Image: Activision
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Published: Nov 11, 2023 02:17 pm
Games on Steam have been known to launch with issues here and there, and Modern Warfare 3 is the latest one having problems. If you encounter an error where your MW3 won’t launch on Steam, read this guide for possible fixes.
Modern Warfare 3 Not Launching on Steam Solution
Below you will find four possible solutions to Modern Warfare 3 not launching on Steam. Start with the first one, as it is the most likely solution, and work your way down if the problem persists.
Fix #1 – Run MW3 as Administrator
The most common solution to MW3 not launching on Steam is that the player isn’t running the game as an administrator. To run Modern Warfare 3 as an admin, right-click the Steam or MW3 shortcut icon on your PC and then select “Run as Administrator.” This should fix the error. Move on to method two if your MW3 is still not working.
Fix #2 – Scan and Fix Game Files
For many PC games that refuse to launch on Steam, the problem boils down to scanning and fixing the game files. To scan and fix files, head into the Steam Library and right-click on Modern Warfare 3. Next, click on Properties and then the option “verify file integrity.” Doing so will allow your system to review all of Modern Warfare 3’s files and replace the damaged ones, fixing the launching problems.
Related: MW3 Season 1: Release Date, Battle Pass, and Early Patch Notes
Fix #3 – Update GPU Drivers
Often, PC players forget to update GPU Drivers, which can lead to game issues. Updating the Graphics Drivers is a must, and you can do so by downloading the AMD or Nvidia app. Just make sure you download the proper one that matches your graphics card. You can also update drivers from the official website for your card, although it’s easier to have the app ready for any future problems.
Fix #4 – Uninstall and Re-install MW3 and Steam
If none of those fixes worked for you, your next best bet is to uninstall and then re-install both Steam and Modern Warfare 3. This should be a last-case scenario considering how large Call of Duty MW3 is, and the time to download can take hours, but it could be worth it as it most likely will fix the not launching error.
If your Modern Warfare 3 game continues not working on your Steam after trying everything in this guide, it may be time to contact Steam or Activision customer support teams.
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is out now on PC through Steam and Battle.net. Like previous Call of Duty releases, there are a wealth of options to customize to fine-tune your experience and improve performance. However, some users are running into stability issues, which isn’t uncommon for COD releases. Here are a few things you can try to address the Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 crash at launch issues.
1
Verify Game Files
The first thing you want to do is make sure your game files are in order. Call of Duty’s installation size is massive, and there’s a chance for something to go wrong during the download or installation process.
Steam
- Open Steam and navigate to your library
- Right-click on Call of Duty in your library
- Click Properties
- Select the Installed Files tab
- Click on Verify Integrity of game files
Steam will initiate a scan, and if anything is missing, Steam will redownload and install those files.
Battle.net
You can also scan and repair the files on the Battle.net client by following the steps below.
- Open the Battle.net desktop app
- Click on the Call of Duty icon in your Games tab
- Click the cogwheel next to the Play button and select Scan and Repair
2
Update GPU Drivers
It’s important to update your GPU drivers to the latest version to ensure your GPU is being properly used. This has been the case for previous Call of Duty releases as well, and it isn’t different this time around.
You can get the latest ones from the links below.
- AMD
- NVIDIA
- Intel
3
Update DirectX and Visual C++ Redistributables
Ensure that both DirectX and Visual C++ Redistributables are on the latest version.
- DirectX
- Visual C++ Redistributables
4
Update Windows
Windows 7 and 8 are not supported by Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, and the developers also recommend that you have the latest version of Windows 10 as well.
- In Windows Search type “Update”, and click on Check for Updates
- This will take you to the Windows Update section, and you can make sure you are on the latest version
5
Switch to Dedicated GPU (Laptop Users)
Ensure that your dedicated GPU is being utilized instead of the integrated one.
Switching to the dedicated Nvidia GPU
- First, open the Nvidia Control Panel
- Then navigate to 3D Settings and then Manage 3D Settings
- Open the tab Program Settings and choose Call of Duty from the dropdown menu
- Next, select the preferred graphics processor for this program from the second dropdown.
- Your Nvidia GPU should show as a High-performance Nvidia processor
- Save the changes
Switching to the dedicated AMD GPU
- First, open Radeon Settings
- Then navigate to Preferences, followed by Additional Settings
- Here, select Power and then Switchable Graphics Application Settings
- Select Call of Duty from the list of applications
- If Call of Duty isn’t on the list, click the Add Application button and select the executable from the installation directory. This adds the game to the list, and you’ll be able to select it afterward.
- In Graphics Settings, assign the High-Performance profile to the game.
6
Check for Updates
You might want to check for any updates as well. This can be done for both clients.
Steam
- Open Steam, and navigate to your library.
- Right-click on Call of Duty in your library
- Click Properties
- Select the Updates tab, and set Automatic Updates to High Priority
You might want to restart Steam just in case, as sometimes new updates show up that way. The high-priority setting will ensure that COD is updated first.
Battle.net
- Open the Battle.net desktop app
- Click on the Call of Duty icon in your Games tab
- Click the cogwheel next to the Play button and select Check for Updates
This will force Battle.net to check for any updates.
We hope this guide helped fix the Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 crash at launch issue. Let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.
Recently players are reporting that Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 crashed in the middle of a gaming session on PC. Here one of the players is sharing his experience when the COD MW3 crashes in the middle of the game on Reddit. Some of the users get error code 0x00001338(11960) N and some players get 0xC0000005.
The main reason why Call of Duty MW3 keeps crashing on PC is because of the poor optimization of the game which early reviewers like IGN are heavily criticizing. In addition to that, make sure that your PC meets at least the minimum requirements to run the game.
If everything is up to standards, check for any unnecessary programs running in the background and end them to fully allocate hardware resources to Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3. Another fix that worked for Call of Duty MW3 Error Code 0xC0000005/0x00001338(11960) N was the GPU graphics driver update. Make sure that your GPU is always updated to run the games with optimized settings.
To explain things more clearly, we have written this comprehensive guide on how to fix Call of Duty MW3 crashing on PC by following some tried and tested solutions.
Minimum Requirements
| OS | Windows 10 64-Bit (latest update) |
| CPU | Intel Core i5-6600 or AMD Ryzen 5 1400 |
| Video Card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 or GTX 1650 or AMD Radeon RX 470 |
| Video Memory | 2 GB |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM |
| Storage Space | Up to 149 GB |
| Sound Card | DirectX Compatible |
Recommended Requirements
| OS | Windows 10 64-Bit or Windows 11 64-bit |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-6700K or AMD Ryzen 5 1600X |
| Video Card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080Ti or RTX 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 6600XT |
| Video Memory | 8 GB |
| Memory | 16 GB RAM |
| Storage Space | 149 GB |
| Sound Card | DirectX Compatible |
Solution 1: Restart the Game
Whenever you encounter Call of Duty MW3 crashing on your PC or any game bug, you should restart the game before trying any further solutions. Restarting the game will eliminate any temporary error from the old cookies and cache or the system’s other software clashing with your gaming software.
All of these errors will be eradicated after a simple restart of the game/PC or any other platform you use.
Solution 2: Close Unwanted Programs on Windows 11/10
If there are too many programs running in the background, using too much internet/RAM/Disk can cause COD MW3 to crash on Windows 11.
Closing unwanted programs will help you eliminate Error Code 0xC0000005 or 0x00001338(11960) N.
So, let’s close unwanted programs:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + ESC keys to open Task Manager
- Now check which program is using more Network
- Right-click on that program and select End task
- And check if the error is solved or not.
Solution 3: Power Cycle Your Router
If the above solution didn’t work then this solution will work and provide a better internet connection which will help you solve Call of Duty MW3 crashing on PC.
All you need to do is follow these steps:
- Turn off your router entirely by taking out the power cable from the power switch.
- Leave it for 5 to 10 minutes and then plug it back in.
- And check if the Wi-Fi is visible to you or not.
Make sure you restart those devices affected in the process for an accurate fix. After power cycling your router it is better to Run your game as an administrator to avoid any error
Solution 4: Run the Battle net/ Steam as an Administrator
Running the program as an administrator will definitely help you eradicate crashing as it might lack the privileges required to run the Application.
Here is how you can run the application as an administrator:
- Go to the file/ folder.
- Then go to the Game Launcher/Steam client.
- Right-click on the Launcher icon
- A menu will open
- Select “Run as administrator “
Now the program will start running smoothly without giving you the Error Code 0xC0000005 or 0x00001338(11960) N on Call of Duty MW3.
The above solution is a temporary fix which helps you run the program or access folder. If you want to run the program permanently on administrator, then follow the next solution to solve game Crashing.
Solution 5: Run the Battle Net/ Steam as an Administrator (Permanently)
- Go to the folder/Application
- Right-click on it
- A menu will open
- Select Properties
- A new window will open
- Navigate to the “Compatibility Tab“
- Under the Settings heading
- Find “Run this Program as an administrator“
- Check the box of this option
- Click “Apply“
Now your program successfully Runs as an Administrator on Windows (Permanently) and you can easily open the program without repeating the steps again and again.
Hopefully, this will eradicate Call of Duty MW3 crashing on PC issue.
If this solution is still not helping to solve the error then try performing a Clean boot.
Solution 6: Perform a Clean Boot
Clean boot will help you eliminate the unnecessary applications which are running on the backend.
And shut down any applications which are conflicting with each other.
How to perform a clean boot on Windows 11?
Here is how to perform a Clean Boot on Windows 11:
- Press Windows Button + R Key
- The Run Dialogue Box will appear.
- Type “MSConfig“
- Press Enter
- The System Configuration window will open
- Select Services tab
- Uncheck all the unnecessary services
- Only check those you need now
- Now click OK
Now your clean boot is done, and it eliminated the unnecessary services which will enable you to play Modern Warfare 3.
Solution 7: Keep your PC Updated
Sometimes your outdated PC is the main cause of the Outdated Graphics Card Driver on Windows.
Outdated drivers in your PC or your current Windows Version cannot support MW3 or other gaming software. As you update your Windows all running drivers are updated too.
So, here is how you can update your PC:
- Click on the Windows icon
- Click on the Settings icon
- A new window will pop up
- Select Windows Update from the left menu
- The new Windows will pop up
- Then click on Check for updates.
- If there is any update it will start updating the PC.
You can also update your graphic drivers through Windows Update too and solve Call of Duty MW3 crashing on PC.
Solution 8: Update Graphics Card Driver with Windows Update
Updating the graphic drivers will help you have a better and more stable graphical experience.
This will fix the “Modern Warfare 3 Crashing” and you will play MW3 without getting errors.
Here is how you can update drivers via optional updates:
- Click on the Windows icon
- Click on the Settings icon
- A new window will pop up
- Select Windows Update from the left menu
- The new window will pop up
- Now select Advanced options
- Click on Optional updates
- A new window will open
- Click on the drop-down button for Driver updates
- Now, select your desired drivers
- Now press the Download & Install button
If you cannot update your drivers through Windows Update, then you can try updating the Graphics Drivers through Device Manager.
Solution 9: Update Graphics Card Driver via Device manager
We can update outdated graphic drivers in multiple ways.
If you cannot update your graphic drivers by updating Windows, you can try updating through the Device Manager too which in return will fix Call of Duty MW3 crashing on PC.
Here is how you can update drivers through Device Manager:
- Click on the Search icon
- Type Device Manager
- Click to open Device Manager
- Then select the Display adapters
- A further menu will open
- Right-click on the graphic card name
- Click on the Update driver
Rolling Back the Driver:
If you experiencing the Call of Duty MW3 crashing on PC Error Code 0xC0000005/0x00001338(11960) N issue after updating your graphic drivers, then you can roll back the driver’s recent update to avoid errors in game.
Here is how you can roll back drivers:
- Click on the Search icon
- Type Device Manager
- Click to open Device Manager
- Then select the Display adapters
- A further menu will open
- Right-click on the graphic card name
- Click on the Properties
- A graphic card properties Windows will open
- Navigate to the Driver Tab
- There is an option for “Roll Back Drivers”. Click on it
- If the option of “Roll Back Drivers” is greyed out, this means that the driver did not update recently.
If this solution didn’t fix, then update the external GPU driver.
Solution 10: Check for Driver’s Updates of GPU/Video Card of different company
One of the highlighted issues is outdated GPU drivers leading to crashing
When Your video card has outdated drivers, it’s unable for GPU to align with the modern gaming experience and starts causing Modern Warfare 3 errors.
So, we recommend updating the video card drivers.
Here are the direct links to the main GPU Making Companies:
- AMD
- Nvidia
- Intel
After updating the GPU drivers and checking whether the Modern Warfare 3 Crashing on PC is fixed or not. If the above solution didn’t work out for you, then try the next solution.
Solution 11: Verify the Game Files
Sometimes the game file will get corrupted or get deleted, which eventually causes Call of Duty MW3 crashing on PC.
Verify Game File in Steam:
Follow the steps to verify the game file on steam software to fix Call of Duty MW3 crashing on PC:
- Launch the Steam Software
- Now login in the steam
- Navigate to the library
- Select the game and right-click on the game
- Now select properties
- Now click on the “Local file” Option
- A further menu will open
- Click on the “Verify Integrity of the Game Cache“
- Now the software is verifying the files, and this will take some time.
Sometimes the game file will get corrupted or get deleted which eventually causes Call of Duty MW3 crashing on PC.
Verify Game File in Battle.Net to fix Modern Warfare 3 On a PC
Here is how you can repair files in Battle.net to fix Call of Duty MW3 crashing on PC:
- Open the battle.net desktop app
- Find Modern Warfare 3 and click on it.
- Click on the cog icon small menu will appear select “Scan and Repair“
- Click on the Begin scan then you need a repair to finish
What is Steam software used for?
Steam software is an online platform that is used to play games and also hosts over 10,000 games.
This software allows the user to make a community and play games on the same platform.
Is Steam a virus? Can steam harm your computer?
Steam is a client gaming software that allows users to enjoy gaming by building the best community around them.
In current times, Steam has over 120 million active players around the world.
When you play games on Steam, your PC might get occupied, but it will not harm your computer.
Now move on to the Power Setting to solve Modern Warfare 3 Crashing on PC.
Solution 12: Change Power Settings
When your PC power plan is set on the Balanced option plan, your PC will provide less power to the game. This will eventually cause game lag or Call of Duty MW3 crashing on PC.
To avoid the error follow the below steps to change Power settings:
How do I change power settings in Windows 11?
- Go to the Control Panel
- Select the View option “Large Icon“
- Now find “Power Options” and click on it
- Choose your Power Plan “High Performance“
- If there is no other option expect a “Balanced“
- Then navigate to the left menu
- Select “Create a power plan“
- A new window will open
- Select the power plan to “High Performance“
- And click on Next
- The new power plan is available.
If the game still crashes in the middle of the match and uses the VPN service then it’s time to change the VPN to a better one.
Solution 13: Switch to a More Reliable VPN
Free VPN did not allow you to stream at full speed they set a limit to the free version which is not a very good internet speed for working or gaming.
The premium VPNs help players to achieve an uninterrupted gaming experience and will not compromise the FPS and ping of the game.
For your convince, I am listing down some most reliable plus they are working with other users without having Call of Duty MW3 crashing on PC.
DISCOUNTED VPNS FOR THE CPU GUIDE READERS
- Nord VPN
- VyprVPN
- Express VPN
- Avast Secure Line
- Zenmate
If switching to a reliable VPN doesn’t help then simply follow the next solution.
Solution 15: Disable VPN
VPN connection can interrupt the network incoming and outgoing which ultimately becomes the cause for many games like Call of Duty MW3. So if you are experiencing Call of Duty MW3 crashing on PC with Error Code 0xC0000005/0x00001338(11960) N or the Packet Burst issue, then simply disable or disconnect the VPN that you are using. This will help you to establish a direct and secure internet connection directly with the COD MW3 server to avoid MW3 Network issues.
Solution 16: Check Server Availability
Finally if you are sure that your internet connection is fine and there is nothing wrong with your gaming console or PC either, then check the COD MW3 server availability. Sometimes the crash can occur due to the server downtime when you are not able to login to the game and it crashes during gameplay due to a sudden server downtime.
To check the Call of Duty Modern Warfare server availability, visit the Activision Support website for online services status. Click on the ‘Refresh’ button next to the Update date and time. Then check the platforms section to see if the server is facing any downtime. If it’s green and says ‘Online’ that means you are good to go.
Solution 17: Contact Activision Support
Finally, if none of the above-mentioned solutions has resolved the Call of Duty MW3 crashing on PC, you can contact Activision Support to address the issue. There could be a bug in the game or some other glitch that might be causing this issue, and you can resolve it by simply reporting it to the developers. Hopefully, they will release a new patch or respond to you with a possible fix.
Final Words
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 keeps crashing on PC due to its poor optimization and high hardware requirements. All of these accessibility conditions makes this game almost unplayable on PC. But with the methods mentioned in this article, you can surely resolve the Call of Duty MW3 crashing on PC issue.
If you have any queries or suggestions, share your experience with us in the comments section down below.
Hi there! I’m a passionate content creator and gamer. Being devoted to making a difference through my publications, I chose to blog for a career to share my knowledge and expertise in gaming technology. Compiling my tech knowledge and gaming experience, I am here to bring you the latest updates and news from the gaming world. Follow me on Twitter .
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone are still continuing the momentum that was brought by the revamped Modern Warfare series in 2019 with thousands of players logging in to try out the various game modes on offer. If you are a PC gamer, you are provided with the option to download the game on Valve’s platform, apart from the Battle.net launcher. While most gamers have had consistent gameplay experiences on Steam, there seem to be a few unlucky players who ran into an issue where they were unable to open the game. Here’s how you can fix it.
How to Fix Cod MW3 and Warzone Not Launching on Steam?
This error essentially stops players from launching into MW3 or Warzone games as clicking on the Play button on Steam or the game from your desktop will yield no result. Follow these steps to find a solution for it:
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Open Steam and head to your Library.
-
Right-click on Call of Duty from the games list and go to Properties > Installed Files > Browse.
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This will take you to the game’s installed location on your PC. You will need to locate the cod.exe from the list of other files.
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Once you’ve found the .exe file, right-click on it and select Properties > Compatibility, and then check on the box that says “Disable Fullscreen Optimizations” along with “Run this Program as Administrator”.
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Make sure you uncheck the compatibility mode option, click on Apply, and save these changes.
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Once this is done, search for “Documents” in your Windows search bar. You will find a Call of Duty folder which needs to be deleted.
Making the aforementioned changes should make sure you do not encounter this issue anymore. However, if you still continue to face problems, follow these steps:
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Search for “Graphic Settings” from your Windows search bar
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These graphic settings will allow you to allot your resources to each application. Find “Call of Duty HQ” from the list.
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If you cannot locate such an app, you will need to add it yourself which can simply be done by scrolling back up to the top of the graphics settings and clicking on Browse
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Before you do so, you will need to know the exact install location of COD on your PC.
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If you don’t already know this, you can head into your Steam library, right-click on COD from your games list, and click on Properties > Installed Files > Browse, which will show you the correct path.
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Head back into your graphics settings and select the cod.exe file from the target location and click on Add
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Once this is added, you need to select it, click on Options, and check the boxes that say “High Performance” and “Don’t use optimizations for windowed games”.
This should pretty much solve the issue and launch you straight into the immersive world of COD MW3 and Warzone. If you still face the same problem, you can contact Steam Support and Activision Support for further troubleshooting.
Recently, a lot of players have been unable to play Modern Warfare 3 Campaign due to an undetermined error preventing the game from launching on Steam as well as on Battle.net. It’s often accompanied by a black screen or completely no response.
Since the number of reports is increasing, Activision will soon be releasing a hotfix for this error. Until then, in this guide, we have compiled some methods and workarounds that can resolve this issue. Continue reading and get this MW3 Campaign not launching on Steam and Battle.net error fixed.
Fix Modern Warfare 3 Not Launching on Steam and Battle.net
If you are having a problem while launching Modern Warfare 3 campaign on Steam or Battle.net, try the below solutions:
Start Steam/Battle.net & MW3 as Administrator
Launching the game and the client as an administrator does fix a lot of launch-related issues. Running as an administrator gives special permissions to access restricted parts of your Windows to that app. Hence, it works as intended.
To do this right-click on the client’s .exe file > Show Properties> Compatibility> check on Run as Administrator.
Close Conflicting Processes
Sometimes it is found that Modern Warfare 3 has conflicts with other clients and apps like Epic Games while launching. Due to this Modern Warfare 3 not launching. To fix this, all you need to do is close these processes in the system configuration. Follow the below-given steps to do it:
- Press the Windows button + R on your keyboard.
- Now in the RUN input box, type msconfig and press enter.
- Now, in the System Configuration window, head to the Services Tab.
- Check in the Hide all Microsoft Services option at the bottom.
- Now from the remaining services, uncheck processes like Epic Game, Easy Anti-cheat, and Rockstar Game library.
Once done, relaunch the game and check if the problem is fixed.
Reinstall and Validate MW3
Reinstalling the game has fixed such launch issues with this game in the past editions as well. That might be a bit time-consuming, but is highly effective.
- For Battlenet:
- Launch the Battle.net app on your PC.
- Next, head to the MW3 game from the library.
- Click on the gear cog on the Play button and Uninstall.
- Once uninstallation is complete, restart the launcher and install the game again.
- Once done, click on the play button.
- For Steam:
- Launch the Steam app on your PC.
- Locate the game in the library tab.
- Now right-click and select manage.
- Under Manage, select on Uninstall option.
- Once uninstallation is completed, restart the launcher and install the game again.
Now Steam will install and validate the game file. Wait for it to complete the whole validating process. This should hopefully resolve the not launching issue.
However, if none of the above-mentioned fixes work for you, the last option left is to contact Activision Support for further assistance.
That’s everything from our side on how to fix the MW3 campaign not launching on Steam and Battle.net error. If you find this guide helpful, check out our Modern Warfare 3 dedicated section on Gamer Tweak for more such useful guides.
Satyam is not just a gaming content writer but a passionate designer in the virtual realm. With a deep-seated love for open-world adventures akin to the excitement found in the GTA series and the gritty narratives reminiscent of titles like Mafia 2. When not navigating the landscapes of Los Santos or the underworld of the ’40s, Satyam immerses himself in the tactical complexities of CS:GO, or pushing pixels crafting designs.