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How To Fix Date Everything Crash on Startup Error on PC (March 2026)

How To Fix Date Everything Crash on Startup Error on PC

Are you experiencing frustrating crashes when trying to launch Date Everything on your PC? You’re not alone! This quirky dating simulator that lets you romance over 100 household objects has been experiencing startup crashes for many players since its March 2026 release. The good news is that there are several proven solutions to get you back to dating your furniture and appliances.

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through 6 effective fixes that have helped thousands of players resolve the Date Everything crashing on startup error.

Quick Overview: Date Everything Crash Fixes

FixSuccess RateTime Required
Update Graphics DriversHigh10-15 minutes
Verify Game FilesVery High5-10 minutes
Run as AdministratorMedium2 minutes
Switch DirectX VersionHigh3 minutes
Disable Overlays & Close Background AppsMedium5 minutes
Update Windows & Reinstall Visual C++High20-30 minutes

Understanding Why Date Everything Crashes on Startup

When you experience crashing on Windows 11/10 or any bug in Date Everything, it’s recommended to start by restarting the computer before attempting any other fixes. The Date Everything crashing issue can stem from various causes, including:

  • Outdated graphics drivers that aren’t compatible with the game’s requirements
  • Corrupted game files from incomplete downloads or updates
  • Insufficient administrative permissions blocking the game from accessing necessary resources
  • DirectX compatibility issues between the game and your system
  • Software conflicts with overlays, antivirus programs, or background applications
  • Missing Windows updates or Visual C++ redistributables

According to Team17’s official support channels, Optimisation to boost performance and prevent crashes was a primary focus in their recent Hotfix 2 update. However, some players still experience issues, which is why we’ve compiled these comprehensive fixes.

System Requirements Check

Before diving into the fixes, ensure your PC meets Date Everything’s minimum requirements:

Minimum Requirements:

  • OS: Windows 10 64-bit or higher
  • Processor: Intel Core i5-2300
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Intel HD 4000
  • Storage: 2 GB available space

Recommended Requirements:

  • OS: Windows 10 64-bit or higher
  • Processor: Intel Core i5-6600K
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750
  • Storage: 2 GB available space

If your system doesn’t meet these requirements, consider upgrading your hardware or lowering the game’s settings.

Fix 1: Update Your Graphics Card Drivers

If you are using outdated graphics drivers, it can lead to multiple performance-related issues. This includes crashes at startup, black screen issues, and many other problems. Updating your graphics drivers is often the most effective solution for fixing Date Everything crashes.

For NVIDIA Users:

  1. Download the NVIDIA App from the official NVIDIA website
  2. Open the NVIDIA App once installed
  3. Click on “Drivers” in the left sidebar
  4. Check for updates – the app will automatically detect your GPU model
  5. Click “Download” if a new driver is available
  6. Select “Express Installation” to install the driver
  7. Restart your PC after installation completes

For AMD Users:

  1. Download AMD Adrenalin Edition from AMD’s official website
  2. Launch the application – it will auto-detect pending updates
  3. Click “Download Now” if updates are available
  4. Wait for automatic installation to complete
  5. Restart your computer to apply changes

For Intel Graphics Users:

  1. Visit the Intel Driver & Support Assistant page
  2. Download and run the detection tool
  3. Install any recommended graphics driver updates
  4. Restart your system

Pro Tip: Even if Windows says your drivers are up to date, always check with the manufacturer’s website or official apps, as Windows may not have the latest versions.

Fix 2: Verify Game Files Integrity via Steam

When installing games via Steam, more often than not, multiple game files get corrupted or damaged in some way. This can lead to crashes and other performance-related issues. Steam’s built-in file verification tool can automatically detect and repair corrupted files.

Steps to Verify Game Files:

  1. Launch Steam and log into your account
  2. Navigate to your Library tab
  3. Right-click on Date Everything in your game list
  4. Select “Properties” from the context menu
  5. Click on the “Installed Files” tab
  6. Click “Verify Integrity of Game Files”
  7. Wait for the scan to complete (this may take 5-10 minutes)
  8. Steam will automatically download any missing or corrupted files
  9. Restart Steam and try launching the game again

This process has a very high success rate for fixing startup crashes. If you’re still experiencing issues after verification, proceed to the next fix.

Fix 3: Run Date Everything as Administrator

When running Date Everything on PC, there may be times when you need to give the program administrative privileges in order to access certain features or settings and in our case to get rid of not opening. Running the game with elevated permissions can resolve many startup issues.

Temporary Admin Rights:

  1. Navigate to Steam Library
  2. Right-click Date Everything
  3. Select “Manage” > “Browse Local Files”
  4. Find DateEverything.exe in the game folder
  5. Right-click the executable
  6. Select “Run as administrator”

Permanent Admin Rights:

For a more permanent solution that doesn’t require manual intervention each time:

  1. Locate DateEverything.exe as described above
  2. Right-click and select “Properties”
  3. Navigate to the “Compatibility” tab
  4. Check the box for “Run this program as an administrator”
  5. Click “Apply” then “OK”
  6. Also apply this to Steam.exe for best results

This ensures the game always has the necessary permissions to access required files and resources.

Fix 4: Switch DirectX Version

If it was by default set to “-dx12,” try switching to “-dx11” to check if the issue persists. Date Everything may have compatibility issues with certain DirectX versions on your system.

How to Change DirectX Version:

  1. Open Steam and go to your Library
  2. Right-click on Date Everything
  3. Select “Properties”
  4. In the General tab, find “Launch Options”
  5. Enter one of the following commands:
    • Type -dx11 to force DirectX 11
    • Type -dx12 to force DirectX 12
  6. Click OK to save changes
  7. Launch the game to test

If the game was defaulting to DirectX 12 and crashing, switching to DirectX 11 often resolves the issue. Try both options to see which works better for your system.

Fix 5: Disable Overlays and Close Background Applications

If there are too many programs running in the background, using too much internet/RAM/Disk can cause Date Everything shutdown on Windows 11. Third-party overlays and resource-intensive background apps can interfere with Date Everything’s startup process.

Disable Common Overlays:

Steam Overlay:

  1. Right-click Date Everything in Steam Library
  2. Select Properties
  3. Uncheck “Enable Steam Overlay while in-game”

Discord Overlay:

  1. Open Discord and click User Settings
  2. Navigate to “Game Overlay”
  3. Toggle off “Enable in-game overlay”

NVIDIA GeForce Experience Overlay:

  1. Open GeForce Experience
  2. Click the gear icon for Settings
  3. Toggle off “In-Game Overlay”

Close Background Applications:

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
  2. Click the “Processes” tab
  3. Sort by CPU or Memory usage
  4. End task on unnecessary programs, especially:
    • Web browsers with multiple tabs
    • Streaming software
    • Other games or launchers
    • Heavy productivity apps

Optimize Game Settings:

If your system is struggling, try lowering the game settings:

  • Reduce resolution from 4K to 1080p or 1080p to 720p
  • Lower frame rate to 60Hz if running higher
  • Disable V-Sync if enabled
  • Turn off anti-aliasing

Fix 6: Update Windows and Reinstall Visual C++ Redistributables

Sometimes compatibility issues can be a reason for continuous Date Everything black screen on startup on Windows 11/10/7. Ensuring your system is fully updated can resolve many compatibility issues.

Update Windows:

  1. Press Windows + I to open Settings
  2. Navigate to “Update & Security”
  3. Click “Check for updates”
  4. Install all available updates
  5. Restart your computer

Reinstall Visual C++ Redistributables:

Date Everything requires specific Visual C++ packages to run properly:

  1. Visit the Microsoft Visual C++ download page
  2. Download both x64 and x86 versions of:
    • Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable
    • Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable
    • Visual C++ 2012 Redistributable
  3. Uninstall existing versions via Control Panel > Programs and Features
  4. Install the downloaded packages in order
  5. Restart your computer

Additional Windows Fixes:

If you’re still experiencing crashes, try these additional Windows-specific solutions:

Disable Fast Startup:

  1. Open Control Panel
  2. Navigate to Power Options
  3. Click “Choose what the power buttons do”
  4. Click “Change settings that are currently unavailable”
  5. Uncheck “Turn on fast startup”
  6. Save changes

Add Game Exception to Windows Defender:

Sometimes antivirus thinks game files are bad guys and stops them, causing the shutdown.

  1. Open Windows Security
  2. Go to “Virus & threat protection”
  3. Click “Manage settings”
  4. Scroll to “Exclusions”
  5. Add Date Everything’s installation folder

Additional Troubleshooting Tips

Check for Game Updates

Team17 has been actively releasing patches to address crashes. Hotfix 2 will fix hundreds of bugs, most especially the blockers with characters like Arma, Beverly, Scandalabra, Gaia, Rebel, Maggie, and more. Ensure your game is fully updated:

  1. Steam should auto-update games by default
  2. Right-click Date Everything and select Properties
  3. Go to Updates tab
  4. Ensure “Automatic updates” is enabled
  5. Manually check for updates if needed

Try Safe Mode Launch

Some players have reported success launching in Safe Mode:

  1. Add -safe to launch options in Steam
  2. This disables certain features but may help identify the issue
  3. Remove the command once the game launches successfully

Verify Your Internet Connection

If you’ve got a VPN on, try turning it off to see if it makes a difference. If it’s off, switch it on and check again. VPN and network issues can sometimes cause startup crashes:

  • Disable VPN temporarily while launching
  • Reset your router if experiencing connection issues
  • Flush DNS cache by running ipconfig /flushdns in Command Prompt

When to Contact Support

If none of these fixes work, it’s time to reach out for official help. As a last resort, head to the Date Everything’s official website and click ‘Support’ or ‘Contact’.

Official Support Channels:

  1. Team17 Support Page: Visit team17.com/support
  2. Steam Community Forums: Check the Date Everything discussion boards
  3. Team17 Discord: Join at discord.gg/team17 for community help
  4. Bug Report Form: Submit detailed crash reports to Team17

When contacting support, include:

  • Your system specifications
  • Which fixes you’ve already tried
  • Any error messages or codes
  • Your DxDiag report
  • Event Viewer crash logs

Platform-Specific Considerations

Steam Deck Users

According to community reports, Steam Deck users may need to:

  • Use the launch option SteamDeck=0 %command%
  • Switch graphics settings to “Low” for 60FPS performance
  • Disable certain Proton compatibility layers

Windows 11 Specific Issues

Windows 11 users have reported additional crashes that may require:

  • Disabling GPU scheduling in Windows Graphics Settings
  • Running in Windows 10 compatibility mode
  • Ensuring all .NET Framework updates are installed

Community-Reported Solutions

The Date Everything community has discovered several additional fixes:

Save File Corruption Fix

Added a save backup system to recover from corrupted saves If you suspect save file corruption:

  1. Navigate to %APPDATA%\DateEverything\Saves
  2. Backup existing saves
  3. Delete corrupted save files
  4. Launch the game to create fresh saves

Audio Device Conflicts

Some players report crashes related to audio devices:

  • Disable unused audio devices in Sound Settings
  • Update audio drivers via Device Manager
  • Try different audio output devices

Prevention Tips

To avoid future crashes:

  1. Keep drivers updated regularly, not just when issues arise
  2. Maintain adequate free disk space (at least 10GB)
  3. Regularly verify game files after updates
  4. Avoid alt-tabbing during initial game loading
  5. Close unnecessary programs before gaming sessions

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Date Everything crash on startup Windows 11?

Date Everything crashes on startup can be caused by outdated graphics drivers, corrupted game files, insufficient permissions, DirectX compatibility issues, or conflicts with background applications. Windows 11 users may also experience issues with GPU scheduling or compatibility modes that need adjustment.

How do I fix Date Everything not launching?

To fix Date Everything not launching, first verify your game files through Steam, update your graphics drivers, and run the game as administrator. If these don’t work, try switching DirectX versions using -dx11 in launch options, disable overlays, and ensure Windows is fully updated with all Visual C++ redistributables installed.

Does Date Everything work on Windows 10?

Yes, Date Everything works on Windows 10 64-bit and higher. The game requires at minimum an Intel Core i5-2300 processor, 4GB RAM, and Intel HD 4000 graphics. Ensure your system meets these requirements and has all necessary Windows updates installed for optimal performance.

What are Date Everything PC requirements?

Date Everything minimum requirements include Windows 10 64-bit, Intel Core i5-2300, 4GB RAM, Intel HD 4000 graphics, and 2GB storage. Recommended specs are Intel Core i5-6600K, 8GB RAM, and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 for the best experience without crashes or performance issues.

Why does Date Everything keep crashing after Hotfix 2?

If Date Everything crashes after Hotfix 2, try verifying game files, updating graphics drivers, and disabling third-party overlays. Some players report success by deleting and recreating save files, running in DirectX 11 mode, or performing a clean reinstall of the game and Visual C++ redistributables.

Can antivirus cause Date Everything to crash?

Yes, antivirus software can mistakenly flag Date Everything files as threats, causing crashes. Add the game’s installation folder to your antivirus exclusions list. Common antivirus programs like Windows Defender, Avast, or Norton may need Date Everything whitelisted to run properly without interference.

Conclusion

Date Everything crashing on startup can be frustrating when you’re eager to romance your household objects, but these six comprehensive fixes should resolve most issues. Start with updating your graphics drivers and verifying game files, as these solutions have the highest success rates. Remember that Team17 continues to release patches addressing performance issues, so keeping your game updated is crucial.

If you’ve tried all these solutions and still experience crashes, don’t hesitate to reach out to official support channels or the community Discord. The Date Everything community is helpful and active, with many players sharing their own discovered fixes for specific issues.

Remember to be patient with the troubleshooting process – sometimes it takes trying multiple solutions before finding the one that works for your specific system configuration. Once you get the game running smoothly, you’ll be able to enjoy all 100+ dateable characters without interruption.

Ankit Babal

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