Rust Won’t Launch: Here’s How To Fix It

Rust is set in the open world with the sole goal of survival. After its release in 2018, Rust has been listed as one of the best survival games and is available for Microsoft Windows, PS4, macOS, Xbox One, and Linux.

However, like with any other video game, players have reported Rust won’t launch, among other issues. This can be very frustrating, especially if you’re just trying to play the game.

We have done our homework and identified reasons why it may be happening and how to fix it.

Why is Rust not launching?

There are various reasons why Rust will not launch. Some of the most common reasons include:

• Outdated graphics driver
• Missing or corrupted game files
• Unnecessary background task
• Incompatible PC hardware
• Overclocked CPU/GPU
• DirectX-related issues

Let’s get into the possible solutions to fix this issue without wasting any more time and get you back to the game as soon as possible.

How do I fix Rust won’t launch?

Firstly, ensure your device meets the minimum system requirements to run Rust. Also, ensure your game is genuine, disable your antivirus and firewall, and restart your PC.

Table of contents:

1. Disable overlay apps
2. Update graphics drivers
3. Update Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable
4. Verify the Integrity of game files
5. Launch the Game in Windowed mode (Steam)
6. Perform a clean boot
7. Close background processes

1. Disable overlay apps

Steam overlay is more of a feature, not a bug. It works for many games, however, it is not optimized to work for all of them, and that is why you tend to experience lags, crashes, and issues like Rust won’t launch. To disable overlay apps:

1. Launch the Steam client.
2. Click on Library in the top menu.
3. Right-click on Rust and choose Properties from the drop-down menu.
4. In the Properties window, navigate to the General section.
5. Uncheck the box labelled Enable Steam Overlay.
6. Click on OK to save the changes and close the window.
7. Go back to your Library.
8. Launch Rust to check if the issue has been resolved.

2. Update graphics drivers

We highly recommend using DriverFix for maintaining your computer’s drivers and ensuring optimal PC performance. This powerful tool will scan, download and install PC drivers automatically.

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3. Update Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable

1. Open File Explorer on your PC.
2. Navigate to the following path:
3. C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Steamworks Shared_CommonRedist\vcredist
4. Look for the following folders: 2012, 2013, and 2019.
5. Open each of these folders and run the executable file named vc_redist.x64.exe.
6. If you have different folders, run the vc_redist.x64.exe file in those folders.
7. Once you have run all the executable files, restart your PC.
8. This should fix the issue you were experiencing.

4. Verify the Integrity of game files

Assuming corrupted game files are one of the reasons why Rust Won’t Launch? Verifying the integrity of the game files essentially helps you get rid of any issues with the game. To do this:

1. Launch Steam and click on the Library tab.
2. From the list of installed games, right-click on Rust.
3. Click on Properties, and then go to the Local Files tab.
4. Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files.
5. Wait for the verification process to complete.
6. Once the process is complete, restart your computer.
7. This should resolve any issues with the game files for Rust on Steam.

5. Launch the Game in Windowed mode on Steam

Do you want to play a game that requires high system requirements, but you have a low-end PC? The Windowed Mode basically allows users to launch games that would otherwise NOT launch. To do this:

1. Open the Steam client and navigate to the Library tab.
2. Right-click on Rust and select Properties from the drop-down menu.
3. In the Properties window, navigate to the General section.
4. Click on the Set Launch Options button.
5. Copy and paste the following command-line argument: -windowed -noborder
6. Click on OK to save the changes.
7. Try relaunching the game to see if the issue has been resolved.
8. If the game still does not launch correctly, try other troubleshooting methods.

6. Perform a clean boot

Performing a clean boot cancels out the possibility of a background program interfering with your game. It’s sort of like starting over on a clean slate. To perform a clean boot:

1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type “msconfig” and hit Enter to open the System Configuration window.
3. Go to the Services tab and enable the “Hide all Microsoft services” checkbox.
4. Click on Disable all, then select Apply and then click OK to save changes.
5. Now, click on the Startup tab and click on “Open Task Manager”.
6. Under the Startup tab in the Task Manager interface, select the particular tasks that are enabled for startup boot and click on Disable.
7. Make sure to select the high-impact startup programs and disable them one by one.
8. Once all of them are disabled, restart your PC to apply the changes.
9. Finally, check whether the issue of Rust not launching on PC has been fixed or not.

7. Close background processes

1. Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open Task Manager.
2. Click on the Processes tab.
3. Select the task that you want to close.
4. Once selected, click on “End Task.” Make sure to do this for each task individually.
5. Once you have ended all the necessary tasks, restart your computer to apply the changes.

Conclusion

We hope one of the above solutions has helped you fix the Rust won’t launch issue. Let us know what has worked for you in the comment section below. Questions and suggestions are also welcomed.