A lot of games now feature very aggressive anti-cheat software that still doesn't seem to do anything about cheaters. It also causes a lot of launch issues in games like Apex Legends, Rust, Fortnite, and a slew of other games. Usually, when this happens, you will see the “Please Close Interception Before Starting the Game” error message as a result. So follow along as we take you through a rather long list of potential solutions.

Why Does This Happen?

Anti-cheat software blocks the Interception driver because it operates as a kernel-mode input driver that can intercept or modify raw keyboard and mouse input before it reaches applications. Even if you use it legitimately for remapping or accessibility purposes, the anti-cheat system cannot reliably differentiate it from tools that manipulate input for unfair advantages. As a result, it blocks the input layer entirely to maintain game integrity. While that all sounds complicated, and it is, cheaters still manage to find ways around anti-cheat software, so it's almost not worth the drama.

How to Fix Please Close Interception Before Starting the Game

If you know your way around computers and games, here's a quick list of things you can check.

• Close all remapping or macro tools from the system tray.
• Disable these tools from launching on startup via Task Manager.
• Confirm whether the Interception driver or a similar one is installed.
• If Interception is present, proceed to Method 1 for the most reliable fix.
• If not obvious, try Method 2 and Method 3 to rule out other input-hooking software.

How to Confirm If Interception Is Installed

Before making changes, verify whether the Interception driver is actually present on your system:

• Check the driver file:
  Go to: C:\Windows\System32\drivers
  and look for interception.sys.
• Check hidden devices in Device Manager:
  Open Device Manager, click View > Show hidden devices, then look under input-related sections for remappers, filters, or virtual input devices.
• Advanced check (optional):
  Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:
  driverquery /v | findstr /i interception
• If this returns a result, Interception or a similarly named driver is installed.

Uninstall the Interception Driver

If installed, the Interception driver can load during system boot and remain detectable even if you are not actively using any remapping tool. Removing the driver stops anti-cheat from detecting an active Interception layer.

• Download the Interception driver ZIP from the official Interception GitHub releases page
• Extract the ZIP to a folder.
• Locate install-interception.exe inside the extracted folder. Use Windows Search if necessary.
• Open Command Prompt as administrator.
• Go to the folder where you extracted the files. For example:

• Run the uninstall command: install-interception.exe /uninstall
• Restart your PC.
• After restarting, launch the game again. If Interception was causing the error, it should now launch without issues.
• Confirm removal by checking that interception.sys no longer exists in the drivers folder.
• Optionally, rerun the advanced driver query to ensure it no longer shows up.

Disable Third-Party Input Software

Lots of keyboards, mice, controllers, and macro tools install low-level input hooks for features like macros, rapid fire, or remapping. These hooks can trigger anti-cheat systems because they resemble interception-style input filters.

• Fully close these tools from the system tray.
• Open Task Manager, go to the Startup tab, and disable all recognised remappers or macro tools.
• Restart your PC and test the game.

Temporarily Close Controller or Virtual Input Tools

Controller mapping tools such as DS4Windows or virtual input layers can contribute to detection issues.

• Exit the tool from the system tray.
• Open Task Manager and end any related processes.
• Try launching the game again.

If this resolves the issue, disable the tool from startup and only run it when necessary.

Avoid Running the Game as Administrator

Running the game with administrator privileges can sometimes interfere with anti-cheat initialisation.

• Locate the game executable (e.g., RustClient.exe).
• Right-click, select Properties > Compatibility tab.
• Uncheck Run this program as an administrator.
• Apply changes and restart your game launcher.

Remove Leftover Driver Files

Sometimes the interception.sys file remains after uninstalling the driver.

• Go to: C:\Windows\System32\drivers
• Rename interception.sys to something like interception.bak.
• Restart your PC and test the game.

Reset Your PC (Last Resort)

If none of the above steps work and you suspect multiple input remapping tools were installed over time, resetting Windows can remove stubborn driver hooks and filters.

• Back up your important files before proceeding.
• Search Reset this PC in the Windows start menu and follow the instructions.
• Choose the reset option that fits your needs.

After resetting, avoid reinstalling remapping or macro tools before launching the game.