War Thunder runs on almost any PC, but after big updates many players get crashes at startup, black screens, "failed to recover the 3D device" errors or freezes in the middle of a battle. Most of these problems come from a few causes: broken files, the shader cache, the graphics API (DirectX 12 vs DirectX 11), the driver or the drive the game is installed on. Find your problem below, then follow the fixes in order.
Quick answer: first check the game files in the launcher (or verify them on Steam), then delete the cache and compiledShaders folders. If the crashes started after an update or happen on DirectX 12, switch to DirectX 11 in the launcher. Update your graphics driver, remove mods, add War Thunder to your antivirus exclusions, and make sure the game is on an internal drive with free space.
Find your problem first
| What happens | Most likely cause | Go to |
|---|---|---|
| Game closes at startup or after the loading screen | Broken files, cache, graphics API | Fix 1, Fix 2, Fix 3 |
| Crash or freeze only in air battles, or only on DirectX 12 | DirectX 12 | Fix 3 |
| "Failed to recover the 3D device", driver hang, black screen | Graphics driver, settings too high | Fix 4, Fix 5 |
| Crash when you Alt+Tab | Fullscreen mode, overlays | Fix 6 |
| Error 81110007 "File read error" | Damaged files or drive | Fix 1, Fix 7 |
| Random crashes in every game, not only War Thunder | RAM, Windows files, unstable CPU | Fix 8 |
Pick your hardware and we compare it with the official War Thunder requirements.
Official War Thunder PC requirements
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 (64-bit) | Windows 10/11 (64-bit) |
| CPU | Dual-Core 2.2 GHz | Intel Core i5 or Ryzen 5 3600 and better |
| RAM | 4 GB | 16 GB and more |
| GPU | DirectX 11 card: AMD Radeon 77XX / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 / Radeon RX 570 and higher |
| Storage | 23.1 GB (minimal client) | 75.9 GB (full client) |
Source: official War Thunder website. Results are estimates based on relative hardware performance.
Before anything else, check that your PC meets the War Thunder system requirements. Below the minimum, the game can close when it runs out of memory.
Fix 1: Check the game files
A failed update or an interrupted download leaves broken files, and the game closes with no clear error.
- Gaijin launcher: open the launcher, click the settings (gear) icon and use Check files.
- Steam: right-click War Thunder in your Library > Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files.
Only the broken files are downloaded again, so it is much faster than a full reinstall. This is also the official fix for error 81110007 ("File read error").
Fix 2: Delete the cache and compiledShaders folders
After an update, old shader and cache files can make the game crash at startup or in the first battle.
- Close War Thunder and the launcher.
- Open the War Thunder install folder (on Steam: right-click the game > Manage > Browse local files).
- Delete the cache folder, and the compiledShaders folder if you see one.
- Start the game. It rebuilds these folders by itself, so the first launch and the first battle take a bit longer.
Gaijin's support lists the cache folder as a standard step. Deleting compiledShaders comes from players on the official forum, but it is safe: the game rebuilds it.
Fix 3: Switch between DirectX 12 and DirectX 11
Many players are on DirectX 12 by default since the May 2026 update. It works well on most PCs, but players on the official forum report crashes on DirectX 12, especially in air battles and on some Radeon cards.
- Open the launcher, click the settings (gear) icon.
- Change the graphics API / renderer to DirectX 11.
- Start the game and play a few battles.
If DirectX 11 crashes and DirectX 12 does not, keep DirectX 12: some players report the opposite after the Ninth Wave update. Keep the one that works on your PC.
If the launcher keeps switching back to DirectX 12: players fix it in the config.blk file in the War Thunder folder. Close the game, make a copy of config.blk, open it with Notepad, change driver:t="dx12" (or "auto") to driver:t="dx11", and save. This is a player fix, not an official one.
Some players also use the hidden Vulkan mode with the Steam launch option -driver:vulkan. It is not officially supported, and other players report worse performance with it, so try it only if both DirectX modes crash.
Fix 4: Update (or reinstall) your graphics driver
- NVIDIA: update from the NVIDIA app.
- AMD: update from AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition.
- Intel Arc: update from Intel's driver page.
If the crashes started right after a driver update, do a clean install (both installers have the option) or go back one version. A clean driver install does not fix every crash, but it rules out the most common cause of "failed to recover the 3D device".
Fix 5: Lower the heaviest settings and remove mods
- Turn ray tracing off and lower textures one step, especially with 4 GB of video memory or less.
- Turn off any GPU or CPU overclock, and test at default speeds.
- Remove mods: custom sound mods, user skins and user missions can make the game crash after an update. Remove them from the UserSkins / sound mod folders and test.
- If the game still crashes, try the Ultra Low preset for one battle: if it stops crashing, raise the settings back one by one.
Our guide War Thunder Best PC Settings explains every option, and War Thunder on a Low-End PC or Laptop covers weak PCs and laptops.
Fix 6: Crashes when you Alt+Tab
Freezes and crashes when you switch windows are a long-running issue on the official forum. Players reduce them with:
- Windowed or borderless fullscreen mode instead of fullscreen;
- turning off the Discord, Steam and NVIDIA / AMD overlays, and recording apps;
- not switching windows while a battle is loading.
Fix 7: Antivirus, free space and the drive
These come from Gaijin's official support steps:
- Add the War Thunder folder to your antivirus exclusions, or turn the antivirus off for one test (then turn it back on).
- Keep several GB free on the game drive.
- Do not play from a USB or external drive: install the game on an internal drive, ideally an SSD.
- Check the drive for errors: open the drive's Properties > Tools > Check. If errors keep coming back, the drive may be failing: install the game on another drive.
Fix 8: Windows files, RAM and unstable CPUs
If other games crash too, the problem is probably not War Thunder:
- Repair Windows files: open the Command Prompt as administrator and run
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, thensfc /scannow. - Test your RAM: run Windows Memory Diagnostic (type
mdschedin the Start menu). If you use XMP / EXPO or an overclock, reset your BIOS to default and test again. - Intel Core i7 / i9 of the 13th or 14th generation: update your motherboard BIOS to the latest version. Intel released it to fix an instability in those processors that makes many games crash.
Still crashing?
If War Thunder asks to send a crash dump to the developers, accept: it helps Gaijin find the cause. For crashes that keep coming back, report them on Gaijin's official issue tracker with your logs, or click "I have same issue!" on an existing report, as moderators ask on the forum. You can also contact Gaijin support with your PC specs.
More War Thunder on FpsGen
- War Thunder Best PC Settings: the best settings for every PC
- War Thunder on a Low-End PC or Laptop: settings for weak PCs and integrated graphics
- War Thunder System Requirements: official specs for Windows, Mac and Linux
- Can I Run War Thunder?: results for popular graphics cards
- How to Increase FPS on PC
FAQ
Why does War Thunder keep crashing?
The usual causes are broken game files, an old shader cache after an update, DirectX 12 problems, an old graphics driver, mods, or a drive or RAM problem. Check the files, delete the cache folder, try DirectX 11, and update your driver.
How do I switch War Thunder to DirectX 11?
Open the launcher, click the settings (gear) icon and choose DirectX 11 as the graphics API. If it switches back by itself, change the driver line in config.blk to dx11 with the game closed.
What does "failed to recover the 3D device" mean in War Thunder?
The graphics driver stopped responding. Update or clean-install your driver, remove any GPU overclock, turn off ray tracing and lower textures one step.
How do I fix War Thunder error 81110007?
It is a file read error. Check the files in the launcher or verify them on Steam, delete the cache folder, free some space, and check the drive for errors. If it comes back, install the game on another internal drive.
Is it safe to delete the War Thunder cache folder?
Yes. The game rebuilds the cache and compiledShaders folders on the next launch. The first battle after that may load a bit slower.
Official fixes (check files, cache folder, antivirus, drive, Windows and RAM checks) from Gaijin support. DirectX 12, Vulkan, compiledShaders and Alt+Tab fixes are reported by players on the official forum (DirectX 12 crashes in air battles, Ninth Wave update crashes, Vulkan workaround); they are not official. Last checked November 7, 2026.
Gaming writer at FpsGen. Guides and reviews are built on official sources, patch notes and real player data.
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