How to Fix Borderlands 4 Crashing Randomly During Gameplay or at Launch

Borderlands 4 had quite a lot of controversy regarding its originally dreamt-up launch price, which was purely a money grab. However, they have since had a reality check and revised their price point down. Though I'm not sure it's going to be enough to get people on board. But if you are crazy and still decided to get the game after they tried to rob you of your hard-earned money and now have crashing issues to deal with, this guide will show you how to fix the things causing Borderlands 4 to crash constantly.

Make Sure Your Computer is Actually Game Ready....

Before you start, make sure your computer meets the minimum system requirements.

MINIMUM:

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
• OS: Windows 10 / Windows 11
• PROCESSOR: Intel Core i7-9700 / AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
• MEMORY: 16 GB RAM
• GRAPHICS: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 / AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT / Intel Arc A580
• STORAGE: 100 GB available space
• ADDITIONAL NOTES: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system. Requires 8 CPU Cores for processor. Requires 8 GB VRAM for graphics. SSD storage required

RECOMMENDED:

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
• OS: Windows 10 / Windows 11
• PROCESSOR: Intel Core i7-12700 / AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
• MEMORY: 32 GB RAM
• GRAPHICS: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 / AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT / Intel Arc B580
• STORAGE: 100 GB available space
• ADDITIONAL NOTES: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system. SSD storage required

Clean Install your Graphics Drivers Using DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller)

This will more than likely be the fix that solves this problem for you. It's pretty much the go-to method for fixing most game-crashing issues.

• Download Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU)
• Download the latest graphics driver for your hardware.
• Disconnect from the internet.
• Run DDU to fully uninstall your drivers.
• Restart your computer.
• Install the driver you downloaded in the earlier step.
• Restart your computer, then re-enable your Internet connection.

Verify Borderlands 4 Game Files

If DDU didn't fix your Borderlands 4 crashing issues, you'll need to verify your game files. Even if you just installed the game, it's worth doing this, as sometimes random things can happen, especially if you have been using mods at any point in time.

• On Steam, right-click the game in your library.
• Select Properties > Installed Files > Verify Integrity.

Use Lossless Scaling for Stability

Some crashes are tied to unstable frame pacing. A useful workaround is Lossless Scaling, available on Steam.

• Install and launch Lossless Scaling alongside the game.
• Select LSFG 3.1 for frame generation.
• Choose None for scaling if you only want smoother frames, or FSR/LS1 for upscaling.
• Press Ctrl + Alt + S once in-game to activate it.

If you own a 40-series GPU or newer, try enabling Smooth Motion for additional stability. Don't use this if the game already has frame generation running, as it will cause more issues.

Repair Microsoft Visual C++ Runtimes

If the game needs Microsoft Visual C++ redistributables. You might get crashing issues. (Though you will usually get a missing .dll error message if this is the case)

• Navigate to the game’s installation folder.
• Open Support > Redist > VCRedist.
• Run the installers for 2010, 2012, and 2015–2022.
• Select Repair for each.
• You can also install an all-in-one Visual C++ package from Microsoft.

Disable Steam Beta Participation

Experimental builds of Steam may cause compatibility problems.

• Open Steam Settings > Interface > Beta Participation.
• Select None.
• Restart Steam.

Turn Off Overlays and Monitoring Tools

Overlays are a frequent source of crashes.

• Disable overlays in Discord, NVIDIA GeForce Experience, and Steam.
• Close monitoring tools such as MSI Afterburner or RivaTuner.
• Restart your PC to ensure they stay disabled.

Avoid Alt-Tab During Startup

Switching applications while the game is initialising can interrupt loading and cause crashes. Wait until you reach the main menu before using Alt-Tab.

Change DirectX Version

Try switching between DirectX 12 and DirectX 11.

• Right-click the game in Steam and open Properties.
• Under Launch Options, type dx11 to force DirectX 11, or dx12 to force DirectX 12.
• If neither improves stability, remove the command to let the game choose automatically.

Still have Crashing Problems?

If you still have major issues with crashing after doing every single thing in this guide, you just have to wait until they patch the game. It's only just come out, so you should be used to this kind of thing by now. It shouldn't take too long for them to fix the problem/s. That said, if you're PC doesn't meet the required specs, you are wasting your time.