Every way to fix GTA 5 Not Launching error in 2024

Grand Theft Auto 5 may have been out for over a decade now, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t get occasional issues. It’s because of these issues that several people wanting to play the legendary game by Rockstar for the first time may struggle to even launch it thanks to an error telling them the game isn’t launching.

However, in addition to the passage of time creating several problems for Grand Theft Auto 5, it even created multiple solutions. Today, we’re here to go through every potential fix to ensure you can make the pesky “GTA 5 not launching” error go away permanently. What’s more, is that all of these issues also work in 2024.

So, without further ado, here’s every way to fix the “GTA 5 Not Launching” error in 2024.

Method #1: Update your Windows and graphic drivers

The first and most common fix for this error is to update the PC or laptop’s Windows simply. Windows is constantly coming out with new updates and not installing them can result in the device facing various technical issues. Fortunately, the steps to follow to update your Windows are fairly straightforward. All you have to do is:

1. Tap the Windows key on your keyboard
2. Click the cog icon to go to settings
3. Navigate to Update and Security
4. Finally, ensure you see the notification telling you you’re up to date.

If your Windows isn’t up to date then you should download and install the latest Windows version. Additionally, consider making it so future Windows updates are automatically installed so you don’t have to repeat the above steps.

It’s also worth checking your graphic drivers to ensure the problem isn’t from there. While the steps to update graphic drivers depend on your graphic card, the most common way is to go to a unique app, like GeForce Experience, where you’ll see the option to update and install your graphic drivers.

Method #2: Verify game files

Oftentimes downloading or updating a game can cause issues with the game files, especially if the user’s download speed is slow or the storage drive is causing issues. This is one of the leading reasons players aren’t able to play their favorite games like Grand Theft Auto 5 and can result in various errors like the one we mentioned.

Now, app stores give players a way to check if there’s anything wrong with their downloaded files. However, the steps you must follow to verify your downloaded game files depend on the app store you used to purchase Grand Theft Auto 5.

If you bought GTA 5 through Steam, use the following steps:

1. Open Steam and go to your Library.
2. Right-click on GTA 5 and select “Properties”.
3. Go to “Installed Files” and click on “Verify integrity of game files”.

If you bought GTA 5 using the Epic Games Store, use the following steps:

1. Open the Epic Games Launcher.
2. Go to Library and click on the three dots next to GTA 5.
3. Select “Verify”.

If the automated verification process detects there’s anything missing from your game files or some file is corrupted then it’ll automatically redownload it to fix the issue. However, if it tells you there’s nothing wrong then move on to the next step.

Method #3: Run the game as an administrator

Arguably the easiest method for this list is to simply run Grand Theft Auto 5 as administrator. Running GTA 5 as an administrator ensures the game has the necessary permissions to access files. The game also gets permission to interact with hardware and bypass any system-level restrictions that may prevent it from starting.

To run GTA 5 as administrator, simply right-click on the GTA 5 shortcut or main executable file titled gta5.exe and click run as administrator in the drop-down menu. Alternatively, if you want to ensure the game runs as administrator every time you launch it then you can go to properties after right-clicking on the game, navigate to the properties tab, check the box that says “Run this program as an administrator” and finally click OK to confirm the change.

Method #4: Check the system requirements

Ensuring your PC meets the minimum system requirements is fundamental for running any game. Naturally, this also includes Grand Theft Auto 5. Fortunately, Rockstar Games ensured the game is properly optimized, and the game is pretty old so most modern PCs can run it without much problem. However, it’s always a good idea to check the minimum system requirements of any game and match them with your current system specifications to ensure you meet them.

Below are the minimum system requirements for GTA 5 at the time of writing. However, these may increase when the enhanced version comes out for PC:

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system.
• OS: Windows 10 64 Bit.
• Processor: Intel Core i5 3470 @ 3.2GHz (4 CPUs) / AMD X8 FX-8350 @ 4GHz (8 CPUs)
• Memory: 8 GB RAM.
• Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 660 2GB / AMD HD 7870 2GB.
• Storage: 120 GB available space.
• Sound Card: 100% DirectX 10 compatible.

Additionally, while not that common of an issue, some background applications may sometimes hog most of your system’s resources. This makes it tough to run any game like GTA 5 and can give you the ”GTA 5 Not Launching” error.

To close any unnecessary background applications follow the below steps:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Go to the Processes tab and identify unnecessary programs.
3. Right-click on them and select “End Task”.

If GTA 5 properly launches without giving you an error then you’ve found your problem. Take note of the background app that was causing the issues and stop it from automatically launching when you start your PC by typing startup apps in the bottom-left bar, clicking the first option that pops up, and disabling the select application.

Method #5: Run GTA 5 in compatibility mode

GTA 5 is now a pretty old game as it’s been over a decade since it first came out. Therefore, it may struggle to run with modern OS and other software that’s made for newer games like the upcoming GTA 6. Compatibility mode in Windows allows you to run older applications in a simulated environment designed for previous versions of the operating system. This may potentially help you run an older game like GTA 5 without any issues.

Below are the steps to run GTA 5 in compatibility mode:

1. Right-click on the GTA 5 executable file or its shortcut.
2. Select Properties and navigate to the Compatibility tab.
3. Check the box that says “Run this program in compatibility mode for”.
4. Choose an earlier version of Windows (e.g., Windows 8 or 7) from the dropdown menu.
5. Click Apply and OK.
6. Try launching the game to see if this resolves the issue.

Method #6: Disable any installed mods

Mods can make any game more fun. However, they can also sometimes cause issues when trying to run the base game. While some games like The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim are made with mods in mind, the same can’t be said for GTA 5.

Therefore, it may be worth uninstalling or deleting any mods you may have installed. To do so, simply go to the folder holding all your installed mods and either move them somewhere unrelated to GTA 5’s files or delete them entirely. Run GTA 5 after doing this to check if the game launches without any issues.

One thing to note is that this fix doesn’t account for any cheats you may have used in your playthrough. Cheats are done in-game and don’t mess with GTA 5’s files so players can use them as much as they want without any problem.

Method #6: Reinstall the game

If nothing thus far has worked then the final thing you can do is uninstall and then reinstall the game. Keep in mind that this should be the final method you use to attempt to fix the “GTA 5 not launching “ error as this means players will have to sit and wait for the game to finish downloading a second time.

If you downloaded GTA 5 using any third-party software or website then it might be a good idea to purchase the game through an official source. Steam, EGS, and the Rockstar Store are the three best places players can purchase GTA 5 from as they ensure the game is consistently up to-date and without any issues.