How to fix
Lost Ark not launching
on Windows

Hello. I recently installed Lost Ark from Steam, but I get stuck on a loading screen when I try to launch it. Why does it fail to start?

Lost Ark is a fantasy multiplayer online action role-playing game that became the second most played game on Steam within twenty-four hours of release. Many users find the game enjoyable and praise the graphics and world design. The story creates an immersive experience, and the character customization abilities are said to be impressive.

However, some gamers have run into issues when trying to launch the game on Windows. Players report getting stuck in the loading screen. This can be very annoying for excited users who want to try the newly installed games. The problem does not seem to disappear since the release of the game.

The Lost Ark not launching on Windows problem could be caused by various things. We previously wrote about other games not launching, like FIFA 22, so this should not be an issue on Lost Ark's end. If you have a third-party security program, it could be blocking the game. An outdated graphics driver[ref en-1] and Windows version could also be the culprits behind the error.

In this guide, you will find 9 steps that could help you fix Lost Ark not launching on Windows. If you want to avoid a lengthy troubleshooting process, you can also use a maintenance tool like [d1] that can fix most system errors, BSODs,[ref en-2] corrupted files, and registry[ref en-3] issues. Otherwise, proceed with the steps provided below carefully.

Method 1. Check the Minimum Requirements

Method 2. Launch Lost Ark Game as Administrator

• Right-click on the LostArk.exe shortcut and click on the Properties option
• Go to the Compatibility tab and click on the Run this program as an administrator
• Now click on Apply and then OK

Method 3. Update Windows

• Open your Start menu and type in Settings
• Choose Update & Security and then Windows Update
• Click the Check for updates button, and install the available updates

Method 4. Repair or verify the game files

If the game itself is corrupted that could also lead to a crash at startup or a mid-game crash with Lost Ark. Here are the steps to check and repair corrupt files on Steam.

• Launch the Steam client
• From the LIBRARY, right-click on Lost Ark and select Properties
• Go to LOCAL FILES and click on Verify integrity of game files...

• Try to launch the game

Method 5. Disable Overlay

• Click on Steam and then Settings
• Go to In-Game and uncheck the box Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game
• Press OK and try to launch the game

Method 6. Disable Third-Party Antivirus Software

If you have any third-party antivirus software installed on your system, you should try disabling it and then giving the game a shot. In case Lost Ark starts properly with the antivirus software disabled, it’ll become obvious that the issue was caused by it. In such a scenario, if you wish to continue using antivirus software, you can simply whitelist the Lost Ark process.

Method 7. Update the Graphics Driver

An outdated graphics card driver could be the cause of the game not being able to launch. In this case, you can fix it automatically by using [rev id="DriverFix"], which will scan your PC for missing and out-of-date device drivers. Or you can update your network driver to the latest version manually:

• Click on the Start menu and type in Device Manager
• Look for an entry in the list that is related to your graphics card; it could be graphics, Standard VGA Controller, Intel Graphics, AMD Radeon, NVIDIA GeForce, or another name

• Double-click on the graphics card entry and choose the Driver tab in the opened window
• Click on Update Driver
• Select Search automatically for updated driver software and follow further instructions

Method 8. Disable Overclocking

• Click on the Windows Start Menu and launch Settings
• Choose Update and Security and click on Recovery
• Press on Advanced startup and Restart now

• In the Advanced startup tap on the Troubleshoot option
• Click on the Advanced Options and then click on the option UEFI Firmware Settings
• Reboot your system
• As the system starts, open BIOS and choose Advanced Tab
• Then click on the Performance option and find Overclocking

• Choose to disable it
• Press the F10 key to save the modification in the BIOS and restart your PC

Method 9. Reinstall Lost Ark

• Launch the Steam client and then go to the Library tab
• Right-click on Lost Ark and uninstall the game

• Once the uninstallation process is finished reboot the Steam client
• Install the game again on Steam