What is Error 103003 in Tarkov & How to Fix it

Don't let your firewall settings be a hindrance

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There is nothing worse than trying to launch Tarkov and getting hit with error 103003. Being a multi-player game, this means you’ll be missing out on all the online matches fun.

Typically, the error 103003 means you’re unable to connect to the servers so always check for a maintenance or downtime schedule. If everything checks out, it could indicate an issue with the game files or an antivirus that is blocking the connection.

How do I fix error 103003 in Tarkov?

1. Run the BSG launcher as administrator

  1. Open File Explorer and navigate to: C:/Battlestate Games/BsgLauncher/
  2. Right-click on the BSGLauncher.exe and open Properties.
  3. Choose the Compatibility tab. Check the Run this program as an administrator and click Apply and OK to save changes.Run this program as an administrator
  4. Now start the Tarkov game again and check if the error 103003 makes an appearance.

2. Adjust your resolution settings

  1. Press the Win + I buttons to open Settings.
  2. Select Display.
  3. From the Display resolution drop-down, select the resolution that matches your Tarkov game.

3. Reset game settings

  1. Hit the Windows + E keys to open File Explorer.
  2. Navigate to the following folder: C:\users\USERNAME\documents\escape from tarkov
  3. Locate the local.ini and shared.in files then delete them. If you can’t find them in this folder, do a search in all drives.
  4. Try launching Tarkov again and see if the error 103003 reappears.

Whereas tailor-made configurations can make the game more enjoyable, some may conflict with each other and throw up errors. Deleting these files will reset the game to its default configurations and the deleted files will be recreated.

4. Verify the integrity of game files

  1. Open Steam and go to your Library.
  2. Locate Tarkov, right-click it, and choose Properties.
  3. Navigate to Local Files. Next, click on Verify integrity of game files.
  4. Wait for the process to complete.
  5. Once finished, check if the problem is resolved.

5. Bypass firewall

  1. First, you’ll need to have total control over the Escape From Tarkov folder.
  2. Go to the Escape From Tarkov folder on your computer.
  3. Right-click the folder and in the context menu, select Properties.
  4. Click on the Security tab.
  5. Under the Security tab, click Advanced.
  6. Click Change next to the owner’s name near the top.
  7. In this new window, click Advanced.
  8. Now in another new window, click Find Now.
  9. Locate your username and then click the OK button.
  10. Click OK in this new window.
  11. Click Apply in the following window and then close everything.
  12. Now search for and open Windows Defender Firewall on your computer.
  13. Click Advanced Settings on the left-hand side.
  14. In this new window, click Inbound Rules on the left-hand side.
  15. Select New Rule on the right hand side.
  16. In Rule Type, select Program and click Next.
  17. Click This program path and then Browse. Locate the Escape From Tarkov file.
  18. Once you’ve found Escape From Tarkov and added it to the Inbound Rule, click Next.
  19. If you’re using a private computer, click Allow the connection. Or if you prefer, Allow the connection if it is secure – for that extra level of security.
  20. Click Next when done.
  21. Select when to apply the rule.
  22. Give a name to the rule and a description if you like. Then click Finish.

6. Reconfigure the NVIDIA 3D settings

Note icon NOTE
This solution only applies to PCs with the NVIDIA graphics card.
  1. Open the NVIDIA Control Panel, expand 3D Settings, and then click on Manage 3D settings.manage 3d settings
  2. Click on the Restore button.restore to fix geforce experience preparing to install
  3. Choose the appropriate response in case a confirmation prompt appears.

The NVIDIA Control Panel ensures that the game’s graphic settings are optimized for compatibility and performance purposes. Over time, these settings may become incompatible especially with software conflicts so resetting it to default will clear any issues and reset values to their default state.

You can also try using another VPN or reinstalling the game and see if the error 103003 disappears. Sometimes, when the server is overloaded, Tarkov may fail to launch or experience packet loss. Changing servers can help address such issues or the backend error.

When it comes to Escape from Tarkov, errors on post are quite common but we’ve narrowed down the causes and how to fix them.

To minimize the occurrence of such errors, ensure to keep your game updated at all times, and regularly check the server status for any updates.

If you have managed to fix this error with any of the solutions above, let us know in the comment section below. And if you have any other solution not mentioned here, do let us know.

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