Experiencing crashes and black screens while playing Wuthering Waves on your PC can be incredibly frustrating. These issues can disrupt your gameplay and make it difficult to enjoy the game. This guide will walk you through several troubleshooting steps to fix these problems and ensure a smooth gaming experience.

Repair Game Files

First, you should start by repairing your game files. Open the Wuthering Waves game launcher, click on the wrench icon at the top, and select to proceed with verifying your game files. This process will check for and repair any corrupted game files, ensuring that your installation is complete and intact. Verifying the game files can often resolve crashing issues caused by corrupted data.

Run as Administrator and Disable Fullscreen Optimizations

Next, try running the game as an administrator and disabling fullscreen optimizations. Locate the Wuthering Waves shortcut or .exe file in your installation folder. If you’re unsure where it is, open your file explorer and head to the drive where you saved the game or Epic Games on > Program Files > Epic Games > WutheringWaves. Right-click the launcher.exe application and select “Properties.”

In the Properties window, go to the Compatibility tab. Check the boxes that say “Run this program as an administrator” and “Disable fullscreen optimizations.” Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes. Running the game as an administrator ensures it has the necessary permissions to run properly, and disabling fullscreen optimizations can help avoid conflicts with your display settings.

wuthering properties — Wuthering Waves launcher properties > Compatibility

Allow Through Firewall

Another step is to allow Wuthering Waves through your firewall. Search for “Firewall” in your start menu to access the “Firewall & network protection” settings window. Click on “Allow an app through the firewall.” In this window, click on “Change Settings,” and then select “Wuthering Waves” from the list of applications.

If the app is not showing up, click on “Allow another app,” then “Browse,” and navigate to the Wuthering Waves installation folder, under: Program Files > Epic Games > WutheringWaves. Select the Wuthering Waves executable to add it to your list of applications. Ensure the app is checked for both private and public networks before clicking “OK.” Allowing the game through the firewall can prevent it from being blocked by your security settings.

allow app through firewall — Allow Wuthering Waves through Windows defender firewall

Update Graphics Drivers

Updating your graphics card drivers is crucial for ensuring smooth gameplay and preventing errors. You can use the GeForce Experience or NVIDIA App to install the latest graphics driver for NVIDIA graphics cards, or use the AMD Radeon Software. Updated drivers can fix bugs and improve compatibility with the latest games, including Wuthering Waves.

Update Windows OS

Make sure your Windows operating system is up to date as well. Open your Windows settings, navigate to Windows Update, and click on “Check for Updates.” Download and install any available updates, then restart your PC. Keeping your OS up to date helps prevent compatibility issues with your hardware and software.

Adjust Display Settings

Setting the correct display settings can also help resolve crashing and black screen issues. In your Windows settings, head to System and click on “Display”. Ensure that the recommended scale and layout settings are applied, and set your resolution to the recommended setting for your monitor. Incorrect display settings can sometimes cause compatibility issues with games.

Disable VPN

Lastly, disable any active VPN connections. VPNs can sometimes cause network-related issues and interfere with game performance. In your Windows settings, go to Network & Internet, and click on VPN. Disable any active VPN connections and try running the game again.

By following these steps, you should be able to fix the crashing and black screen issues in Wuthering Waves and enjoy a smooth gaming experience.

disable VPN — Windows Settings > Network & Internet > VPN

Wuthering Waves may crash on startup due to corrupted game files, incompatible settings, or outdated drivers. Verifying game files and updating your drivers can often resolve this issue.
To run Wuthering Waves as an administrator, locate the launcher.exe file in your game installation folder, right-click on it, select "Properties," go to the Compatibility tab, check "Run this program as an administrator," and click "Apply.”
If Wuthering Waves shows a black screen on launch, try disabling fullscreen optimizations, updating your graphics drivers, and ensuring your display settings are set to recommended values.
Search for "Firewall" in your start menu to access "Firewall & network protection" settings. Click "Allow an app through the firewall," then "Change Settings." Select Wuthering Waves from the list or browse to add it, and ensure it is allowed for both private and public networks.
Updating your graphics drivers ensures compatibility with the latest game updates and fixes bugs that may cause crashes or performance issues. Use the GeForce Experience or AMD Radeon Software to keep your drivers up to date.