My Game is Not Launching or is Crashing on PC

If you are having trouble launching your game on PC or are experiencing random crashes, Please thoroughly attempt all steps. 

 

Minimum System Requirements

Confirm your PC build is capable of running the game.

• Forza Motorsport PC Specs
  • Error code AP205 corresponds to a detected lack of support. Please see the Min specs for more information.
• Forza Horizon 5 PC Specs
• Forza Horizon 4 PC Specs

 

Run MemTest to rule out any RAM related issues

Administrator Account

Log in to Windows 10/11 with a local Administrator Account and launch the game as an Administrator.

Also attempt to launch the game as an Administrator through the Xbox app and the Microsoft Store.

Create a local user or administrator account in Windows - Microsoft Support

Update Windows

Always ensure that you have the latest updates to Windows by clicking Start and typing 'Updates' in the search box.

Please see this link for more information around Updating Windows. (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/update-windows-3c5ae7fc-9fb6-9af1-1984-b5e0412c556a )

Once you've updated, perform a complete shutdown and restart your machine.

 

Update Graphics card Drivers

Please update your graphics card drivers to the latest versions

• NVIDIA Users
  • Download NVIDIA Drivers
  • Game-Ready Drivers Community | NVIDIA GeForce Forums
• AMD Users
  • Download AMD Drivers 
  • Drivers & Software - AMD Community

Microsoft Store and UWP game reset

1. Windows > Settings > Apps & Features> (Select app) > Advanced Options > Reset
2. Perform this reset for Microsoft Store and Forza games

Time/Date on your PC is Correct

1. Right-click on the clock on your start menu.
2. Select Adjust Date/Time.
3. Untick then retic 'Set time zone automatically.
4. Reboot your PC.

Clear Xbox Live Credentials

• Clear all Xbox Live Credentials
  • Click the Start button in the lower left corner of Windows, type Credential Manager, and press Enter.
  • In Credential Manager, click on the "Windows Credentials" button.
  • Scroll down to Generic Credentials
  • Find all entries that start with "Xbl"
    • example "Xbl|Devicekey"
  • Select the expand button on the right of the entry
  • Select to "remove" the entries
  • Remove all entries that start with "Xbl"
  • Please note you may need to sign back into other applications due to this.

 

Clean Boot your device

Sometimes other programs can affect game performance. Perform a Clean Boot using these instructions from Microsoft so that you can determine whether a background program is interfering with your game or program

 

How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows

 

Third-party Overlay or Tool Incompatibility

Apps and software with overlay features are not always compatible with Forza. This includes interfaces designed to continuously run in the background or "on top" of gameplay.

Examples of apps with overlays include communication overlay features from Discord, GeForce Overlay for screen capture and sharing from Nvidia, or hardware monitoring and capture with Fraps

Attempting to use similar overlay software may interfere with expected in-game performance, cause crashes, or other disruptive technical issues.

Please disable or uninstall overlay features and similar functions within these programs before launching Forza for the best possible gameplay experience.

Please note that even if you are not using these tools for Forza they may still run in the background and affect game performance.

Apps and software that monitor player input or change player input are not always compatible with Forza. Examples of apps that change player input include Interceptor. Please try to disable or uninstall player input software before launching Forza

Software Conflicts

Our teams are investigating potential software conflicts that can affect performance, general game stability, and being able to launch Forza. The game does not explicitly support certain programs and may even see specific applications/software as a conflict or threat and, as such, refuse to run, or run with crashes.

Disable ALL background software or applications, including, Antivirus, Firewalls, and any FPS boosting or monitoring software.

Example list of virus checkers that may make the game not boot.

• Trend Micro Maximum Security
• Comodo Antivirus
• Sophos
• Emisoft Anti-Malware
• Avira
• Avast
• Bitdefender Firewall
• AVG

The following list of software applications examples can cause the game to either fail to launch or crash while playing. Please make sure you either disable or uninstall to ensure successful gameplay.

• Logitech G Hub
• MSI Afterburner / Riva Tuner Statistics Server
• EVGA Precision
• OBS
• Xsplit
• MacType
• Warsaw Banking App
• Wallpaper Engine
• A-Volute Sound studio
• Sonic Audio
• WeMod
• Interception (Driver)
• SeeThroughWindows
• Nahimic (Audio Driver)

If you use OBS, Xsplit, or any other streaming programs, please set your source to display capture. 

We would suggest disabling Game Mode in Windows and closing any overclocking, hardware monitoring, streaming, recording, and any nonessential apps while you play the game.

 

Sophos Home 

 

Adjust priority in task manager

Make sure to set your game to the highest priority in Task Manager.

1. Open Task Manager
2. Go to the Details Tab
3. Right-click on the process you want then select Set Priority then switch it to what you want.

 

Unsigned Drivers

The game does not explicitly support unsigned drivers and may see this setting (to allow unsigned drivers) as a conflict or threat and, as such, refuse to run, or run with crashes. 

 

Turn off any extra Power monitoring software

• MSI DragonCenter
• RyzenMaster
• Gamefast from Dells Killer Control Center
• Any software installed that may be adjusting or monitoring power settings

Then, make sure that your Power settings are correct

1. Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options
2. Change to High Performance
3. Perform a Full Shutdown (not restart).

​

 

Game Mode Setting

Game Mode is a Windows setting that prioritizes your gaming experience by turning things off in the background. Some players see better performance with is On, some players see better performance with it Off. Please try both settings.

Check this article for more information on how to access and change the Game Mode setting

https://support.xbox.com/en-US/help/games-apps/game-setup-and-play/use-game-mode-gaming-on-pc

 

Hang or Crash when Suspending and Resuming [Windows 10/11]

Make sure you have not disabled Forza Horizon 5 or Forza Horizon 5 as a background app.

1. Click the Windows button on your PC
2. Open Privacy
3. Scroll down to Background Apps on the left-hand side. 
4. Scroll down to the game title and select the slider to turn it ON.

Downloading with current Account from Microsoft store

1. Open the Microsoft Store, then click on the profile picture in the top right corner.
2. If you have multiple accounts signed in, sign out of all of them but leave the email account linked to the game's purchase signed in.
3. Next, in the Microsoft Store, download any free app at all.
4. Then, try playing the game again through the Microsoft Store 'Library' page.

Sign into a different Microsoft account (Steam and non-Steam users)

1. Sign out of your Microsoft account(gamertag) via Xbox game bar, and Microsoft store
2. Sign into a new Microsoft account(gamertag) or existing Microsoft account via Xbox game bar and Microsoft store
3. Try to load into the game, if the game loads on the second account, we will need to reset your original save on your main account. You will need to submit a lost save ticket.
   1. Try the troubleshooting from our guide I've lost all my progress, what do I do?

Disabling Development Mode

1. Press Windows + R.
2. Type Powershell and hit enter.
3. Copy and paste the following into the Powershell window and press enter.
   1. Get-AppXPackage | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
4. Reboot your PC. 

Missing/Corrupted files 

The game may have encountered an issue with a recent update (Windows, Drivers, Content) and refuses to run with crashes or missing updates.

1. Ensure you have the MOST recent Windows update
2. Make sure your Graphics Card is updated with the latest patch after the windows update.
3. Reset Store and Application - Windows>Settings>Applications>title>Advanced Options>Reset
4. Full re-installation of the title

VR/Windows Mixed Reality Headsets.

We are currently investigating an issue regarding Forza Horizon 4 crashing when using VR/Windows Mixed Reality Headsets. Please make sure you have these unplugged when attempting to launch and play Forza Horizon 4. 

If you are still having an issue after trying these, please submit a ticket using the option below and attach your event logs and DXDIAG.

Instructions on how to get your event logs:

• Try to launch the game.
• Right after the splash screen closes, you will want to type Event Viewer into the start menu and press enter
• Select Windows Logs then Application. 
• Select any warning or error messages to see if it's related to Forza Horizon 4 (or the title of the game you will submit a ticket for).
• If so, you will want to select 'Save Selected Events' from the Actions on the right-hand side.

Reset the Microsoft Store

You can use the steps below to refresh the Microsoft Store, which will clear the cache and refresh your library permissions. This fixes the majority of the cases.

1. Close the Windows Store app if you have it open.
2. Click Start and type 'WSRESET', without the quotes.
3. Right-click on the command and click 'Run as Administrator.' Click 'Yes' or 'Run' if the Windows permission box appears.
4. A black MS-Dos screen will appear for a few seconds. Please wait for it to disappear, and the Store will automatically open.
5. Attempt to Install the Forza title.

Repair Gaming services

1. Open Windows settings > Apps > Gaming Services > Advanced Options > Repair
2. Reinstall the Gaming Services app on your Windows 10/11 device:
3. Select the Search icon on the taskbar, type powershell, right-click on Windows PowerShell, and then select Run as administrator.
4. In Windows PowerShell, type the following command and press Enter:
5. get-appxpackage Microsoft.GamingServices | remove-AppxPackage -allusers
6. In the same window, type the following command and press Enter:
7. start ms-windows-store://pdp/?productid=9MWPM2CQNLHN
8. Install the app on that page and select Yes when you receive the User Account Control (UAC) prompt.
9. Restart your device and try to install the game again.

Check for Exception codes after Crash.

If you are crashing and receive no error or windows pop up directly from the game, please use this guide to diagnose your PCs issue for the Crash event that may be occurring,

1. Open Event Viewer by pressing the Windows key and type "Event Viewer"
2. Click on the "Windows Logs" folder
3. Click on "Application"
4. Click on the "Date and Time" column to sort and look for "Application Error" around the date/time your crash happened.
   • After you find the Application Error for the game, you will notice "Information" on the right.
     In this tab, there will be a ton of information listed. Please check the error code to see if you have anything related to these examples below

Examples of Coded issues:

0xc0000005
0xc000001d
0xc0000409
0xe06d7363
0xc0000374
0xc00000fd
0x80000003
0xc0000096
0xc0000094
0xc0000006

Please report these codes to Official Windows Support and open a Feedback Hub report. Official Windows Support will be able to diagnose and resolve these issues for you.

• Windows Official Support
  • https://support.microsoft.com
• Microsoft Feedback Hub app
  • https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/send-feedback-to-microsoft-with-the-feedback-hub-app-f59187f8-8739-22d6-ba93-f66612949332 

Too Many Devices

Could you please check the device limit for your account and try removing any devices you don't use or don't use often. It's possible that there are too many devices attached to your account and this may be a reason for your issue

 

1. Go to this site
   1. https://account.microsoft.com/
2. Make sure you're logged into the account that you use to play / use the Microsoft store with.
3. Scroll down to the device section.
4. Select View all devices.
5. Remove/unlink any device that you are no longer using
6. Scroll down to "Microsoft Store device management"
7. Select Manage (Will take you to this page (https://account.microsoft.com/devices/content)
8. Remove/Unlink a device that you are no longer using.
9. After removing any unused devices and putting your account under 10 devices Restart your PC

 

Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ programs

1. Press the Windows Key + R, appwiz.cpl and then press Enter.
2. Locate the Microsoft Visual C++ programs in the list.
3. Select each entry and then click Uninstall.
4. Download a fresh copy of Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime from here and then install it.

Disable RAPID mode with Samsung Magician

Some players may experience performance issues or crashes when RAPID mode is enabled through the Samsung Magician Software Toolset. Try disabling this feature to see if it resolves your issue.

 

Update Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable

1. Run Windows Update, download and install all the updates
2. Reboot your PC
3. Download and install the latest Visual C++ Redistributable from this support article
   1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170 

*Error Code: 0x0 When launching* (Forza Horizon 5)

While the team investigates for a solution. these steps should fix the issue you those players with enough C drive space. Please try the following troubleshooting to make sure that your game is installed to the XboxGames folder.

1. Open the Xbox App
2. Click Name/Gamertag in the upper left
3. Select Settings
4. Select Install Options
5. Make sure the default folder is set to C:\XboxGames
6. Uninstall and reinstall the game and install to the C:\XboxGames folder

Link to our Forza Troubleshooting HUB regarding this issue

Troubleshooting Hub

 

Remove the TargetHardwareProfiler.dll in the program files (Forza Horizon 4)

1. Navigate to the location below, and delete the TargetHardwareProfiler.dll
   1. C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.SunriseBaseGame_1.478.564.2_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\TargetHardwareProfiler.dll
2. Launch Forza Horizon 4 again.