Hogwarts Legacy is a recently released action RPG based on the Harry Potter novels, set in the wizarding world. Developed by Avalanche Software and Warner Bros. Games, it allows players to embark on their own adventure and take control of the action.
Despite its popularity, many PC gamers have reported various issues with the game, including crashes, lags, stutters, frame drops, and most notably, the game not launching or loading on Windows PCs.
Despite its highly-anticipated release, it has become one of the most common problems that PC users face when trying to launch the game. Additionally, reports suggest that Steam and Epic Launcher users are particularly affected by the game not loading issue.
Steps to Fix Hogwarts Legacy Won’t Launch or Not Loading on PC
Fortunately, there are several potential solutions available to address the issue of Hogwarts Legacy not launching or not loading on a PC. To avoid any further delay, let’s delve into these methods.
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Check System Requirements
Before anything else, it is important to make sure that your PC meets the minimum system requirements for Hogwarts Legacy. If your computer does not meet the requirements, the game may not launch or run properly. The minimum system requirements for Hogwarts Legacy are as follows:
- OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
- Processor: Intel Core i5-2400 or AMD FX-6300
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 or AMD Radeon HD 7850
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 75 GB available space
If your PC meets the minimum requirements, but you are still having issues with the game, try the following troubleshooting steps.
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Update Graphics Card Drivers
One of the most common causes of game launch issues is outdated graphics card drivers. If your graphics card drivers are outdated or incompatible, the game may not launch or may not run properly. To update your graphics card drivers, follow the steps below:
- Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type “devmgmt.msc” and press Enter to open Device Manager.
- Expand the Display adapters category.
- Right-click on your graphics card and select Update driver.
- Choose the option to search automatically for updated driver software.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process.
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Verify Game Files
If your game is not launching or not loading properly, it may be due to corrupt game files. To check and repair any corrupt files, follow the steps below:
Steam Users:
- Open Steam and go to your Library.
- Right-click on Hogwarts Legacy and select Properties.
- Go to the Local Files tab and click Verify Integrity of Game Files.
- Wait for the process to complete and try launching the game again.
Epic Launcher:
If you have installed Hogwarts Legacy through the Epic Games Launcher, verifying the game files can also help fix any issues with launching or loading the game. Here are the steps to verify game files in Epic Launcher:
- Open the Epic Games Launcher on your PC.
- Click on the Library tab at the top of the launcher.
- Find Hogwarts Legacy in your library and click on the three-dot menu icon next to the game.
- Select Verify from the drop-down menu.
- The launcher will now check your game files for any errors or missing files.
- If the launcher finds any issues, it will automatically start downloading and replacing any missing or corrupted files.
- Once the verification and download process is complete, try launching the game again.
Verifying game files in Epic Launcher can take some time depending on the size of the game and the speed of your internet connection. However, it can be an effective way to fix any issues with the game files and get Hogwarts Legacy running on your PC again.
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Disable Antivirus and Firewall
Sometimes, antivirus and firewall software can interfere with game launch and cause issues. If you have antivirus or firewall software running, try temporarily disabling them and then launch the game to see if the issue is resolved. If disabling the antivirus or firewall resolves the issue, you may need to add an exception for Hogwarts Legacy in the software to allow it to run properly.
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Run the Game as Administrator
Running the game as an administrator can sometimes resolve launch issues. To run the game as an administrator, follow the steps below:
- Right-click on the Hogwarts Legacy shortcut on your desktop.
- Select Properties and go to the Compatibility tab.
- Check the box next to Run this program as an administrator.
- Click Apply and then OK.
- Launch the game again and see if the issue is resolved.
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Disable Overlay Apps
Overlay apps like Discord, Steam, and GeForce Experience can sometimes cause issues with game launch. If you have any overlay apps running, try disabling them before launching the game. To disable overlay apps, follow the steps below:
- Open Discord and go to User Settings.
- Click on Overlay and turn off the Enable in-game overlay option.
- Open GeForce Experience and go to Settings.
- Under General, turn off the In-Game Overlay option.
- Open Steam and go to Library.
- Right-click on Hogwarts Legacy and select Properties.
- Go to the General tab and turn off the Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game option.
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Reinstall the Game
If the previous solutions did not work, then you may need to reinstall Hogwarts Legacy. Sometimes game files can become corrupted or missing, leading to launch issues. Here are the steps to follow:
For Steam:
- Open Steam and go to your Library.
- Right-click on Hogwarts Legacy and select “Uninstall”.
- Confirm that you want to uninstall the game and wait for it to complete.
- Once the game is uninstalled, restart your computer.
- Open Steam and go to your Library again.
- Click on “Install” to reinstall Hogwarts Legacy.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process.
- Once the game is installed, try launching it again to see if the issue has been resolved.
For Epic Launcher:
- Open the Epic Games Launcher on your PC.
- Click on the Library tab located at the left-hand side of the screen.
- Locate Hogwarts Legacy in your game library.
- Hover your mouse over the game’s icon and click on the three dots that appear on the bottom right corner of the game’s image.
- Click on “Uninstall” from the options that appear.
- Confirm that you want to uninstall the game by clicking “Uninstall” again in the pop-up window.
- Once the game is fully uninstalled, click on the “Install” button to reinstall Hogwarts Legacy.
- Select the desired installation location for the game files.
- Wait for the game files to finish downloading and installing.
- Launch the game and check if it now runs without any issues.
Note: If you have a slow internet connection, the installation process may take some time. Also, make sure that your computer meets the minimum system requirements for the game to run smoothly. If your system is not powerful enough, it can cause performance issues and make the game unplayable.