No Man’s Sky Not Launching on PC: 7 Quick Fixes

If No Man’s Sky is not launching, the problem usually comes from drivers, corrupted files, or software conflicts. However, it is possible to fix this issue with the steps below.

What can I do if No Man’s Sky is not launching on PC?

1. Check System Requirements

Make sure your PC is powerful enough to run the game.

1. Press Windows + R, type dxdiag, and press Enter.
   
2. Review your system specifications.
3. Compare them with the minimum requirements for No Man’s Sky.
4. If your PC does not meet them, consider a hardware upgrade.

2. Update Your Graphics Drivers

Outdated drivers can prevent the game from loading.

1. Right-click the Start menu and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Display adapters.
3. Right-click your GPU and select Update driver.
4. Choose Search automatically for drivers.
   
5. Restart your PC and try launching the game again.
6. If the issue persists, watch for a black screen during startup.

If you are seeing black screen behavior instead of a clean launch, this walkthrough can help: No Man’s Sky screen goes black.

Sometimes the game launches on integrated graphics instead of your dedicated card. If that happens, follow this guide on No Man’s Sky not using GPU to force high-performance mode.

3. Verify Game Files in Steam

Corrupted or missing files can block startup.

1. Open Steam and go to your Library.
2. Right-click No Man’s Sky and select Properties.
3. Open the Installed Files tab.
4. Click Verify integrity of game files.
   
5. Wait for the scan to finish and relaunch the game.

4. Disable Overlays and Background Apps

Third party programs often interfere with games.

1. Disable overlays in Steam, Discord, and GeForce Experience.
2. Open Task Manager from the Taskbar.
3. End unnecessary background processes.
4. Temporarily disable your antivirus and test the game.

Firewall or security suite rules can block the WebSockets handshake and stall startup; follow this guide to fix Error Creating WebSockets in No Man’s Sky.

5. Reconnect or Reconfigure Controllers

A faulty controller setup can block the game from loading.

1. Disconnect your controller from the USB port.
2. Restart your PC and reconnect it.
3. Try a different USB port or a new cable.
4. Adjust controller settings in Steam Big Picture mode.

If the game still does not detect your controller, try the steps in No Man’s Sky not detecting controller.

6. Run the Game as Administrator

Granting admin rights can bypass launch restrictions.

1. Open the No Man’s Sky installation folder.
2. Right-click the game executable and choose Properties.
3. Open the Compatibility tab.
4. Check Run this program as administrator.
   
5. Click Apply, then OK, and try launching again.

7. Reinstall the Game

A clean reinstall often clears hidden errors.

1. Open Steam and go to your Library.
2. Right-click No Man’s Sky and select Uninstall.
   
3. Press Windows + R, type %appdata%, and remove leftover No Man’s Sky folders.
4. Restart your PC.
5. Reinstall the game from Steam.

FAQs

Conclusion

If none of these fixes help, the issue may relate to input devices or peripherals. Many players report launch freezes that mirror controller conflicts, so reviewing No Man’s Sky controller not working can surface additional checks that restore a normal startup.