Key Takeaways
- Steam Launch Crashes: If your Steam copy of Call of Duty MW4 crashes at launch after the November 5 Season 1 update, verify your game files first. Infinity Ward was still investigating as of November 10, so check when the game closes and record any error code.
- Reinstall and Retest: If MW4 still crashes on Steam, uninstall MW4 and Warzone, delete only the Call of Duty folder in steamapps\common, and reinstall MW4. For DirectX errors 0x887A0005 or 0x887A0006, turn off ray tracing, use Activision’s recommended driver, and lower VRAM use.
- Report Persistent Crashes: If MW4 still crashes, send Activision a PC Crash Report with your DxDiag file and check for a stability patch before reinstalling again. If MW4 shows Failed Attestation, check TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot before trying to play online.
If Modern Warfare 4 is crashing on your PC when you launch it through Steam after Season 1, verify the game files first. If it still closes before you reach the menu, try Activision’s clean reinstall. For crashes during the campaign or multiplayer, especially if you see a DirectX error, start by turning off ray tracing and checking your graphics driver against Activision’s recommended version.
The game launched on October 23, 2026, and Season 1 arrived on November 5. As of November 10, Infinity Ward was still working with Steam on the launch crash. You can save yourself a full download by checking where the game closes and what error, if any, appears on screen.
Which Fix Matches Your Crash
Does the game close as soon as you hit Play, or can you get through a match before it drops you back to your desktop? Use the point where it fails, along with any error you see, to pick your first fix.
| Symptom | Most likely cause | Try first |
|---|---|---|
| Crashes at launch on Steam since November 5 | Known Season 1 issue on Steam | Verify files, then try the clean reinstall in fixes 1 and 2 |
| Closes before the main menu | Ray tracing or a problem with the saved configuration | Turn off ray tracing or reset the configuration with fixes 3 and 8 |
| Campaign crash mentions KERNELBASE.dll | Ray tracing was involved in one reported case | Turn off ray tracing with fix 3 |
| DirectX error 0x887A0005 or 0x887A0006 | Graphics driver, ray tracing, VRAM use, or overclock | Start with ray tracing, then work through fixes 4 to 6 |
| Error 0x00001338 on an Intel PC | CPU instability or overclock in some reported cases | Restore default tuning with fix 6 |
| Random crashes mid-match | Overlays, input remappers, or graphics drivers | Check the driver and close background tools with fixes 4 and 7 |
| Failed Attestation or security requirement notice | TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot check failed | Run the checks in fix 9 |
| Laptop crashes at launch | Game may be using integrated graphics | Select the dedicated GPU with fix 10 |
An error code narrows down what to test, but it can have several causes. Activision says PC crashes happen most often at launch and during public multiplayer matches, so pay attention to what you were doing just before the game closed.
How to Stop Modern Warfare 4 Crashing on PC
Start with the fix that matches your crash and test the game after each change. If your trouble began right after the Season 1 download, a file check is the quickest place to start.
Fix 1 Verify the Game Files in Your Launcher
A large update can leave you with incomplete or damaged game files. On Steam, open Library, right-click Call of Duty, and choose Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files. Let Steam finish checking and replacing files before you try to play.
On Battle.net, select the gear icon beside Play, then choose Scan and Repair > Begin Scan. In the Xbox app, open the game and choose Manage > Files > Verify and Repair. When the check finishes, launch the game directly from the launcher you just used.
Fix 2 Do the Clean Reinstall for the Season 1 Steam Crash
Activision lists the Steam launch crash as under investigation, and Infinity Ward has been working directly with Steam on a fix. Check the official known issues page before you start. If the crash is still listed and verifying your files failed, uninstall both Modern Warfare 4 and Warzone through Steam.
Open steamapps\common in the Steam library where you installed the game. Delete only the Call of Duty folder, since common holds your other Steam games too. Reinstall Modern Warfare 4 and allow for a long download and at least 115 GB of free SSD space. Your XP, camos, and loadouts are tied to your account.
Fix 3 Turn Off Ray Tracing
A PC Games Hardware tester repeatedly hit a KERNELBASE.dll crash in sp26-cod.exe at the start of the third campaign mission during early access. The crash stopped after the tester disabled ray tracing, and community guides report that the same change can help with some DirectX crashes. Open Graphics > Ray Tracing and select Off.
If you can’t reach the menu, close the game and launcher and open %LOCALAPPDATA%\Activision\Call of Duty\players. Back up s.1.0.cod26.txt, then set the existing DxrMode@0 and DxrMode@1 entries to Off if you find them. The file and entries are community-documented, so keep the backup handy. Activision’s ray tracing tier calls for an RX 9070 XT or RTX 5070 Ti and 16 GB of VRAM.
Fix 4 Install the Graphics Driver Activision Recommends
Press Windows + R, type DxDiag, and select OK. Open the Display tab to see your graphics card and driver version, then compare them with Activision’s list.
| Graphics card | Recommended driver |
|---|---|
| NVIDIA | 616.56 |
| AMD | 26.7.1 |
| Intel | 32.0.101.8974 or 32.0.101.9150 |
If your crashes started after you installed a newer driver, try rolling back to the listed version. The GTX 970 and GTX 1060 are on the minimum-spec list, but NVIDIA ended driver support for those generations. Activision lists 581.80 as their last recommended driver, and neither card can install 616.56.
Fix 5 Cap Your Frame Rate and Lower VRAM Use
If DirectX reports 0x887A0006 or 0x887A0005, give your GPU less work while you test. Community troubleshooting guides suggest starting with the gameplay and menu frame rate limits at 90 FPS, the background limit at 30 FPS, and VRAM Scale Target around 80. Turn off frame generation for the test.
You can also try the Minimum graphics preset as a baseline. Replay the mission or match type that usually crashes. If it holds up, raise one graphics option at a time so you can tell which change brings the crash back.
Fix 6 Remove Overclocks, Undervolts and XMP
Restore default GPU tuning in AMD Adrenalin or MSI Afterburner and turn off any CPU overclock. If the game still crashes, try disabling your RAM’s XMP profile in the BIOS. A Windows Central tester stopped 0xc0000005 crashes in Black Ops 6 by disabling XMP, so treat this as a test based on a related game.
Some owners of 13th- and 14th-generation Intel CPUs report 0x00001338 N crashes. If that sounds like your PC, update your motherboard BIOS to get Intel’s instability fixes and use Intel’s default power limits. Some owners also report lowering the P-core ratio with Intel XTU. Once the game runs reliably, restore any tuning changes one at a time.
Fix 7 Close Overlays, Recorders and Remapping Tools
Close reWASD, the Discord overlay, NVIDIA or AMD overlays, RivaTuner, Overwolf, and any background recording or RGB control software you use. Test the game with those apps closed. Activision says remappers, overlays, and recorders can interfere even when they appear closed, so try uninstalling the ones you suspect if the crashes continue.
Keep your antivirus and the game’s anti-cheat running while you test. If you already use Controlled folder access, you can allow COD26-COD.exe through that feature and try launching again.
If other shooters crash the same way, our Battlefield 6 crashing on PC guide covers more driver tips.
Fix 8 Reset Your Game Configuration
If the game started closing before the menu after Season 1 or after a graphics change, try letting it rebuild its local configuration. Close the game and launcher, then look for the players folder in Documents\Call of Duty or %LOCALAPPDATA%\Activision\Call of Duty. Rename it to players_old and launch the game again.
The game will create a new folder with default graphics options and keybinds. Your account progress stays intact. If the reset makes no difference, close the game and launcher again, rename the newly created folder, and give players_old its original name.
Fix 9 Check TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot
If you see Failed Attestation or a message about security requirements, check both features before trying to get online again. Press Windows + R and run tpm.msc to confirm it says “The TPM is ready for use.” Then run msinfo32 and check that BIOS Mode shows UEFI and Secure Boot State shows On.
Activision’s Secure Attestation Wizard 1.3.0 can point you to the failed check, such as “Boot Partition not set to GPT” or “TCG Event Log Failed.” If the game triggers a Windows permission prompt for CODBrokerInstaller.exe, select Yes. Have your BitLocker recovery key available before making firmware changes, and leave the TPM intact.
For a step by step look at the same checks, see our fixes for VAN 9003 in Valorant.
Fix 10 Make Sure MW4 Runs on Your Dedicated GPU
If your laptop or desktop has both integrated and dedicated graphics, go to Settings > System > Display > Graphics. Add the game executable and select High performance so Windows uses the dedicated GPU.
| PC requirement | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 1400 or Intel Core i5-6600, with AVX support |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM |
| Graphics | AMD RX 470, NVIDIA GTX 970 or GTX 1060, or Intel Arc A580 |
| Video memory | 3 GB VRAM |
| Graphics API | DirectX 12 |
| Storage | SSD with 115 GB free at launch |
Activision’s minimum specs are for desktops, and some laptops with similar graphics may have compatibility problems. If you use Intel Arc, enable Resizable BAR. Remove -dx11 or -d3d11 if you added either launch option, since the game requires DirectX 12.
Crashing on PS5, Xbox or Switch 2
If the game sends you back to your console’s home screen, try reopening it. If it freezes, close it before launching again. When the crash repeats, use the steps for your console.
PlayStation 5
Activision’s PS5 guidance lists CE-34878-0 and “An error has occurred with an application or system software” as messages you may see. If restarting the game fails, go to Settings > System > System Software > System Software Update and Settings > Update System Software.
Check how much free storage you have and clear old files or game data you no longer need. Make sure air can circulate around the console, then try the game again.
Xbox Series X and S
Activision says Xbox crashes happen most often in the public multiplayer lobby before a match or right after one ends. Press the Xbox button and go to Profile & system > Settings > System > Updates. Install the console update if one is available.
If the game still crashes, open Settings > Network > Network settings > Advanced settings > Alternate MAC Address. Select Clear > Restart, then try another match.
Nintendo Switch 2
Give your Switch 2 a full restart. Hold POWER for at least three seconds, then select Power Options > Restart. If the console is frozen, hold POWER to force it off and wait at least 30 seconds before turning it back on.
If the crash keeps happening, open Settings > System > Share Error Information and enable it. Restart the console so it can share error details from future crashes.
Still deciding on a platform? Read whether you should buy Modern Warfare 4 on Switch 2.
If Modern Warfare 4 Still Crashes
Once you’ve tried the fixes that match your crash, write down what happened and which changes you tested. Use that information to file a report, then check whether Infinity Ward has released an update for your issue.
Send Activision a PC Crash Report
Open Activision’s known issues page and select PC Crash Report. Include your launcher, game build, exact error message, hardware, graphics driver version, and what you’ve already tried. Say when it happens, whether that’s as soon as you press Play, during a particular mission, or after a match.
Press Windows + R, run DxDiag, and select Save All Information. Include the saved diagnostic file with your report.
Wait for the Next Stability Patch
Infinity Ward released crash or stability fixes on October 24, 29, and 30 and on November 2, 5, 7, and 10. The November 10 update addressed several stability issues, and the Steam launch crash was still under investigation as of that date.
Check the official Season 1 update page and Activision’s known issues page before downloading the whole game again. If a patch addresses your crash, install it through your launcher and retest the same mission, match, or launch sequence.
How to Keep MW4 Stable After Future Updates
Let your launcher finish each update, then verify the game files before you play. Stick with the driver Activision lists until it recommends a newer version, and leave ray tracing off if disabling it stopped your crashes. Keep an eye on SSD space as updates roll out.
Aim for 20 to 30 GB of free space beyond the 115 GB installation requirement so you have room for updates. If you want to bring back an overclock or undervolt, give the game a stable week first. Reapply one change at a time and test before restoring the next.
FAQs
Your Steam copy may be hitting the launch issue Activision listed after the November 5 Season 1 update. The cause was still under investigation as of November 10. Verify your game files first, then try the clean reinstall if the crash persists.
No. Your XP, camos, and loadouts are saved to your account. For the Steam reinstall, delete only the Call of Duty folder inside steamapps\common and sign in to the same account after reinstalling.
Activision’s known issue for the Season 1 launch crash names Steam specifically. The Xbox app on PC has a separate issue where the launch button can be missing from COD Home. If you’re on Battle.net or a console, start with the fixes for your platform.
Yes, Activision requires both TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot for online play. Run tpm.msc to check whether the TPM is ready and msinfo32 to check Secure Boot. If you still get a security warning, run the Secure Attestation Wizard 1.3.0.
No. The code alone gives you too little information to diagnose a connection problem. Some owners of 13th- and 14th-generation Intel PCs report 0x00001338 N crashes, so if you have one of those CPUs, start by checking your BIOS version and restoring Intel’s default power limits.
Both cards meet Activision’s minimum GPU requirement, though you may still run into crashes. Use 581.80, the last driver Activision recommends for those NVIDIA generations, and test with the Minimum graphics preset and ray tracing off.
