How to fix Red Dead Redemption 2 "Unknown error FFFFFFFF" in Windows?

Unknown error FFFFFFFF, often searched as FFFF, is the message Red Dead Redemption 2 shows on PC when the game closes without a named cause. Rockstar ties it to three things: an audio device, an old graphics driver and a broken graphics API setting. On a modded game, take the mods out first.

Facts checked on 14 October 2026. Steps written for Windows 11 (25H2 and 26H2) and Windows 10 22H2, with the game steps read from Rockstar Support for the Rockstar Games Launcher, Steam and Epic Games copies.

What "Unknown error FFFFFFFF" means in Red Dead Redemption 2, and its other spellings

FFFFFFFF is not a code with a meaning of its own. It is the highest value a 32 bit number can hold, and programs often return it when something failed without a more precise error. That is why the game itself writes Unknown error in front of it: the engine knows it has to stop, but it has no specific message for the reason.

Rockstar has one support article for it, Red Dead Redemption 2 Error Code FFFFFFFF, written for PC. It names three causes: some external audio devices, out of date graphics drivers, and a misconfigured setting in the advanced graphics section of system.xml. Rockstar gives no fourth cause and no log file to read.

What causes Unknown error FFFFFFFF, from the most common to the rarest

On an unmodded copy, follow Rockstar's order: the audio device first, because it costs nothing to test, then the graphics API, then the driver. On a modded copy, the mods come first. The authors of a well known FFFFFFFF fix for modders say the error appears when the game's memory pools overflow, which script mods and add-on models push past the default limits.

How to fix Unknown error FFFFFFFF in Red Dead Redemption 2

Fix 1 and Fix 2 are the two steps from Rockstar's own FFFFFFFF article and take five minutes together. A modded game goes straight to Fix 3. Test the game after each fix and stop when it runs.

Fix 1. Connect the headset or speakers after the game has started

2 minutesNo riskEvery reader first, above all if you use a USB or Bluetooth headset or have no speakers attached.

Rockstar lists some external audio devices as a cause of FFFFFFFF and its advice is to plug the headphones or speakers in after you have booted the game. The game then starts with a working default output instead of a device that is still connecting.

1. Close Red Dead Redemption 2 and the launcher it runs from.
2. Unplug the USB headset, or turn off the Bluetooth headset, so it is not connected.
3. Make sure Windows still has a playback device: Windows 11, Settings > System > Sound, section Output. Windows 10, Settings > System > Sound, Choose your output device. Your monitor speakers or the motherboard audio are enough.
4. Start the game and wait until the main menu or the Story Mode load has finished.
5. Now plug the headset in or connect it over Bluetooth, and pick it as the output in Windows if the sound does not switch on its own.
6. Play for at least as long as it took the error to appear before.

Rockstar's PC title update 1.14.1 of 25 November 2019 also fixed a crash when Windows audio devices or settings were changed while the game was running. If you are on a current version, that crash is gone, but switching devices in the middle of play is still the first thing to avoid while you test.

Fix 2. Switch the graphics API between Vulkan and DirectX 12 and delete the sga_ files

5 minutesLow riskAnyone whose game closes at launch or in the first loading screen, or after a driver or graphics card change.

Rockstar's second fix for FFFFFFFF is to change the graphics API in system.xml and delete the sga_ files, the cached shader data the game built for the old setting. A broken API value or a stale cache stops the renderer before the game can name an error.

1. Close the game and the launcher.
2. Open File Explorer and go to the Settings folder. You can paste this path in the address bar:

   %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Rockstar Games\Red Dead Redemption 2\Settings

3. Copy system.xml to your desktop as a backup.
4. Right-click system.xml, select Open with > Notepad, and press Ctrl + F to find kSettingAPI. The line sits in the <advancedGraphics> section.
5. If the line says Vulkan, change it to DX12. If it already says DX12, change it to Vulkan:

   <API>kSettingAPI_Vulkan</API>   becomes   <API>kSettingAPI_DX12</API>

6. Select File > Save and close Notepad.
7. In the same Settings folder, delete every file whose name starts with sga_, for example sga_vulkan_final_init.vkPipelineCacheHeaderWindows and sga_vulkan_final_init.vkWarmupCacheWindows.
8. Start the game. The first start may take longer than usual.

If the game reaches the menu, you can switch the API there too. Rockstar's steps: Settings > Graphics, set Advanced Settings to Unlocked, then change Graphics API. Save, but do not restart when the game asks: return to the main menu, exit and start the game again. If DirectX 12 itself is refused on your PC, see DirectX 12 is not supported on your system.

Fix 3. Move the mods out of the game folder, then add them back one by one

10 minutesLow riskAnyone who installed Lenny's Mod Loader, Script Hook RDR2, an ASI loader, a trainer or any .asi script.

On modded copies FFFFFFFF usually means the game ran out of room in one of its fixed memory pools. The author of a widely used FFFFFFFF fix built it by watching which pools overflowed with popular mods installed. Without mods the pools are never pushed past their limits.

1. Open the game folder: in the Rockstar Games Launcher select Settings, your game under My installed games, then Open next to View installation folder. On Steam, right-click the game and select Manage > Browse local files.
2. Create a folder on your desktop called rdr2-mods-off.
3. Move these items from the game folder into it if they exist: the lml folder, vfs.asi, lml.ini, ScriptHookRDR2.dll, dinput8.dll, version.dll, and every .asi file with its .ini file.
4. Leave RDR2.exe and the game's own folders in place. Do not move anything you are unsure about: Fix 5 restores the original files anyway.
5. Start the game and play in the place where the error came before, for example the same town.
6. If the error is gone, put the loader back first, then one mod at a time, and play the same spot after each one.

• Instant travel and teleport mods. The author of the FFFFFFFF pool fix warns against teleporting and instant fast travel mods because the game was not designed to load that way. Use trains and camp fast travel instead.
• Pickup and world persistence mods. Users on the RDR2Mods forum report the error near Saint Denis and Valentine with a no glowing pickups mod and an entity persistence mod installed.
• Pool limit files. Some modders raise the pools with an edited gameconfig.xml loaded through Lenny's Mod Loader. It is a third-party file, not a Rockstar fix, and its author says it cannot cover every mod list.

Fix 4. Install the latest NVIDIA or AMD graphics driver

15 minutesLow riskAnyone whose driver is older than a few months or came from Windows Update instead of NVIDIA or AMD.

Rockstar names out of date graphics drivers as one of the three causes of FFFFFFFF and points to the NVIDIA and AMD download pages for the latest version. The game draws every frame through this driver, so a driver fault stops it before it can name an error.

1. Find your graphics card: right-click Start, open Device Manager and expand Display adapters.
2. Download the current driver for that card from the maker: https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx for NVIDIA or https://www.amd.com/en/support for AMD, the two pages Rockstar links.
3. Run the installer. If it offers a clean installation, choose it, so old profiles are reset too.
4. Restart Windows, then start the game. Expect a longer first load while shaders are built for the new driver.

If the crashes began right after a driver update, go the other way and roll the driver back. Both directions, and a full reinstall, are covered step by step: Update, roll back or reinstall a driver.

Fix 5. Verify the game files in the launcher you bought the game from

20 to 60 minutesNo riskAnyone whose crashes began after an update, a moved install, a full disk or removed mods.

Rockstar says verifying game files can resolve crashing and freezing and also makes sure the game is up to date. It replaces any game file that differs from Rockstar's copy, including files changed by mods you forgot.

1. Close the game.
2. Rockstar Games Launcher: sign in and select Settings.
3. Select Red Dead Redemption 2 under My installed games on the left.
4. Select Verify Integrity under Verify game file integrity.
5. Wait for the pop-up above the system tray that says the game is verified and ready to play.

For a Steam or Epic Games copy, verify in that launcher instead. The steps for each store are in one place: How to verify game files in Steam, Epic Games, Xbox app, EA app, Battle.net and GOG Galaxy.

Fix 6. Let Windows manage the page file again

5 minutes and a restartLow riskOnly if you, a tuning guide or a tool once set the page file size by hand.

Rockstar has an article that says adjusting the page file or virtual memory by hand can make Red Dead Redemption 2 crash, and that letting Windows manage it may resolve those crashes. A page file that is too small leaves the game without memory to fall back on.

1. Press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl and press Enter to open System Properties.
2. On the Advanced tab, under Performance, select Settings.
3. In Performance Options, open the Advanced tab and select Change under Virtual memory.
4. Tick Automatically manage paging file size for all drives.
5. Select OK, close the windows and select Restart Now when Windows asks.

Fix 7. Run RDR2.exe as administrator and turn off fullscreen optimizations

3 minutesLow riskAnyone for whom Fix 1 to Fix 6 did not help, on any store version.

Rockstar's articles for the related ERR_GFX_STATE crash and for "exited unexpectedly" both tell PC players to tick Run this program as an administrator and disable fullscreen optimization on RDR2.exe. It removes two Windows layers between the game and the screen.

1. Open the game folder as in Fix 3. On the Epic Games Store, select the three dots on the game tile, then Manage and the folder icon on the Installation tab.
2. Right-click RDR2.exe and select Properties.
3. Open the Compatibility tab.
4. Tick Run this program as an administrator and Disable fullscreen optimizations.
5. Select OK and start the game from the launcher as usual.

Do not turn on compatibility mode for an older Windows version: Rockstar does not ask for it. More on what each setting does: How to run a program as administrator or in compatibility mode.

Fix 8. Start Windows without background apps and overlays

15 minutesLow riskAnyone who runs overlays, monitoring or RGB tools and still sees the error after Fix 1 to Fix 7.

Overlay and monitoring tools inject code into the game. For the PC port of the first Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar ties crashes to RivaTuner and MSI Afterburner. Its FFFFFFFF article does not mention overlays, so for RDR2 treat this as a test, not a known cause.

1. Close RivaTuner, MSI Afterburner, Discord overlay, recording tools and RGB software from the system tray.
2. Start the game and test. If it now runs, start the tools again one at a time to find the one that clashes.
3. If you cannot tell which program interferes, do a clean boot so Windows starts only Microsoft services, then test again.

The clean boot steps, and how to undo them, are here: How to perform a clean boot in Windows. Your security software stays on: if you suspect it, pause it for one test only with Turn off Microsoft Defender protection for a moment and turn it back on right after.

If FFFFFFFF does not go away: what to check and what to send to Rockstar

Red Dead Redemption 2 does not write a crash log that Rockstar documents for players. Windows does record the crash. Open Event Viewer (right-click Start), go to Windows Logs > Application and look for an Application Error entry for RDR2.exe at the time of the crash. The Faulting module name line tells you which file was running when the game stopped.

• Send to Rockstar Support (support.rockstargames.com, Submit a Request): the store you bought from, your Windows version, your graphics card and driver version, the API you use (Vulkan or DX12), and what Fix 1 to Fix 8 changed.
• Signs of hardware: other games also crash, the PC restarts on its own, or Windows shows blue screens. Then test the memory with How to test your RAM with Windows Memory Diagnostic and check temperatures before you blame the game.
• Signs of a system below spec: the game also stops with ERR_GFX_D3D_DEFERRED_MEM. Rockstar says to lower settings and keep the video memory meter at about two thirds.

How to keep Unknown error FFFFFFFF from coming back

Red Dead Redemption 2 is still on Windows 10 in Rockstar's minimum requirements. Windows 10 left support on 14 October 2025, so new graphics drivers and game fixes are tested on Windows 11 first.

Frequently asked questions

How do I fix unknown error FFFF in a FitGirl repack or a cracked copy of RDR2?

This page cannot help with that, and the fixes here may not work on it. A repack or crack replaces the game's own files and launcher check, so Fix 5 cannot restore them and Rockstar Support will not look at the crash. Comments under Lenny's Mod Loader show users of old cracked builds who could not start the game with it. Installers from unofficial sources can also carry malware. The only copy that can be repaired the documented way is one bought on the Rockstar Games Launcher, Steam or the Epic Games Store.

Is unknown error FFFF the same as FFFFFFFF?

Yes. The game shows the full code with eight F characters, Unknown error FFFFFFFF. FFFF, FFFFFF and FFFFFFF are shortened versions people type into search or forums. Rockstar's support article uses only the full form, Error Code FFFFFFFF, and gives one set of fixes for it. If your screen shows a different code, such as ERR_GFX_STATE or ERR_GFX_D3D_DEFERRED_MEM, that is a separate crash with its own Rockstar article, although Fix 2 and Fix 4 help with those too.

Does unknown error FFFF also happen in Red Dead Online?

Yes. Players report the same message in Red Dead Online, and the causes Rockstar names, audio devices, drivers and the graphics API, do not depend on the game mode. Use Fix 1, Fix 2 and Fix 4 the same way. One difference matters: Red Dead Online must never run with script mods or loaders in the game folder, so if you play both modes with mods installed, move them out first as in Fix 3. If many players see errors at the same moment, check Rockstar's service status page before you change anything.

Will deleting the sga_ files or switching the API delete my saves?

No. Your saves live in Documents\Rockstar Games\Red Dead Redemption 2\Profiles, in a folder named after your user ID. Fix 2 works only in the Settings folder next to it: system.xml holds the graphics settings and the sga_ files hold shader cache data the game builds again. Rockstar also syncs saves to its cloud. To be safe, copy the Profiles folder to another drive before you reinstall the game or try anything beyond Fix 2.

Should I use Vulkan or DirectX 12 for Red Dead Redemption 2?

Use the one that runs without crashing on your PC. Rockstar offers both and its FFFFFFFF fix says switch to DX12 or the other way round. PCGamingWiki notes that DirectX 12 can be slower than Vulkan on some graphics cards, depending on the GPU. If you get FFFFFFFF on one API, the other is the first thing to try. If both crash, the cause is more likely the driver or mods.

Why does RDR2 crash with FFFFFFFF in Saint Denis or after some time of play?

A crash in a big town or after a while of play points to memory limits, not a broken install. On modded games the town loads more people, horses and objects than the game's pools are sized for, which is what the modders' FFFFFFFF fix raises. Users report the error near Saint Denis and Valentine with certain pickup and persistence mods. On an unmodded game, check that you did not set the page file by hand (Fix 6) and that the video memory meter in the graphics settings is not near its limit.

How do I clear the RDR2 cache on PC?

Close the game, open %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Rockstar Games\Red Dead Redemption 2\Settings and delete every file whose name starts with sga_. These files hold the shader pipeline cache Rockstar asks you to remove in its FFFFFFFF fix. The game builds them again the next time it starts, so the first load is slower. Do not delete system.xml unless you want all graphics settings reset, and do not touch the Profiles folder, which holds your saves.

Can I keep my mods and still get rid of FFFFFFFF?

Often, yes, but not every mod list fits. First find the mod that triggers the error by adding them back one at a time after Fix 3. Then drop that mod, look for an updated version, or reduce how many heavy script mods you run together. Some players load a third-party gameconfig.xml with larger memory pools through Lenny's Mod Loader. Its author says it cannot cover every combination and that you may need to adjust the pools yourself, so keep a backup.

Has Rockstar fixed Unknown error FFFFFFFF in an update?

No title update names FFFFFFFF as fixed. Rockstar's PC update 1.14.1 in November 2019 fixed crashes when audio devices changed during play and after switching between Vulkan and DirectX 12, two of the triggers behind this error. The last title update, 1.32, fixed more PC crashes and Offline Mode problems with Windows 11. Rockstar's FFFFFFFF support article was last updated on 26 July 2024 and still lists the three causes in this guide.