Satisfactory Crashing on PC: Fixes From Coffee Stain
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Satisfactory crashing on PC is usually fixed in this order: verify the game files, update the graphics driver and switch the rendering API (DirectX 12, DirectX 11 or Vulkan), then update or disable mods. That is the order Coffee Stain gives on its own support page, and it covers the large majority of crashes. If the crash started after an update, install the latest patch too: the 1.2 fixes and the 4 November 2026 Crossplay update fixed a long list of specific crashes, from the Blueprint Designer to multiplayer vehicles.
This is one game in our survival and base-building series. If Satisfactory runs but gets slow as your factory grows, that isn’t a crash. See the Satisfactory low FPS fix and why base building tanks FPS in survival games.
Match the Satisfactory crash to the fix
| What you see | Most likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Crash that names DirectX, D3D11, D3D12 or Vulkan | Graphics card, driver or rendering API | Fix 2 |
| ”ImgMedia failed to load” at startup | Incomplete install or missing Unreal Engine prerequisites | Fix 3 |
| Crashes or odd behaviour with mods installed | Outdated or conflicting mods, or a save they changed | Fix 4 |
| Random crashes or weird behaviour, no clear message | Damaged game files | Fix 1 |
| Crash in a specific place: Blueprint Designer, vehicle inventory, ladders, leaving multiplayer in a vehicle | A bug fixed in a recent patch | Fix 5 |
| Can’t join, or crash when joining, a very large save in multiplayer | Known big-save multiplayer issue | Fix 6 |
| Game runs but gets slower over hours | Not a crash: factory simulation or a memory problem | Low FPS fix |
Fix 1 — Verify the game files
Coffee Stain’s first answer to “my game is crashing or I’m experiencing weird behaviour” is to verify the files:
- Steam: right-click Satisfactory in your Library → Properties → Installed Files (called Local Files on older Steam clients) → Verify integrity of game files.
- Epic Games Launcher: click the three dots (…) next to Satisfactory → Manage → Verify.
Verification replaces any damaged or missing files without touching your saves. Run it again after any crash that started right after an update.
Fix 2 — DirectX, D3D12 or Vulkan crashes
If the crash message mentions DirectX, D3D11, D3D12 or Vulkan, Coffee Stain says the problem is related to your graphics card or its driver. Work through their steps in order:
- Check the requirements (table below). A card under the minimum spec, or with too little video memory for your settings, can crash rather than just run slowly.
- Verify the game files (Fix 1).
- Update the graphics driver. If a normal update doesn’t help, do a clean install with DDU.
- Switch the rendering API in the in-game Video settings. DirectX 12 is the default; try DirectX 11 or Vulkan if DirectX 12 crashes on your system.
If the game crashes before you reach the menu, you can’t change the API in the game, so force it with a launch option. Coffee Stain lists these:
| Launch option | Rendering API |
|---|---|
-dx12 or -d3d12 | DirectX 12 |
-dx11 or -d3d11 | DirectX 11 |
-vulkan | Vulkan |
- Steam: right-click Satisfactory → Properties → General → Launch Options, type one option, close the window and start the game.
- Epic: Settings → scroll to Satisfactory → tick Additional Command Line Arguments and type the option.
Use one option at a time, and remove it again once the game starts reliably so you’re back on the default.
A crash that only happens under heavy load, sometimes with a “device removed” or “device hung” message, is usually a driver timeout or an unstable overclock rather than a Satisfactory bug. Those are covered in DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG and the Unreal Engine “D3D device lost” crash. If the message is about running out of video memory, lower Texture Quality and see the out of video memory fix.
Fix 3 — “ImgMedia failed to load”
Coffee Stain says this startup error usually means the game wasn’t installed properly.
- Verify the game files first (Fix 1).
- If that doesn’t fix it, install the Unreal Engine prerequisites by hand: open the folder where Satisfactory is installed, go to Engine → Extras → Redist → en-us, and run
UE4PrereqSetup_x64.exe.
If a different startup error names a missing DLL such as VCRUNTIME140.dll or MSVCP140.dll, the Visual C++ runtime is missing instead. See the VCRUNTIME140 / MSVCP140 fix.
Fix 4 — Update or disable mods
Coffee Stain is direct about this: mods are the most likely cause when players run into problems, mods are maintained by the community, and Coffee Stain can’t help with issues they cause. Their advice:
- Update or disable every mod first, before trying anything else on this page. Mods often break after a game update until their authors catch up.
- Problems can linger in a save even after the mods are uninstalled. If a modded save still crashes with mods removed, start a new world to test: if the new world is stable, the save is the problem, not your PC.
- In multiplayer, everyone must have the same mods installed.
Fix 5 — Install the latest patch
Many Satisfactory crashes are specific bugs that Coffee Stain has already fixed. These are the PC-relevant crash fixes in recent patch notes:
| Patch | Date | Crash fixes (from Coffee Stain’s notes) |
|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Update | 2 June 2026 | First update released on PC, PS5 and Xbox at the same time |
| v1.2.3.0 | 11 June 2026 | Memory leak caused by drones fixed |
| v1.2.4.0 | 11 August 2026 | Crash when leaving a multiplayer session while inside a vehicle; crashes related to FInstanceSceneDataBuffers (including in multiplayer), rain occlusion and rain audio; crash when building a Personnel Elevator as part of a Blueprint; fewer players stuck on loading screens when joining a host |
| v1.2.4.1 | 12 October 2026 | Crash when aiming at a conveyor belt with several Conveyor Throughput Monitors after one was dismantled; audio crash when exiting the game |
| Crossplay update | 4 November 2026 | ”UObject limit” crash from opening and closing UIs, commonly in the Blueprint Designer and Vehicle Inventory; stack overflow crash (FRDGBuilder::FAsyncDeleter); rare crash leaving decoupled camera after climbing a ladder; several crashes with Blueprint Autoconnect on Blueprints that have errors; dedicated server crash in drone pathing |
If your crash matches one of these and you’re up to date, verify the files (Fix 1) so you’re actually running the patched build. If it still happens, report it (below).
Fix 6 — Multiplayer, big saves and Crossplay
- Big saves: being unable to join large saves in multiplayer is a known problem. The Crossplay update added potential fixes and Coffee Stain says some issues still remain. Make sure host and clients are on the same version, and that everyone has identical mods.
- Crossplay (since 4 November 2026) runs through Epic Online Services, so every player needs a free Epic Games account linked from the in-game Online settings. If you get a “multiplayer incompatible account” error, Coffee Stain’s fix is Options → Online → Reset Account Linking and then relinking.
- Dedicated servers are PC-only and aren’t available during Crossplay sessions.
If the host’s factory is huge, the host machine’s CPU matters more than anyone’s graphics card. See survival game server lag and tick rate.
Check the requirements
From Satisfactory’s Steam store page:
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 11 64-bit |
| CPU | Intel Core i5-3570 (3.4 GHz, 4 cores) | Ryzen 5 5600X or Core i5-12400, 6 physical cores minimum |
| RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB |
| GPU | GTX 1650 / GTX 1050 Ti or RX 470 / RX 570 | RTX 2070 or RX 5700 |
| Storage | 20 GB | 20 GB |
On the minimum spec, a large late-game factory is a heavy load. Crashes that only appear after hours in a big save are often memory pressure. See why FPS drops after hours of gameplay.
Report the crash to Coffee Stain
If none of this fixes it, report it on Coffee Stain’s QA site (questions.satisfactorygame.com). Coffee Stain says the team reads the posts every day. Include your patch version, your GPU and driver version, which rendering API you were on, whether you use mods, and what you were doing when it crashed.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Why does Satisfactory keep crashing on PC?
Satisfactory crashes on PC usually come from one of four things: damaged game files, a graphics driver or rendering API problem (the crash names DirectX, D3D11, D3D12 or Vulkan), mods that are out of date, or a bug Coffee Stain has since fixed in a patch. Coffee Stain's own support page says to verify the game files first, then update the GPU driver and try a different rendering API, and to update or disable mods before anything else.
How do I fix a DirectX, D3D12 or Vulkan crash in Satisfactory?
Coffee Stain says these crashes are related to the graphics card or its driver. Check that your PC meets the minimum requirements, verify the game files, update the graphics driver, then switch the rendering API in the in-game Video settings. If the game won't reach the menu, force a different API with a launch option: -dx12, -d3d12, -dx11, -d3d11 or -vulkan.
What does ImgMedia failed to load mean in Satisfactory?
Coffee Stain says the ImgMedia failed to load error usually means the game was not installed properly. Verify the game files first. If that doesn't fix it, open the Satisfactory install folder, go to Engine > Extras > Redist > en-us and run UE4PrereqSetup_x64.exe to install the Unreal Engine prerequisites manually.
Can mods make Satisfactory crash even after I remove them?
Yes. Coffee Stain's support page says mods are the most likely cause when players run into problems, that mod issues are maintained by the community rather than by Coffee Stain, and that problems can linger in a save file even after the mods are uninstalled. Update or disable mods before trying anything else, and test with a new world to see whether the save itself is the problem.
Why does Satisfactory crash when I join a big multiplayer save?
Joining very large saves in multiplayer is a known problem. Coffee Stain's Crossplay update on 4 November 2026 included potential fixes for players being unable to join big saves, and says some issues remain. Update every player to the same version, make sure everyone uses the same mods, and report the crash on Coffee Stain's QA site if it continues.