Razer Cortex Installer Not Working: How to Fix it

When you download Razer Cortex but click the installer and it’s not working or stalls at a certain percentage, your firewall could be blocking the installation.

Other possible reasons could be you’re trying to install the program with insufficient administrative privileges, a recent Windows update is incompatible with the program or some corrupt system files are blocking the installation.

How do I get my Razer Cortex installer to work?

1. Run the installer as an administrator

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to: C:\Program Files (x86)\Razer\Razer Cortex Dir Installation
2. Right-click on the exe file and open Properties.
3. Choose the Compatibility tab. Check the Run this program as an administrator and click Apply and OK to save changes.
4. Now try installing Razer Cortex again and see if it is working.

2. Temporarily disable Windows Firewall

1. Hit the Windows key and click on Settings.
2. Select Privacy & security.
3. Click on Open Windows Security.
4. Select Firewall & network protection.
5. Click on Public network.
6. Next, toggle Microsoft Defender Firewall off.

An overzealous antivirus can block an installation if it marks it as a false positive. Disarming the feature or your third-party antivirus can do the trick and allow you to install your software.

3. Perform DISM and SFC scans

1. Hit the Start Menu icon, type cmd in the search bar, and click Run as administrator.
2. Type the following commands and press Enter after each one:DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /Restorehealth sfc /scannow

4. Rollback previous Windows update

1. Press the Win + I keys to open the Settings menu.
2. Click on Windows Update on the left pane.
3. Select Update history on the right.
4. Under Related settings, select Uninstall updates.
5. Choose the recently installed update and hit the Uninstall button.
6. Follow the on-screen prompts.
7. Restart your PC and see if it helps.

5. Perform a clean boot

1. Hit the Windows key, type msconfig, and open System Configuration.
2. Switch to the Services tab and select Hide all Microsoft services.
3. Click on the Disable all button, then hit the Apply button to save the changes.
4. Go back and click on the Startup tab, select Open Task Manager then click OK.
5. In the Startup tab of the Task Manager, Disable all the Enabled startup items.
6. Close Task Manager and restart your PC.

6. Delete Registry keys

1. Before you edit the registry, ensure you have a backup or create a restore point to cushion your device from any catastrophic failures.
2. Hit the Windows + R keys to open the Run command.
3. Type regedit in the dialog box and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
4. Navigate to the following location depending on your Office version: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
5. Find the following key and its sub keys then delete them: DisallowRun
6. Close the Registry Editor and restart your PC. When you launch the Razer Cortex Installer, it should be working.

The DisallowRun keys act as an extra layer of protection that blocks the installation of certain apps if they don’t meet some prerequisites like system security or are plagued by malware.

Also, if Windows cannot verify the source of the Razer Cortex installer, it will block it so ensure your Razer Cortex download is from the official site.

7. Reinstall the software

1. Click on the Start button and choose Settings.
   
2. Navigate to Apps and select Installed apps.
   
3. Locate Razer Cortex, click the three dots next to it, and choose Uninstall.
   
4. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the process.
5. Next, navigate to your web browser and go to the official Razer Cortex website.
6. Click the Download Now button and indicate a location on your PC.
7. Double-click the RazerCortexInstaller.exe file you downloaded and in a few seconds, the Razer Gaming Software will be installed.
8. Now, open the app and click on Install for Razer Cortex.

If you’re out of luck and none of these solutions have fixed the issue, try installing the app in Safe Mode and see if you have better luck.

Should you pass the installation stage, keep an eye on the program and see how it behaves. If Razer Cortex keeps crashing your PC, the apps may have an issue that needs to be addressed by the developers. You can contact the Razer support team to address your problems.

Despite the outlined issues, Razer Cortex is not all that bad. For instance, Windows users get to enjoy Razer Cortex’s handheld mode and experience gaming on a whole new level.

However, if you’re done with the tool, you can also try other Razer Cortex alternatives in the meantime. You’ll have a better chance of a successful installation and enjoy the same features.

Have any other solutions that worked for you? We’d like to hear about them. Share them with us in the comment section below.