Is The Precinct not launching or crashing on your PC? Don’t worry, this guide from Partition Magic offers a few effective solutions to help you fix the problem and get the game running smoothly.
About The Precinct
The Precinct is an action-adventure video game developed by Fallen Tree Games and published by Kwalee. It was released on PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S in May 2025. The game received positive reviews from critics.
The game is set in the same universe as American Fugitive and takes place in the city of Averno in 1983. Players will control Nick Jr., the son of the late police chief Nick. Players must follow police procedures and use force only when necessary.
Since the launch of The Precinct, players have encountered various issues, including black screens, low FPS, and crashes like the one described above. In this post, I’ll walk you through some steps you can take if The Precinct crashes at startup.
How to Fix The Precinct Not Launching/Crashing
Fix 1: Allow The Precinct Through Your Antivirus
If you’re having trouble launching The Precinct, check whether your antivirus software is preventing the game from running. Try adding the “The Precinct” executable to your antivirus whitelist and see if that resolves the issue.
Step 1: Press the Windows + I keys together to open Windows Settings.
Step 2: Navigate to the Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection. Under Ransomware protection, click Manage ransomware protection.
Step 3: Click Allow an app through Controlled folder access.
Step 4: Click Add an allowed app and select the .exe file of The Precinct from its installation folder, which is typically located at C:\Users\[Windows Username]\AppData\LocalLow\Fallen Tree Games Ltd\The Precinct\SaveGame_Steam.

Fix 2: Verify the Integrity of the Game Files
Missing or corrupted game files can also cause The Precinct not launching unexpectedly. In this case, you can verify the integrity of the game files to resolve the issue.
Step 1: Go to Steam Library, right-click The Precinct, and choose Properties.
Step 2: Select Installed Files.
Step 3: Click Verify integrity of game files. This procedure might take a few minutes to complete.
Fix 3: Install the Latest Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable
Corrupted or missing Visual C++ Redistributable files can lead to compatibility problems with your system and stop The Precinct not launching. To resolve this, try installing the latest version of the Visual C++ Redistributable.
Fix 4: Update the Graphics Card Driver
Outdated or corrupted graphics drivers can cause a range of game problems, including The Precinct won’t launch. To eliminate this as a possible cause, make sure your graphics drivers are up to date.
Step 1: Right-click on the Start button and choose Device Manager.
Step 2: Click the small arrow next to Display adapters to expand the list.
Step 3: Right-click your graphics card and choose Update driver. Then you can select the option to let Windows search for the driver automatically or use the driver you downloaded to install.

Fix 5: Close All Irrelevant Background Processes
If there are too many processes running in the background of your PC, they may occupy system resources and cause The Precinct crashing on Windows. Therefore, we recommend that you close all irrelevant background processes.
Step 1: Press the Ctrl + Shift + ESC keys to open Task Manager.
Step 2: In the Processes tab, right-click the unnecessary programs and select End task. Then repeat this progress to end other progress.

Fix 6: Modify Game Launch Options
Adjusting the game’s launch options can help fix issues with The Precinct won’t launch and may also enhance performance. By changing the launch parameters, you can disable certain unnecessary visual effects or optimize rendering settings, which can improve frame rates and overall smoothness.
Step 1: Open Steam and go to the Library.
Step 2: Right-click on The Precinct and select Properties.
Step 3: In the General tab, type -dx11 in the Launch Options.
Step 4: Then you can launch the game and check if it solves your issue or not. If not, then type “-dx12” or “-windowed” in Launch Options.
Bottom Line
If The Precinct continues to crash on your PC, don’t panic. The most effective and commonly used solutions are outlined above. Follow them step by step, and in most cases, the game should start running smoothly again.
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