Battlefield 6 Crashing on PC? Here's How to Fix It and the Best Settings to Use
So you've downloaded the hottest shooter of the year and it won't even start. Don't panic. The fix is stupidly simple, and while we're at it, let's dial in your settings for maximum ownage.
There's nothing quite like the excitement of a new Battlefield launch, and there's nothing that kills that excitement faster than the game crashing to your desktop without so much as an error message. If you're one of the many PC players staring at a black screen after the initial splash art, you're in the right place. The problem is almost certainly a single, dumb setting in the new Nvidia App.
Once you've got the game running, the next step is wading through the sea of options to get the game playing smoothly. We’ve already covered the basics in our Battlefield 6 Multiplayer Guide, but this guide is all about the technical stuff: fixing the launch crash and dialing in the optimal settings for performance and a competitive edge.
The Crashing Fix: Kill "Smooth Motion"
The main culprit for the launch crash is a new Nvidia setting called “Smooth Motion” found in the new Nvidia App. It's supposed to make things look smoother, but for Battlefield 6, it just causes a complete meltdown.
Here’s the simple, step-by-step fix:
Open the NVIDIA App.
Go to the "Graphics" tab and select Battlefield 6 from your list of games.
Find the setting for “Smooth Motion” and disable it.
While you're here, make sure you've installed the latest Nvidia driver (version 581.42 or newer), which is specifically optimized for the game.
Launch the game.
That’s it. For most people, this will solve the problem instantly. If you're still having issues, try the classic solutions: run the game as an administrator and make sure your chipset drivers are up to date.
The Best Settings for a Competitive Edge
Now that the game is actually running, let's get your settings sorted. These are a mix of performance tweaks and quality-of-life changes that will give you a tangible advantage on the battlefield.
Graphics Settings
In any competitive shooter, your priority should always be a high, stable frame rate over pretty visuals. Higher FPS means a smoother, more responsive experience.
Performance Preset: Auto (Performance)
Field of View (FOV): 105 - The default is too narrow. A wider FOV lets you see more of your surroundings, making it harder for enemies to sneak up on you.
Vehicle Third-Person FOV: 80
Weapon FOV: Wide
World Motion Blur: 0 - Turn this off. It just makes it harder to see what's going on.
Weapon Motion Blur: 0 - Turn this off for the same reason.
Camera Shake: 50 - The default is too high. Lowering this makes it easier to stay on target while explosions are going off around you.
Reduce Sprint Camera Bob: On
Chromatic Aberration: Off - A cinematic effect that just blurs the edges of the screen. Useless.
Vignette: Off
Film Grain: Off
Gameplay Settings
These are more about personal preference, but these settings will make the game feel more responsive and intuitive.
Vertical Look: Off (unless you prefer inverted controls).
Hold/Toggle for Actions: Set everything you can to "Toggle." Having to hold a key to aim down sights or crouch is a pain in the middle of a chaotic firefight.
Conquest Area Outline: On
Infantry Aim Sensitivity: This is purely personal preference. Find what's comfortable for you.
Double-Tap to Sprint: Off - This will just get you killed.
Skip Revive on Sprint: On
Breach Doors on Sprint: On
Slide from Sprint (Double-Tap): On
Rotate Camera on Landing Roll: On
Cancel Bipod: Instant
Interact & Reload: Prioritize Reload - This prevents you from accidentally starting an interaction when you're trying to reload in a gunfight.
Vehicle & Aim Assist Settings
Helicopter Control Assist: On - Helicopters are notoriously tricky to fly. Leave this on until you get the hang of it.
Aim-Relative Vehicle Controls: Off
Decoupled Aiming (Tank Turret): Off
Aim Assist (Controller): The default values are way too high. Lower both the Infantry and Vehicle Zoom Snap to around 30. This will make the aim assist feel less "sticky" and more natural.
With these settings dialed in, your game should not only run smoothly, but you'll also have a much clearer view of the battlefield and more responsive controls. Now get out there and play the objective.