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If you can’t play DayZ because the game keeps crashing for reasons you don’t know, this article will help you clear things up. We will show you how to apply fixes that have helped other gamers like you.

Check Your System Requirements

If your PC does not meet DayZ’s system requirements, you’ll experience numerous glitches with the game, especially sudden crashes. So, start by checking your system specifications against the DayZ’s minimum requirements.

DayZ’s Minimum Requirements:

Operating System: Windows 7 64-bit; 8.1 64-bit

CPU: Intel Core i5-4430

System Memory (RAM): 8 GB

GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760; AMD R9 270X

Storage: 16 GB available space

DirectX: Version 11

Sound Card: DirectX®-compatible

Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K; AMD R5 1600X

System Memory (RAM): 12 GB

GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060; AMD RX 580

Storage: 25 GB available space

DirectX: Version 11

Sound Card: DirectX®-compatible

How to Keep DayZ from Crashing in Windows 10

If you’re sure that your computer meets one of the requirements above, you can now use the methods we’ve explained below to get rid of the crashing problem.

Launch DayZ as an Administrator

If DayZ needs to access some of your system’s resources, such as some protected files and folders, it’ll encounter issues if it doesn’t have the required permission. To grant the game these permissions, you have to run it as an administrator. Before performing this fix, make sure you’re logged into a user account that has admin privileges.

Normally, you can run the game as an administrator by right-clicking its shortcut or Start menu entry and choosing Run as Administrator whenever you want to launch it.

If you open DayZ via Steam or you’re used to double-clicking the shortcut, follow these steps:

  1. Open File Explorer by clicking on the folder icon in the taskbar or by pressing the Windows + E shortcut.
  2. Once the File Explorer window opens, go to the left pane and click on This PC.
  3. Go to the right pane, double-click on your Local Disk, then open the Programs (x86) folder.
  4. Navigate to the Steam folder and double-click on the Steamapps folder.
  5. Open the Common folder, then locate the DayZ folder and double-click it.
  6. If you didn’t install the game in the default Steam folder or don’t know where you installed it, the steps below will take you straight to it:
  • Open Steam by right-clicking on its shortcut or by opening it via the Start menu.
  • After the Steam Client comes up, go to the top area of the window and click on Library.
  • Click on Games in the drop-down menu.
  • Once the list of games on your computer (attached to your Steam account) opens, right-click DayZ, then click on Properties after the context menu appears.
  • Go to the right pane of the window, click on Local Files, then click the “Browse local files” button once the options in the Local Files tab show up.

You can also right-click on the game’s shortcut (if you have one), then click on the Open File Location option in the context menu.

  1. Now, locate DayZ’s executable file, right-click it, then click on the Properties option.
  2. Once the game’s Properties dialog window opens, go to the Compatibility tab.
  3. Under the Compatibility tab, check the box associated with “Run this program as an administrator,” then click the OK button to save your changes.

The game will now run as an administrator whenever you launch it, using its shortcut, the Start menu, or the Steam client. You can now check to see whether the launch issue persists.

Reinstall Your Graphics Card Driver

Display drivers are among the common causes of crashing issues in many video games, including DayZ. Even if your graphics card is powerful enough to pick the game up like paper, its driver has to be capable. Chances are, your driver is corrupt, and this problem might be the result of improper shutdown or another system glitch. To resolve the issue here, reinstall the driver.

The steps below will walk you through the process if you don’t know what to do:

  1. Launch the Run dialog box by pressing the Windows logo key and R key on your keyboard simultaneously.
  2. After Run opens, click on the text box, type “devmgmt.msc” (without the quotes), and then click on the OK button.
  3. Once Device Manager opens, click on the arrow on the left side of Display Adapters to expand the drop-down.
  4. Navigate to your graphics card, right-click on it, then select Uninstall Device from the context menu.
  5. Click on the Uninstall button once the confirmation box pops up.
  6. Once Windows successfully removes the driver, restart your system.

Your operating system will now install its generic driver, which is not so impressive. In some cases, Windows will automatically reinstall the driver you just uninstalled. You can prompt it to do so by going to the Device Manager and clicking on the icon identified by a magnifying glass on a monitor (scan for hardware changes).

If this does not solve the problem, uninstall the driver again, then move on to the next method to update your driver.

Update Your Graphics Card Driver

Installing the latest driver version for your graphics card is something you have to do regularly. GPU manufacturers release these updates to fix common issues that cause games to crash. If you recently updated your card and started experiencing the problem, you might have done it wrong. There are different ways you can properly install the updated version of your driver, and we’ll be showing the procedures for each.

Update Via Windows Update

You might not know this, but driver updates are dished out through Windows Update. The reason you’re not conversant with this is that these updates take time to be published on Windows Update. Also, since Windows Update installs most updates automatically, it’s easy to neglect the utility, even if it isn’t downloading available updates.

So, your first try should be updating your PC. The good thing about this method is that you get to download and install updates that are verified and signed by Microsoft, meaning that they’re compatible with your system. If you’ve forgotten the process, follow the steps below:

  1. Open the Settings app, using the Windows + I keyboard combo. You can also tap the Windows logo key and click on the wheel icon in the Start menu.
  2. After the Settings application opens, click on the Update & Security icon, which should be located towards the bottom of the window.
  3. Once the Update & Security interface shows up, stay in the Windows Update tab and click on the Check for Updates button.
  4. Now, allow the utility to download all the updates available for your PC, especially if there’s a feature update on the list.
  5. Once the updates finish downloading, click on the Restart Now button to prompt Windows update to restart your computer and install them.
  6. Your computer will now reboot several times as the updates are being installed.
  7. Once the process completes, launch DayZ and check for the problem.

Update Your Driver, Using the Device Manager

  1. Launch the Run dialog box by pressing the Windows logo key and R key on your keyboard simultaneously.
  2. After Run opens, click on the text box, type “devmgmt.msc” (without the quotes), and then click on the OK button.
  3. Once Device Manager opens, click on the arrow on the left side of Display Adapters to expand the drop-down.
  4. Navigate to your graphics card, right-click on it, then select Update Driver from the context menu.
  5. After the Update Driver window opens, click on the “Search for updated driver software” option.
  6. Allow Windows to search for the driver and install it.
  7. Once you get a confirmation that the process was a success, reboot your system and launch DayZ to check for the problem.

Use a Third-Party Application

While the built-in Windows tools provided by Microsoft will help you find and download the driver version that is most compatible with your device, you can’t always count on them. Due to the time it takes for Microsoft to accept the driver software, verify it, then publish it, a newer driver version might become available by the time Microsoft publishes it.

To get the recent driver in a timely and very easy manner, use Auslogics Driver Updater. The tool is designed by a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, and it has been tested to meet and surpass industry standards. Using the tool, you’ll be able to install the latest driver version for your GPU in just a few clicks.

You should note that all the drivers you install, using this tool are official drivers that have gone through rigorous tests. Auslogics Driver Updater works by scanning your computer in search of problematic device drivers, and once it finds any, it’ll download and install their latest versions. If your graphics card driver is corrupt or not up to date, the program will pick it up, and then update it.

Download and Install Your Driver Manually

After using the above methods, especially Auslogics Driver Updater, you’ll not need to go through this stressful process. Manually updating your driver means that you’ll have to go the website of your GPU’s manufacturer, search for your driver’s latest version, check again to confirm that the driver was designed for your card, then download and install it.

This is opposed to using Auslogics Driver Updater which checks if your driver is up to date and automatically installs it for you. Another thing that is worthy of note is that Auslogics Driver Updater will perform routine scans as long as it’s on your system, notifying you when your device drivers (not just your graphics card) need to be updated.

Verify the Integrity of DayZ’s Game Files

Whenever you’re playing DayZ, your system is rendering most of the game’s files, calling them up when they’re needed. If the needs one or more of the damaged or missing files, it will likely crash or fail to perform a function. This is one of the main reasons crash issues occur in DayZ and other PC video games.

Files can crash as a result of antivirus interference, sudden system shutdowns, and malware infection. To fix the problem, you have to replace the files by prompting Steam to perform a verification. Follow the steps below if you don’t know how to go about this:

  1. Open Steam by right-clicking on its shortcut or by opening it via the Start menu.
  2. After the Steam Client comes up, go to the top area of the Window and click on Library.
  3. Click on Games in the drop-down menu.
  4. Once the list of games on your computer (attached to your Steam account) opens, right-click DayZ, then click on Properties after the context menu appears.
  5. Go to the right pane of the window, click on Local Files, then click the “Verify integrity of game files” button once the options in the Local Files tab show up.
  6. The program will now begin the verification process. What happens here is that your files will be scanned and compared with those on Steam’s servers. Any missing or corrupt file will be downloaded automatically.
  7. After the process completes, launch the game and check for the issue.

Prevent Your Antivirus Program From Blocking the Game

Your system protection program might be the cause of the crashing issue. It might quarantine some of the game’s files because it considers them a threat to your system. Many users reported that they were able to get their games to run without issues after disabling their antivirus programs. While disabling your security program might do the trick, we recommend that you take a more cautious approach, as disabling the program could leave you vulnerable.

What you have to do is add the game’s installation folder to the exceptions list of your antivirus program to prevent the app from blocking the game in the future. The exceptions list is a feature in your settings environment, so it shouldn’t be difficult to find. The name differs from antivirus to antivirus, though. In some programs, it’s called the Whitelist or Safelist, while the feature is referred to as exclusions in other antivirus programs.

You can search for an online guide if you don’t know how to navigate your third-party antivirus. If you’re in the same boat with gamers who depend on the native protection tool in Windows, the following steps will show you how to prevent the program from blocking DayZ:

  1. Open the Settings app, using the Windows + I keyboard combo. You can also tap the Windows logo key and click on the wheel icon once the Start menu shows up.
  2. After the Settings application opens, click on the Update & Security icon, which should be located towards the bottom of the window.
  3. Once the Update & Security interface opens, go to the left side of the window and click on Windows Security.
  4. Once the Windows Security options appear on the main page to the right, click on Virus & Threat Protection under Protection Areas.
  5. After the Virus & Threat Protection interface appears, scroll down to Virus & Threat Protection Settings and click on Manage Settings.
  6. Once the Virus & Threat Protection Settings screen opens, scroll through the page and click on “Add or remove extensions” under Exclusions.
  7. Now, click on the “Add an exclusion” icon in the Exclusions interface, then select Folder from the context menu.
  8. A Select Folder dialog will now appear.
  9. Navigate to the installation folder of DayZ, click on it, then click on the Select Folder button in the bottom-right corner of the window.
  10. You can now launch the game and check for the crashing issue.

Disable Overlay Programs

Overlay applications draw over other programs on your computer to either display information or let you carry out certain tasks. The majority of these applications are mainly designed for games. They extend in-game activities and capabilities for gamers. You can use them to record game footage, broadcast in real-time, take screenshots, and browse the internet. There other features that overlay programs offer, but that would depend on the program in question.

As great as the overlay feature sounds, it can mess with game engines sometimes. Most of these programs work in the background, causing issues without being activated. Many DayZ players reported that turning off the overlay feature in certain apps such as Steam and Overwolf helped them get rid of the problem. Microsoft’s Game Bar is another overlay program that can cause the issue.

You’ll find out how to disable the overlay feature in different applications.

Disabling Microsoft’s Game Bar

Microsoft introduced Game Bar to improve the gaming experience in Windows 10. You can use it to record and broadcast game footage, take screenshots, and record audio. That said, the feature only works well with select games and can cause issues with others. The steps below will show you how to disable it via the Settings application:

  1. Click on the Start button or tap the Windows logo key on your keyboard, then click on the wheel icon once the Start menu appears. You can also summon the Settings app by pressing the Windows and I keys simultaneously.
  2. Click on the Gaming label after the home screen of Settings opens.
  3. In the Game Bar tab of the Gaming interface, turn off the switch under “Record game clips, screenshots, broadcast using Game bar”.
  4. Next, switch to the left pane of the Gaming interface and click on Captures.
  5. Navigate to Background Recording and turn off “Record audio when I broadcast”.
  6. Exit the Settings application and relaunch DayZ to check for the problem.

Disabling Steam Overlay

Virtually every gamer knows about the overlay feature in the Steam client. The feature gives users the ability to chat with other gamers in the Steam community, use Steam’s web browser, and access gaming guides. As much fun and help as Steam overlay offers, it can clash with certain games, including DayZ. You’ll have to give the feature up for a while to confirm whether it’s the reason for the crash problems you’re experiencing. The guide below will show you detailed steps on how to disable Steam overlay:

  1. Open the search utility beside the Start button (press Windows + S or click on the magnifying glass in the taskbar), type “Steam,” then click on the first result. If you have a shortcut, you can double-click it and save yourself the stress.
  2. Once the Steam client opens, go to the top-left corner of the window, click on Steam, then select Settings in the context menu that drops down.
  3. You’ll now see the Settings interface of the Steam Client.
  4. Next, click on In-Game in the left pane to switch to the In-Game tab.
  5. Now, navigate to the right pane and uncheck the “Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game” checkbox under Steam Overlay.
  6. Relaunch DayZ and check if the crashing issue persists.

Disabling Overwolf Overlay

The Overwolf client has an overlay feature for games that can cause crashing problems. The feature, like other overlay programs, allows you to perform tasks while playing games. That said, it can still mess things up in DayZ. Open Overwolf and navigate to the Settings environment, then disable the overlay feature for the game and check if the issue goes away. The steps below will show you what to do:

  1. Click on the “Show hidden icons” arrow on the right side of your taskbar (where you’ll find your notifications icon and time display).
  2. Once the system tray opens, right-click the Overwolf icon, then click on Settings in the context menu.
  3. Once the Settings page appears, click on Games Overlay.
  4. Go to the right pane, navigate to DayZ, then toggle off the switch to its right.
  5. You can now run the game and check for the crashing problem.

If you’ve not upgraded to the latest version of Overwolf, follow these steps instead:

  1. Click on the “Show hidden icons” arrow on the right side of your taskbar (where you’ll find your notifications icon and time display).
  2. Once the system tray opens, right-click the Overwolf icon, then click on Settings in the context menu.
  3. Go to Games, click on Games Library, then navigate to DayZ’s entry and select it by left-clicking it.
  4. Now, switch to the right pane of the window and turn off the Enable Overlay option under Overlay Settings.
  5. Save your changes and relaunch DayZ to check if it crashes again.

Remove Launch Options

Steam’s Launch Options are lines of commands that dictate how the game should run. There can be more than one launch option for a single game. These commands are separated by a comma and space. Launch Options are there to enhance gameplay, if anything, and don’t normally interfere or cause problems. However, this seems to be different with DayZ. Certain launch options tend to mess with the game’s engine and cause it to crash, especially during startup or shortly after. You’re better off starting the game without any of them. The steps below will show you how to remove the game’s launch options in Steam:

  1. Open the Steam client by double-clicking its shortcut or by opening it via the Start menu.
  2. Once Steam opens, go to the top of the window, click on Library, then select Games from the context menu.
  3. You’ll now see the list of games associated with your Steam account.
  4. Navigate to DayZ, right-click it, then choose Properties.
  5. Now, go to the right pane and click on Launch Options under the General tab.
  6. After the Launch Options window shows up, clear every single text in the text box, then click on the OK button.
  7. You can restart Steam and launch DayZ to check for the problem.

Delete the Game’s Configuration Files

DayZ’s configuration files contain lines of texts that dictate the game’s settings. Whenever you apply a setting in the game, it saves those settings to the config file, and whenever you launch the game, it loads these settings from said file. While deleting these files will set your preferences to default, it’s still a small price to pay to get rid of the issue you’re facing. Follow the steps below:

  1. Launch the Run dialog box, using the Windows + R shortcut.
  2. After the dialog box appears, type “%appdata%” (without the quotes) into the text box, then hit the Enter key.
  3. Go to the Local folder once the AppData folder opens, then delete DayZ’s folder.
  4. Now, navigate to your Documents folder and delete DayZ’s folder as well.
  5. You can now restart the game and check for the crashing problem.

Final Thoughts

Crash issues are a reality when it comes to PC video games, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get rid of them. We’re sure that the methods above proved effective in helping you play DayZ smoothly. Use the comments section below to tell us about the challenges you faced and how you fixed them.