Ubisoft; The French Montreal-based game development company that is well known for absolute bangers like the Assassins Creed series, Far Cry series, Rainbox Six Siege, Prince of Persia series, and many other super hits among gamers. Who doesn’t love the characters Ubisoft has created for our entertainment? Ezio Auditore da Firenze (Assassins Creed II), Vaas (Far Cry 3), The Rabbids (Rabbids), Aiden Pearce (Watch Dogs), and the list does not stop anywhere soon.
Games developed by Ubisoft can be purchased to their own platform, Uplay or Ubisoft Connect. This tool allows users to connect with other multiplayer servers, buy Ubisoft games, and contact other players who have a Ubisoft profile.
Sometimes, the Uplay application may not be launched on your computer due to a number of reasons. You may think that you wouldn’t be able to play your video game like you wanted to. That’s where we come in. You can run games without any hindrance on your computer once you are done with this article we made for you.
What Causes The Uplay Won’t Launch Error On Your Computer?
There are a variety of reasons why Uplay won’t launch on your system or prevent any Ubisoft-made game through the Uplay tool. We have made a small list of possible reasons and the justification for why they have made this list.
Absence of DLL Files
Dynamic Link Library or DLL files are essential for an application or a program to run on your Windows computer. When these files go missing or corrupt, we can have a lot of trouble getting the application to run. This is quite easy and you do not have to There are several reasons why the system DLL files can get lost from your computer. It can be either because of viruses or antivirus suspicion.
Insufficient RAM space
The computer requires adequate CPU memory to run an application. When there are too many applications running on your computer, there may not be enough space for the system to run the Uplay client. The Uplay application does not take up much of the RAM but when it does not launch on your computer, it means that there are too many running processes or applications on your computer’s foreground and background.
Active Antivirus tool
The main reason why the .dll files go missing from the computer is because of the antivirus software. Every time a game is installed on your computer, the installation process brings in a lot of .dll files. These files can be detected as threats to the computer and be removed from the computer. Exempting these files can take a long time so the only solution to this is to disable the antivirus, which isn’t very safe.
Damage to the cache memory
Every application that can expect some change to it or with it can accumulate cache memory. This means that it can not only take up storage space but also become corrupted. No application can run properly or load entirely, without having to process the corrupted cache memory. The best that can happen in a situation like this is that you will lose the game progress. You may even have to reinstall the game again if it gets worse.
Incomplete Game Downloads
The game has to completely finish downloading to your computer before you can start actually running the game. The shortcut for the game might appear when the download is still in progress.
This does not mean that all files for running the game are available on your computer. Keep checking the download bar on the Uplay interface to see if the download and installation processes are done.
Old or Corrupt GPU Driver software
When it comes to gaming, the graphics card and the graphics drivers are very important. These are what help the system run the game smoothly, without lag. When the GPU driver software has become old or corrupt, there may be issues while running the game or trying to launch it.
If your system GPU does not dole out frames and performance as before, you could be dealing with a corrupt graphics driver.
Incompatible Specifications
For every application that can be installed onto a computer, there are some technical requirements set by the developers of the application so that the best performance and user experience can be got from it. When the requirements are not fulfilled by the device, there is no way for the hardware to run the application properly.
Sometimes when the system tries to launch an incompatible application, it may run for a short while but the hardware can start overclocking, which can result in hardware damage.
Incompatible Operating System Settings
Since the latest versions of the Windows Operating System (OS) are quite complicated than the older versions, there are chances for the application to not work when launched on older OS versions. Windows has the feature to change the settings to suit a previous OS version.
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Out of Date Uplay Client
The Uplay client is also a factor that has to be considered here. When Uplay application is not up-to-date, it may not launch on your screen. Even if it does, it will prompt the user to update the client before they can use it. You can get the updated Uplay client installer from the Ubisoft website.
Solutions To Try And Fix The Uplay Won’t Launch Error
- Run Uplay With The Desktop ShortcutReboot The PCLaunch The Game Without The Uplay ClientRun The Game In Compatibility Mode With An OSOpen The Game With Administrator ElevationTurn Your Antivirus Application Off For A WhileUpdate The Graphics Driver Software To The Most Recent VersionInstall The Universal C Runtime LibraryInstall The Microsoft Visual C++ Redist Package AgainTake A Look At The Game CacheDelete The Damaged Game Cache FilesDownload Updates For the Uplay ClientUninstall And Reinstall The Uplay Application On Your SystemBoot Your System In A Clean-Boot State
Making The Uplay Client Launch On Your System
Run Uplay With The Desktop Shortcut
When you install the Uplay application on your system for the first time, the application asks you if you wish to place a shortcut on the computer desktop. If you choose this, you will get a desktop shortcut without further complications.
If you do not have a desktop shortcut, you will have to make one using the Ubisoft Connect application in the installation directory. Simply, double-click on the Uplay application shortcut to run it. You might wonder why this is suggested as a solution while it is quite obvious that this is the way to launch this application.
Reboot The PC
Another simple workaround for this issue is for you to try restarting your system. Restarting your computer could cause a slew of improvements that can’t be noticed unless a report is checked. This is a quick adjustment that we recommend as the first step in resolving device-related troubles for any device.
When updates are available for installation, restarting the PC will help you install them. If there are any system configurations that have not been saved, they will be reset to default. Some of the temporary files will be erased.
In this case, you will have to use the Shut Down Windows dialog box (Alt + F4 keys when no application is running) or the Power options section in the Start menu (Windows key).
Launch The Game Without The Uplay Client
If it is the game that you wish to run on your computer and not use the Uplay software’s features, you can directly run the game; You do not need the use of the Ubisoft Connect client. You can directly access the installation folder and open the games with the help of their executable file.
You might question us if you’ll be able to run the games without having to launch them through the Ubisoft connect platform. This is a completely valid question as another major platform Steam allows users to directly launch the games even when the installation directory and the game executable file (.exe) are available for use on your computer.
If the games are to be launched with the help of a second launcher after opening it through Steam, the application may not open. A good example of this is the GTAOnline game, which does not load or launch unless it is done through Steam.
When it comes to running a game downloaded through Uplay, the client lets you run the games without any issue as there is no need for another launcher or platform to help launch the game. Deciding to use or not to use the Uplay application is a factor we have to take into account so as to not face issues while the system attempts to launch the game.
Run The Game In Compatibility Mode With An OS
The Uplay application can have trouble launching on your system when it is not compatible with the OS version installed on your computer. This can happen with a lot of applications. This is exactly why Windows allows users to run programs like they are compatible with older versions of the OS.
You can choose which OS version configurations has to be applied to the software before it is being launched on your computer. Here’s how you can boot the game up in Compatibility mode on a Windows 10 computer.
- Go into the installation location of the application. If you did not choose the default installation location, you can find it by opening the Uplay app > Games Library > “Game Title” > Locate Installed Title.Now, navigate to the Game executable file and right-click on it to open a pop-up context menu.Choose the Properties option from the list of options to open the respective window.In this window, go into the Compatibility tab and locate the ‘Run this program in compatibility for’ checkbox.
- From the drop-down menu that just became available, you can choose the older OS options to launch the application in.Save the changes that you just made and restart your computer to apply these changes.
You can use the same steps to run the Uplay application also in compatibility mode, where you will have to use the Uplay application instead of the game executable.
If the Uplay application does not run on an OS version, try using the next one. If none of them work for you, you can clear out OS incompatibility-related issues as the cause for why Uplay won’t launch on your computer.
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Open The Game With Administrator Elevation
When the Uplay client or the game does not have system administrator privileges, there could be some problem while you try to open the Uplay application or run a game off it. As a system administrator, you can provide elevation privileges to the application.
You can either provide temporary or permanent administrator privileges to the application. If you just need it, for the time being, you can simply right-click on the application and choose the Run as administrator option from the small context menu.
If you do not want to do it every single time, you can set the computer to launch this program with admin rights automatically. These are the steps to do so –
- Right-click on the game application. These steps have to be implemented on the game’s launcher/executable file that is located in the installed location of the game.Select the Properties option and the app properties window will appear on your screen.Move to the Compatibility tab and check the Run this program as an administrator checkbox.Apply these changes and save them to your system.
Turn Your Antivirus Application Off For A While
The Windows Firewall is a valuable tool. It protects you from getting infected with viruses through the internet. Any third-party antivirus software’s firewall works in the same way. The main disadvantage of these programs is that they can prevent other services from connecting to the internet for fear of infecting them with a virus or other harmful material.
You can always disable the Windows Firewall and Antivirus software to see whether these are the real causes of your computer’s Uplay won’t Launch problem. You can disable antivirus by using the antivirus application itself or the task tray shortcut.
When it comes to the Windows Defender Firewall, you can always disable it using the Windows Defender settings or the Windows Defender Firewall portion of the Control Panel.
Update The Graphics Driver Software To The Most Recent Version
Because display adapters assist the CPU in running games and other graphically complicated applications on the computer, they must be kept up to date. Even if this approach does not work for you, having an updated GPU driver is always a plus because it enables better graphics rendering and frame output when playing gaming, editing multimedia, or watching videos.
You may download and install updates via a third-party software interface for your graphics cards, such as NVIDIA’s GeForce Experience or AMD’s Radeon Adrenalin engine, with the sole requirement being a good internet connection.
The driver sets that you may obtain from the GPU manufacturer’s website are another alternative. The update will be in the form of a .exe file that you can run to install the updates for your visual card driver software.
The last method is to get an update for the GPU driver software version manually. This step is a little more complicated than the previous ones.
- The Device Manager window (devmgmt.msc) must be opened initially to begin the process. The Quick Link/Power User menu (Ctrl + X), the Run utility (Windows + R), and the search field on the taskbar are all ways to access this window on your computer.Once the Device Manager window is open, look for the Display Adapters category. You can expand a section by clicking on its title. In this case, you will see the integrated and dedicated graphics cards on your computer. Right-click on a device and select Properties from the context menu to open the driver properties window.If you choose Update, you’ll be taken to an Update wizard, where you’ll have to choose Search automatically for drivers.
Available updates will be checked for on your machine and the internet, and they will be downloaded. They will be installed automatically after a simple reboot of the operating system. This option is also available in the Device properties’ Driver tab.
Once the driver software download is complete, you have to restart your computer to install these computers.
Install The Universal C Runtime Library
The missing DLL files can be brought back to your system with the help of Runtime libraries. In case of the Uplay won’t launch issue, we might have to install the Universal C Runtime library. This is generally installed along with the Uplay client itself. But there are some cases where this package becomes corrupt or gets detected as a threat to the system by an antivirus tool.
Windows users can use these steps to download and install the Universal C Runtime library on their computers. It is important that you do this as the system administrator.
- Open a browser and visit the Microsoft website.Here, search for the Universal C Runtime Library option.Download the correct package. You might have to choose the language for installing this.Extract this package into your system and reboot the PC for all these changes to be applied.
Install The Microsoft Visual C++ Redist Package Again
Installing the Microsoft Visual C++ redist files can bring all the .dll files that you lost after an antivirus scan. This has to be the easiest solution to fix the Uplay won’t launch issue on Windows 10. You can get the Microsoft Visual C++ Redist from the Microsoft website. Once you run the setup for this, a set of the DLL files will be installed onto the following directory –
C:WindowsSystem32
If necessary, you can always download a copy of the DLL from the internet and place it in the game installation directory.
Take A Look At The Game Cache
If the game cache is corrupt or deleted, you will not be able to launch the Uplay app or any other game through it. You can check the integrity of the game files with the following procedure. We will not be using the Uplay tool but instead, the Steam client installed on your computer.
- Launch the Uplay software and sign out of your Ubisoft profile.
- Open the Steam application and go to the game page. You will find this in the games library.Select the Manage option and choose Properties.Here, go to the Local Files tab.Now in this window click on the Verify integrity of game files option.
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Once the process is complete, try running the game through Steam. This will still launch the Ubisoft Connect application if you are trying to run a Ubisoft game.
Delete The Damaged Game Cache Files
There is no easy way to find which cache file is corrupt and which is clean. The only way to clear corrupt cache memory for your Uplay app and Ubisoft games is to delete all of them. If you do not know where to find the Ubisoft Cache, try looking in this directory –
C:Program Files (x86)UbisoftUbisoft Game LaunchercacheDelete all the files in this location and reboot your system. The Uplay app should work just fine.
Download Updates For The Uplay Client
When there are available updates for the Uplay client, you will receive notifications when you open Uplay. A newer Ubisoft Client means newer features and lesser bugs & glitches. The updated version can be downloaded from the website or through the Ubisoft Client itself.
Uninstall And Reinstall The Uplay Application On Your System
One of the last steps you can take regarding the Uplay won’t launch issue is to check if the application has been completely installed on your system. You will have to uninstall and reinstall the Uplay application itself.
To do this, you can use the Uninstall options in the Add or remove programs (Windows Settings) or the Programs and Features section (Windows Control Panel). Once the uninstallation process is complete, the source to the Ubisoft Connect client can be downloaded from the Ubisoft Connect website.
Note: The installer for the Uplay client is around 200 MB large and is an offline installer. Once the installation is complete, you will have to log in to an existing Ubisoft account or create a new one.
Boot Your System In A Clean-Boot State
You can try to launch the system in safe mode to fix this issue. This will help narrow down where the Uplay issue comes from on your computer. If the issue does not exist when the system is on safe mode, it means that the issue is not because of the driver.
The following is what can help you out with putting your system in safe mode or a clean boot state.
- Open the Run tool (Windows + R) and type the msconfig command into it, then press Enter. This is the command that will open the System Configuration window.
- Select the Load Startup Items option under the Selective Startup radio button in the General tab.
- Toggle the Hide all Microsoft services option on the Services tab. Then, in the lower-left corner of the window, click Disable all.
- Select the Open Task Manager link from the Startup tab.Go to the Services tab in the Task Manager window and disable all the processes that are currently running.
- Close the Task Manager as well as the System Configuration windows.To conduct a clean boot, restart your computer.After the system has booted up, go to Windows Settings and download the updates. You will find available downloads on the Windows Update page.
The above techniques are all the recommended tricks you can use to get your Uplay application up and running on your computer. If it still doesn’t, you can try talking to the Ubisoft support team, who can have different suggestions for you. Happy Gaming!
FAQs
How Do I Fix Uplay Launcher Crash?
To fix the Uplay launcher crash, you can just try offering compatibility and administrator privileges to the Uplay launcher. You can also try running the game through Steam and clearing the game cache after checking the integrity of your Uplay and Ubisoft files.
Can’t Connect To Ubisoft Connect Ps4?
The main reason why you cannot access the Ubisoft Connect feature on your PlayStation 4 console is network issues. You can try resetting the network connection by turning it off and back on. Switching the network router and PS4 console itself can help fix this issue. If you suspect a server issue with the Ubisoft servers, you might have to wait it out.
Why I Cant Open Ubisoft Connect?
Some reasons why you won’t be able to launch the Ubisoft Connect application on your computer are –– Missing files– Active antivirus– Outdated Uplay client
– Old GPU drivers
Why Wont My Ps4 Connect To Ubisoft?
A console cannot connect to a game server or any other online client when it is facing network issues. You can restart your PlayStation 4 and reset the network connection to see if it helps you fix the issue.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Won’t Launch Uplay?
One main factor that has to be taken into consideration about games like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is that it requires mid-range to high specifications to launch and run smoothly without any issues. This means that low-end specs will not be able to handle the load of running this game on their hardware. Other factors like driver issues and corrupt game files are also possible explanations of this issue.
Keyword: 14 Ways To Fix Uplay Won’t Launch Error