics card drivers

Here's how to update your GPU drivers for NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel:

• NVIDIA
  • Download and install NVIDIA GeForce Experience software from the official website.
  • Open the software and sign in with your account credentials.
  • Click on the Drivers tab to access the driver update section.
  • The software will automatically check for the latest updates for your graphics card. If available, click on Download to start the update process.
  • Once the download is complete, click on Install and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
  • Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
• AMD
  • Download and install AMD Radeon Software from the official website.
  • Open the software and navigate to the Home tab.
  • Click on Check for Updates to check for the latest driver updates.
  • If an update is available, click on Download and Install to start the update process.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process.
  • Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
• Intel
  • Go to the Intel Download Center from the official website.
  • Select Graphics under Select Your Product.
  • Select your Intel graphics product from the list or use the search bar to find your specific model.
  • Choose your operating system from the options provided.
  • Click on the appropriate driver version to download and save it on your computer.
  • Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
  • Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Related: The Last of Us Part 1 PS5 Remake – What are the Differences?

Force the game to use your dedicated GPU

Here are the steps you can take to force the game to use your dedicated graphics card:

• NVIDIA
  • Open the NVIDIA Control Panel.
  • Click on Manage 3D Settings.
  • Go to the Program Settings tab.
  • Select The Last of Us Part I from the list or add it manually.
  • Choose High-performance NVIDIA processor as the preferred graphics processor.
• Windows
  • Press the Windows key and type Graphics settings in the search bar.
  • Click on Graphics settings in the search results.
  • Add The Last of Us Part I to the list.
  • Set the graphics preference to High performance.
• Device Manager
  • Press the Windows key and type Device Manager in the search bar.
  • Click on Device Manager in the search results.
  • Expand the Display adapters section.
  • Right-click on the integrated graphics card.
  • Select Disable device.
  • Restart your PC.

Run the game as an Administrator

Here are the steps to run the game as an Administrator:

• Open the Steam client and log in to your account.
• Navigate to your game library and find The Last of Us Part I.
• Right-click on the game and select Manage and Browse local files.
• In the game's folder, locate the executable file.
• Right-click on the file and select Properties from the context menu.
• Go to the Compatibility tab.
• Check the box next to Run this program as an administrator.
• Click on Apply and then OK to save the changes.

Close Background Applications

These are the steps to close background applications:

• Open the Task Manager by pressing.
• Go to the Processes tab in Windows 10 or Details tab in Windows 11.
• Review the list of running processes and identify any non-essential applications that may interfere with the game, such as overclocking utilities, antivirus software, communication apps, and streaming software.
• Right-click on each identified process and select End task or End process to close it.
• Be careful not to close any critical system processes, as doing so may cause your computer to become unstable or crash.

Clear the Download Cache

Here are the steps for clearing the download cache in Steam:

• Open the Steam client.
• Click on Steam in the top left corner of the window.
• Select Settings from the dropdown menu.
• In the Settings window, click on the Downloads tab.
• Click on the Clear Download Cache button.
• Click OK in the confirmation window that appears.
• Restart Steam for the changes to take effect.

Related: The Last of Us Part 1 (PC) Graphics Bugs & Glitches

Install or Update DirectX

To install or update DirectX, follow these steps:

• Go to the Microsoft DirectX download page.
• Click on the Download button to download the installer.
• Once the download is complete, run the installer by double-clicking on it.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process.
• Restart your PC for the changes to take effect.

Install or Update Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables

To install or Update Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables, follow these steps:

• Go to the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables download page.
• Select the version of Visual C++ Redistributables that you need to install, based on your operating system and the application requirements.
• Click on the Download button for the selected version.
• Depending on your browser settings, you may need to click "Run" or Save to start the download.
• If you chose to save the file, navigate to the downloaded location and double-click on the file to start the installation process.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process.
• If you're prompted to select the installation location or any custom options, make your selections and continue with the installation process.
• Once the installation is complete, restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

For more on how to fix crashes, come check out How long is The Last of Us Part 1 on Pro Game Guides.