FIFA 21 doesn't launch on PC? Here's what you can do

Gaming

4 min. read

Updated on October 4, 2023

by Teodor Nechita

updated on October 4, 2023

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Key notes

FIFA 21 is out and already players are complaining about problems running the game.
If you were waiting eagerly for FIFA 20 to come out, only to be greeted by an error message when trying to run the game, then you're in the right place.
To learn more about fixing this amazing game, visit our dedicated FIFA 21 Hub.
Launch issues can happen to any game, and you can read all about them on our Gaming page.

FIFA 21 is the latest entry in the FIFA game series, and it is set to come with a host of new features.

However, like all of its predecessors, FIFA 21 is plagued with a wide variety of issues from the very beginning.

One of the latest issues to reach the public forums is that some users can’t seem to launch FIFA 21 whenever they click it.

[…] Today morning I wanted to reinstall origin and FIFA 21 coz of some reason.

Apparently when I reinstalled origin and FIFA 21, the FIFA 21 Launcher opens, but when I click on Play the game just doesn’t launch.

Normally, when you try to access a game that is installed through Origin, the game platform launches first before the actual game.

However, as users described it further down the thread, nothing happens when they double-click the FIFA 20 icon.

A few solutions were found by both users and the EA staff, and this article is here to present them to you in a step-by-step manner.

Quick tip:

FIFA games have proven themselves over the years that despite being buggy, they are still worth it.

Get your hands on the latest entry in this franchise and join the pros on the virtual stadiums!

700+ teams
30 official leagues
Unparalleled graphics
17,000+ authentic players
Have a career in professional football and grow
Play as one of the best football teams of the 2021 season

Playing online can be a pain with an older PC

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How do I fix FIFA 21 if it doesn’t launch at all?

1. Update your device drivers

There are plenty of ways you can update your Windows drivers:

Use Windows Update
Use the Device Manager
Update the drivers from the manufacturer’s website

The third option, which happens to be the fastest as most secure as well, is using a third-party driver updater and fixer like Outbyte Driver Updater.

Compared to the other 3 solutions mentioned above, using a dedicated driver updater means you will never download the wrong driver for your hardware model.

More so, you save time by not having to manually visit each manufacturer’s website to get the drivers.

The last reason why Outbyte Driver Updater should be your go-to solution is that it also fixes the drivers that you have, or detects the ones that are missing entirely.

Outbyte Driver Updater

This lightweight and portable tool will detect all of your missing drivers by itself, and update them as soon as possible.

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Want to update all of your drivers without a hassle? Try this driver updater that we’ve tested!

2. Make sure your Windows is updated to the latest version

Press Start (the Windows key)
Select the Settings button (the cogwheel at the bottom left of the Start menu)
Scroll down the list until you see Update & Security
Select Check for Updates in the new window, and let whatever updates are available to unfold

3. Check to see if your hardware meets the minimum requirements

Check out FIFA 20’s minimum and recommended system requirements.

FIFA 20 for PC is indeed a resource-intensive game so, before trying looking for answers, check to see if your PC cand even run it.

You can head over to EA’s official website and check what are the minimum and recommended system requirements for PC.

Check out your own computer’s specs

Press Start (the Windows key)
Type in This PC
In the new window, right-click on an empty space and select Properties

A window will open up and show you some basic information about your computer.

This includes RAM, Processor, the installed OS, etc.

If you want a more detailed information sheet, you could try running a DxDiag, like this:

Press Windows + R
Type in dxdiag

A new window will open up. Wait for the green bar to fill up, and look at your PC‘s specs.

Switch between the System, Display and Sound tabs as these are the ones you will be most interested in.

4. Change the configuration file to run in DX12

Go to your Documents folder
- This PC\Documents\FIFA 21
- C:\Users\[Your Username]\Documents\FIFA 21
Open the fifasetup.ini file with Notepad or your preferred text editor
Find DIRECTX_SELECT = 1
Replace the 1 with a 0
Save and close the file

If your PC‘s specs are way lower than FIFA 21’s minimum system requirements, this is most likely why the game won’t launch.