Fix Warzone Not Launching or Crashing on Startup on PC
Source-checked · About 10 minutes
Answer
Repair Call of Duty in the launcher you use: Battle.net has Scan and Repair, while Steam uses Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files. Then install Activision's supported Windows and graphics-driver updates, close the specific conflicting apps named by Activision, and launch Warzone again. Success means it reaches the Main Menu and completes Shader Preloading.
In Battle.net, select Call of Duty, choose the gear beside Play, and run Scan and Repair. In Steam, open Library, right-click Call of Duty, and select Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files; wait for the selected repair to finish before launching.
2
Apply the supported PC updates
Open Activision's Warzone PC troubleshooting page and install the listed Windows updates and graphics driver for your hardware. Do not use a third-party driver site or assume the newest driver supports a legacy card.
Exit NZXT CAM, MSI Afterburner, or Razer Cortex if one is running, because Activision currently names them as Warzone conflicts. Leave Windows Security, ASLR, and anti-cheat protections enabled.
4
Launch from the same client
Start Call of Duty from the repaired Steam or Battle.net installation and select Warzone. Stay on the Main Menu until Shader Preloading completes; leaving the menu pauses that process.
5
Confirm the startup result
Close Call of Duty normally, reopen it from the same launcher, and return to the Warzone Main Menu. Two successful menu loads without a startup crash confirm the tested launch path is working.
6
Submit a PC crash report
If Warzone still closes before the menu, submit Activision's PC crash report with the failure time, launcher, Windows version, GPU and driver version, repair result, and any exact error code. This evidence is more useful than repeating reinstalls or changing security settings.
If it does not work
If Battle.net does not show Scan and Repair, confirm Call of Duty is selected and open the gear beside Play; Steam users must use the Installed Files tab instead.
If the crash began after a Warzone update, check Activision's Known Issues and Online Services pages before changing the PC. Wait when Activision identifies a current incident.
If Warzone reaches the menu but crashes only in a match, record that later crash boundary in the PC crash report; the startup path itself is working.
ⓘ Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: Windows, Steam, Battle.net.
Source-checked against Activision's current launcher-specific Warzone PC troubleshooting. Older compatibility, DirectX, scaling, and security-disablement advice is deliberately excluded.
