Fix The Exception Breakpoint Has Been Reached Error [5 Tips]

Our expert solutions fix the breakpoint error in Windows 10, 11

Reading time icon 6 min. read


Readers help support Windows Report. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Tooltip Icon

Read the affiliate disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report effortlessly and without spending any money. Read more

Key notes

  • The exception breakpoint has been reached message can appear and prevent you from running certain applications.
  • A simple solution is to perform a deep scan of your computer to look for malware.
  • A quick workaround is to terminate the application every time before you shut down the PC.
A breakpoint has been reached Windows 10 11

The exception breakpoint has been reached message can sometimes appear on your PC while trying to run a certain application or while trying to shut down your computer.

The error can be encountered with a wide range of applications, including games, browsers, and even cloud storage programs. But, it’s easy to fix, given you follow the right approach, and we help you do that in the following sections.

What is an exception breakpoint on PC?

A breakpoint is an intended halting or pausing location in a program that is placed there for the sake of debugging. This is done in the context of developing software.

Here are some of the reasons you are encountering the error:

  • Problems with the app itself – In some cases, users reported The exception breakpoint has been reached error with Skype on startup when not terminating the process before shutdown. Reverting to the previous version of the app fixed things here.
  • Corrupted system filesCorrupted system files can lead to a range of issues and affect the overall Windows experience. Running the DISM tool and SFC scan would help here.
  • Issues with memory allocation – Oftentimes, if sufficient memory is not allocated to the program or there are other similar issues with it, you may encounter the error.

Also, let’s find out the most common scenarios here:

  • The exception breakpoint has been reached in Cyberpunk 2077, Origin, Sims 4, Warzone, – This problem can occur if the application you’re trying to run isn’t up to date or its installation is corrupted.
  • A breakpoint has been reached when shutting down – Sometimes this issue can occur due to third-party applications. To fix it, you need to find and remove the problematic applications and the issue should be resolved.
  • The exception breakpoint has been reached on Firefox, Chrome – A common error encountered by many, and can be fixed with our solutions.
  • The exception breakpoint has been reached on Outlook, OneDrive, Google Drive– Chrome users have also reported encountering the error. Reinstalling the browser should do the trick.
  • Breakpoint error in Windows 10, 11 – The solutions below are applicable for both OS iterations.
  • Lghub.exe / msedge.exe the exception breakpoint – Run the DISM tool in order to fix the breakpoint.
  • The exception breakpoint has been reached 0x80000003 – You can also create a new user profile then move all your data on it.

How do you fix the exception breakpoint has been reached?

Before trying the comprehensive list of solutions, here are a few quick fixes to get things running:

  • Update the app that’s throwing the error. Or if that doesn’t work, head to the official website and download the previous stable version, in case you started encountering the error after updating it.
  • Install the latest available version of Windows 10.
  • If you have overclocked the PC, revert to the default settings.
  • In case you have third-party screensaver software running on the computer, uninstall the app.

If the error persists, try the solutions listed next:

1. Terminate the app before shutting down the computer

The users reported that simply terminating the application before shutting down fixed the problem for them. It is because the app was in some way affected when forcefully terminated by Windows while undergoing a shutdown.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager and locate the app that usually throws the error.

breakpoint-has-been-reached

2. Select it, and then click on End task.

terminate app to fix the exception breakpoint has been reached

3. Once done, go ahead and shut down or restart the computer, and you shouldn’t see the error anymore.

This method is found to fix The exception breakpoint has been reached error for Skype, Origin, and Steam, amongst others.

2. Run the DISM tool and SFC scan

  1. Press Windows + R to open Run, type cmd in the text field, and hit Ctrl + Shift + Enter.cmd
  2. Click Yes in the UAC prompt.
  3. Paste the following commands one at a time and hit Enter after each to run the DISM tool:Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
  4. Now, run the SFC scan by executing the following command:sfc /scannowsfc scan to fix the exception breakpoint has been reached

If you see Exception Breakpoint, Breakpoint has been reached (0x80000003) error, the DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Mnaagement) tool and SFC (System File Checker) scan would come to your aid and help eliminate all corrupt system files.

And if that was the underlying cause, things should now be up and running.

3. Set the Page file to automatic

  1. Type Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows in the Search bar, and click on the relevant search result.performance options
  2. Navigate to the Advanced tab, and click on Change under Virtual memory.change
  3. Tick the checkbox for Automatically manage paging file size for all drives, and then click on OK to save the changes.automatically manage the paging file size to the exception breakpoint has been reached
  4. Once done, restart the computer for the changes to come into effect.

If you see The exception breakpoint has been reached error on MSFS, allow Windows to automatically manage the paging file size.

4. Scan your PC for malware

According to users, sometimes this issue can appear if your system is infected by malware. To fix the problem, it’s advised that you perform a full system scan and check if that solves your problem.

If you want to achieve maximum protection, we suggest that you try out professional antivirus software that also protects you against all types of malware.

The ESET NOD 32 toolkit has a small RAM footprint, therefore it is quite light on the PC. It has unbreakable security standards, identifies aggressive virus signatures, and provides great online protection.

The super-easy user interface allows you to quickly navigate to the task you want to perform. It’s one the most dependable AI ally you could have for your cyberlife.

Aside from the antivirus layer, the anti-malware method builds shields and checks for hidden bugs in your PC that are causing the breakpoint error to occur.

⇒ Get ESET NOD 32

5. Create a new user profile

  1. Press Windows + R to open Run, type netplwiz in the text field, and then click OK.netplwiz
  2. Click Add.add account to fix the exception breakpoint has been reached
  3. Now, provide a Microsoft-linked email address and then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.create new account
  4. Alternative, you could create a Local Account. For that, click on Sign in without a Microsoft account (not recommended).sign in without microsoft account
  5. Choose Local account.local account to fix the exception breakpoint has been reached
  6. Enter the required information in the text fields, and then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.provide details

After the new account is created, sign in with it, install the problematic app here, and check if The exception breakpoint has been reached error is fixed.

In case the error doesn’t appear anymore, you can create a backup of the remaining data stored on the previous profile and move it to the new user account.

And once you have managed to eliminate the error for good, do check how to boost the performance of a Windows 10 PC.

If you fixed things with another solution, do not forget to share it with us in the comments section below.

More about the topics: windows 10 fix