Payday 3 crashing on PC: How to fix, possible reasons, and more

While Payday 3 Early Access's initial reception has been largely positive, the experience hasn't been the same for all. There are multiple reports of the game crashing on PCs, preventing users from properly experiencing the title and its offerings. However, it is challenging to fix the issue because some players aren't even presented with an error code. The game simply shuts down, leaving them with no option but to relaunch it.

Moreover, these crashes aren't exclusive to the Steam or the Epic Games Store versions of the game. Hence, it becomes difficult to diagnose the problem correctly.

However, that doesn't mean it's impossible to resolve the issue. There are a few solutions that have been reported to work and eliminate the problem completely. In this guide, we'll take a closer look at all the various solutions known to resolve the Payday 3 crashing on PC issue.

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How to possibly fix Payday 3 crashing on PC error?

Here are all the possible solutions that should fix the Payday 3 crashing on PC error:

1) Turn on/off DX12

One of the most common fixes reported to resolve the Payday 3 crashes on PC is turning DX12 on/off. However, this has to be done through the launcher only. Here's how you can do it on both Steam and Epic Games Store:

Steam

• Right-click on the game from your Library.
• Select Properties
• Under the General section, locate 'Launch Options'.
• Add the following command to force DX12: "-dx12" (without the quotes)
• Alternatively, remove the command if you were already using DX12.

Epic Games

• Right-click on the game and select Manage.
• Turn on Launch Options.
• Add: "-dx12" (without the quotes) to turn on DX12 (or remove it if you are already using it)

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2) Remove VR Headset

Payday 3 (PC) crashes every 5 minutes byu/Holdensole inpaydaytheheist

As weird as it may sound, having a VR headset connected to your PC might cause the game to crash.

Hence, if your game is crashing with no error codes or just randomly closing down, you may try unplugging the VR headset from your PC. It appears to be a bug at the moment, and developers haven't yet addressed the issue.

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3) Update GPU Drivers

Updating one's GPU drivers will not only improve performance but can also reduce crashes. Irrespective of the team you are in, Green, Red, or Blue, it is advised to update your GPU drivers to the latest version.

They often come with optimized profiles for the latest releases, giving players the best possible experience in games.

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4) Remove overclocks/undervolts

If you have undervolted or overclocked your hardware, it is recommended to set it back to default values and then try the game. If it stops crashing, your overclock/undervolt values might be unstable.

Hence, either remove these values completely and set them to stock or adjust them properly to achieve systemwide stability.

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5) Check file integrity

Verifying File Integrity on Steam to fix Payday 3 crashing on PC error (Image via Valve)

Sometimes, the Payday 3 game files might be corrupted, causing frequent crashes. Fortunately, both Steam and EGS have their own solutions that will scan your files to make sure they are healthy. If anything is missing, it will automatically acquire them.

Here's how you can do so:

Steam

• Right-click on the game from the Library.
• Go to Properties and find the Installed Files section.
• Here, select "Verify Integrity of game files" to scan your files.

Epic Games Store

• Right-click on the game and select Manage.
• Select Verify, and EGS will do the rest of the work.

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These are some of the most popular fixes known to resolve the Payday 3 crashing on PC error. However, if the problem persists, it is advised to contact the official Payday support team for further assistance.