How to get rid of Rust crashes in Windows 10?

Rust is a survival video game that has enough unique elements to stand out from the crowd. It throws the user into a brutal environment, armed with just a rock and a torch, and leaves them to survive on their own while evading wild beasts, hunger, radioactive environments, and fellow humans shooting primitive weapons.

However, many users have been unable to enjoy the game because it constantly crashes. For some, it crashes immediately when it is launched. For others, it randomly closes to the desktop in the heat of an exciting battle.

Such things are, of course, frustrating to Rust players. If you are one of those looking for a way to permanently deal with the frequent Rust crashes, you have come to the right place. Check out the solutions provided here. They have helped a lot of players and can help you too.

Why Is Rust Crashing Constantly?

Rush is a fairly demanding game, but it doesn’t use so much storage compared with most of its modern multiplayer peers. Moreover, it is still lenient when it comes to the kind of GPU that can comfortably run the game. So, why is Rust crashing constantly for some users?

After a period of research, we have gathered the following reasons why the game often develops errors during runtime and crashes:

1. Driver issues. Most modern games cannot do without a dedicated GPU. In turn, the GPU won’t be able to do what it does without a compatible driver. If the driver for your graphics card is obsolete, deleted or incompatible with the OS, issues like crashes are bound to occur. In some cases, the game might not even load at all.
2. A corrupted file. The file in question may be a system file or game file. In most cases, game files are affected. Even a single corrupt game file can stop the entire game from running smoothly.
3. Hardware issues. This has to do with whether or not your PC meets the requirements for the game. If your computer barely meets the system requirements, you may have to deal with random crashes and the like unless you upgrade your system or optimize the game for your hardware.
4. Duration of play. If you have been playing the game for a long time, your PC may overheat, causing the game to crash. Some system functions can abruptly freeze as a result of overheating.
5. Memory issues. If you run too many open programs when you play Rust, the game will have to compete for memory space with these programs. If it doesn’t get enough, it can crash or exhibit other symptoms of insufficient memory.

What to Do When Rust Keeps Crashing?

You are sat all giddy in front of your PC, ready to continue your battle of survival while evading dangerous beasts in Rust. Unfortunately, the game decides to crash at that moment.

If this is your first time playing Rust, the first thing you need to do is check whether your computer hardware meets the system requirements for Rust.

If your PC hardware is too low to play the game, you can still manage to run Rust, but be prepared for the occasional glitch or freeze. The best thing is to use a PC that clearly meets at least the minimum system requirements. If it can easily scale the recommended requirements for the game, even better.

Here are the minimum and recommended system requirements for Rust on Windows 10 as determined by the game developer.

Minimum Specifications

Processor: Intel Core i7-3770 /AMD FX-9590 or better

Memory: 10 GB of RAM

Graphics: GTX 670 2GB / AMD R9 280 better

Storage: 20 GB of available space

DirectX: 11

Internet Connection: Broadband

Additional Notes: SSD is highly recommended or expect longer than average load times

Recommended Specifications

Processor: Intel Core i7-4690K / AMD Ryzen 5 1600

Memory: 16 GB of RAM

Graphics: GTX 980 / AMD R9 Fury

DirectX: 12

Internet Connection: Broadband

Storage: 20 GB of available space

Additional Notes: SSD is highly recommended

If you don’t know how to check your computer’s hardware specs, this is one way to do so:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Navigate to System > About.
3. On the About screen on the right, check out the basic information about your device, like the processor and RAM, under Device Specifications.
4. Now, select the Display option in the left menu pane of the System screen.
5. On the new screen, under the Display tab, go to Advanced Display Settings > Display adapter properties for display 1.
6.  You can check out your GPU specs in the Display Properties dialog.

If your PC is good enough to play the game yet Rust keeps crashing, you can check out our solutions below. However, if you discover that the hardware isn’t good enough for the game, you can replace the subpar component, such as the RAM, or play the game on a better PC. Alternatively, you can try and lower some of the game’s graphics settings.

 How to Stop Rust From Crashing in Windows 10

If you are unable to enjoy Rust for an appreciable length of time because of the constant crashing issues, do not despair or give up. Give our fixes a try, and you will likely be able to get rid of the annoyance for good.

Run Steam in Administrator Mode

Sometimes, your game requires access to certain files but cannot obtain it in normal mode. Whether it is Rust or Steam, the program needs elevated permissions to be able to make use of such files. If these files are critical to the game or Steam but cannot be used by either, it can cause the game to crash.

The solution is to elevate the permissions given to Steam. Although the game itself might require these files, running Steam as an administrator also automatically elevates the permissions of whichever game is running in Steam at the moment. Therefore, to solve the issue of crashing in Rust, running Steam as an administrator is a viable solution.

Doing this is pretty simple. Just follow the steps below:

1. Close Steam and all associated running programs.
2. Open Task Manager and check for any running Steam processes. End any ones you find.
3. Now, right-click the Steam launcher and select Properties.
4. In the Steam properties dialog, switch to the Compatibility tab.
5. In the Settings group of the Compatibility tab, tick the “Run this program as an administrator” checkbox.
6. Click Apply and then OK.

Anytime you launch Steam after this, you will run it as an administrator, giving it access to all the files it requires. Launch Steam and then run Rust. If it doesn’t work, try another solution.

Check the Game’s Files

Rust might be misbehaving because some of its files have been damaged. There is nothing much you can do if that is the case apart from repairing or replacing those files.

Much like Windows with tools like the System File Checker and DISM, Steam has its own file verification mechanism. Since the game is downloaded from Steam servers, Steam has a way to automatically verify the game’s files and download replacements for those files that are corrupt or missing. This way, you can solve your problem without having to download the game again and start it from scratch.

This method can be very effective if Rust began to crash after an update via Steam. The update may have contained a corrupt file or two or brought other problems. In a case like this, checking the integrity of the game’s files is the best way to go.

Verifying the integrity of the game’s files in Steam is pretty easy. This is how to do it:

1. Launch the Steam app.
2. Select the Library tab at the top.
3. Find Rust in the game list, right-click it and select Properties.
4. When the Properties window opens, select the Local Files tab.
5. Select the “Verify Integrity of Game Files” option.

Wait for a bit while Steam scans the game’s files and downloads replacement files if required. When the scan is complete, run the game and verify that the crashing issue has been resolved.

Leave the Steam Beta Program

The Steam Beta program delivers the latest versions of Steam before they become available for mass download. If you experience the Rust crashing issue while in Steam Beta, it might be because the beta version is still buggy and affects your game. To prevent this problem from continuing now and in the future, you can opt out of the beta program. This way, you only use full, publicly available and stable versions of Steam that have been thoroughly checked for bugs before being released.

If you don’t know how to opt out of the Steam Beta program, here is how:

1. Launch the Steam app.
2. Click the Steam tab in the top right corner of Steam and select Settings.
3. Make sure the Account tab is selected in Settings.
4. Look for “Beta participation” and click the Change box to reveal beta participation options.
5. Select the “None– Opt out of all beta programs” option and click the OK button.

That should be that. Close Steam completely and wait for a few moments. Then launch it again and run the game. Rust should stop crashing now. If not, try a different fix.

Free Up the Processor and System Memory

Rust by itself shouldn’t put too much strain on a computer with decent specs. However, if many applications and programs are running at the same time, it can affect how Rust performs and even cause it to not load at all or crash shortly after launch. Since memory space is finite, constantly opening new programs without closing older ones will eventually cause the memory to fill up. Similarly, the processor power isn’t unlimited, and it cannot run an indefinite number of apps and programs, well, indefinitely.

Thus, if you notice that Rust tends to crash or have other problems when plenty of apps are open, you should close all those apps that you don’t need so as to free up more space for your beloved game. This also lessens the workload on the processor, so more power can be devoted to running the game.

You should also pay attention to apps and processes running in the background. Some program processes, such as those belonging to overlay apps, antivirus programs, desktop social media apps, etc., tend to run in the background even after the parent programs have been closed. You should pay attention to those using too many resources and end them so more space and power will be available for running games like Rust without issues. Here is what you should do:

1. Right-click the Start menu icon and select Task Manager.
2. Check the CPU and Memory Usage columns in Task Manager. Take note of the processes that are using too much CPU or memory or both.
3. Right-click any processes that are hogging your resources and select End Task.

Run Rust in Steam and check whether it still crashes.

Change Your Power Plan

Windows 10 comes with several power plans that you can manually switch between depending on your lifestyle. By default, your power plan is set to Balanced, which means that the system allocates power in a balanced manner without neglecting any program or process.

Rust, being a big game in its own right, needs considerable power to run smoothly. This isn’t an issue when your computer is connected to a stable power source. However, when you’re playing the game solely on battery power, it can cause problems.

You have two options in that case. First, you can quickly find a power source and plug in your computer. When that isn’t available, you can change, even if temporarily, your power plan to High Performance.

Note that the increased performance this power plan gives means that your battery power will deplete faster. If you don’t care about that, then go ahead and change your power plan to combat Rust crashing issues:

1. Open the Run box with Win Key+R.
2. Now, open the Power Configuration window in the Control Panel. Type “powercfg.cpl” (without quotes) into the Run box and click OK.
3. In the “Choose or customize a power plan” window, under Preferred options, select High Performance.

Reboot the machine now, then launch Steam and run the game again. If the issue still isn’t resolved, try other fixes.

Update Your Video Card Driver

Outdated, corrupt or incompatible graphics card drivers are a recipe for constant game problems. To get the best performance when playing any game, the driver for your GPU should be up to date. No matter how good your video card is, without a compatible and updated driver, you won’t be able to enjoy its capabilities to the fullest.

If Rust or any other game keeps crashing and you also notice flickers or freezes when playing it, it is probably time to update your graphics card driver.

How to update your video card driver is a matter of both choice and convenience. You can do it manually by downloading the needed driver from the support page of your hardware manufacturer. You can use the Device Manager to search for and install the driver you need. If you have less time and wish to update multiple drivers, a tool like Auslogics Driver Updater is your best bet.

To use Driver Updater, simply download and install it and let it scan your PC. It will present a list of all your hardware drivers and clearly tell you which ones are subpar or obsolete. This is clearly convenient as you can see what hardware is in need of the latest drivers at a glance. Click Update next to your graphics card driver or any other hardware driver, and the tool will download the latest compatible driver. It will back up your current driver before installing the update so you can easily roll back if you need to.

If you want to go through the Device Manager, open the applet and double-click the “Sound, video and game controllers” option to reveal related hardware. Right-click your graphics card and select Update Driver. In the window that pops up, select “Search automatically for updated driver software”. If a newer driver is available, and if Windows can find it, it will be downloaded and installed automatically.

Whether you use a third-party tool or go through the Device Manager, don’t forget to reboot your PC so the system can assign the newly installed driver to your hardware.

Now run Rust again and see if everything is fine.

Assign the Game to a Few Cores

Imagine bringing a bazooka to a fist fight. Imagine playing a game produced for the PlayStation One on the newly released PlayStation 5 console. Imagine playing the old Contra game on a beast PC with 32 GB of RAM and one of Nvidia’s flagship gaming processors. I guess you get the point.

You might not believe this, but it is possible for a game to develop issues because it doesn’t use the full power of a computer or console. Though this seems to be a rare reason, it can be the cause of Rust constantly crashing – especially if the computer is loaded to the hilt with top-tier hardware.

You can maximize Rust’s resource usage through these simple steps:

1. Open Steam and run the game.
2. Minimize the game window and return to your desktop.
3. Right-click the Start menu icon and select Task Manager.
4. Switch to the Details tab in Task Manager.
5. Find the Rust process and right-click it. Select Set Affinity from the context menu.
6. Tick all the available boxes and click OK.

You can now reboot the game and run it again. There is a high chance this will work for you as it worked for others.

In case you are wondering what you just did, Set Affinity simply means to assign a process – in this case, the Rust process – to only a few cores. In particular, the system will assign the process to those cores that already have a cache of the game stored. This way, the game will be able to run faster and perform better.

If this doesn’t cause the crashing issue to stop, try the following fix.

Switch to Another Launch Option

If Rust crashes soon after launch, it might be caused by improper internal settings in the game. You can try another launch option with it and see if that helps:

1. Launch Steam and select Library.
2. Right-click the game and select Properties.
3. Select Set Launch Options and clear the Launch Options box.
4. Type or copy-paste “high -maxMem=X -malloc=system -force-feature-level-11-0 -cpuCount=X -exThreads=X -force-d3d11-no-singlethreaded” into the Launch Options box and click OK.

Reboot the machine and check the game. If the crashing continues, reverse what you just did and move to another solution.

Adjust Your Virtual Memory

Virtual memory is that portion of your hard drive assigned for occasional use by the RAM. Unless you don’t open multiple programs or have a very big memory (32 GB and up), there are inevitably times when there is insufficient space in the memory for the next app you launched.

At that time, the system moves a previously launched and open or running app or program to the designated space on the hard drive to create space for the new program. This space on the hard drive is called virtual memory.

But what happens if the virtual memory is full and the main system memory is also full? If you try and run Rust at this time, your game will definitely run much slower and may even crash instantly.

If your virtual memory is almost always full, you need to increase its size. This way, it will be big enough to save temporary files so that you can smoothly run Rust with the main memory. Follow the instructions below to get the job done:

1. Open the Run box, type “sysdm.cpl” (without quotes) and click OK. This will launch the System Properties window in the Control Panel.
2. When the System Properties window comes up, switch to the Advanced tab.
3. In the Advanced tab, in the Performance section, click the Settings button.
4. The Performance Options window will be displayed. Go to the Advanced tab of this window.
5. You will see the Virtual Memory section there, which will show the current size of your VRAM. Click the Change button in this section.
6. Yet another dialog, this time the Virtual Memory window, will open. Uncheck the “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives” checkbox.
7. Now, select your Windows drive in the Drives field and tick the Custom Size checkbox.
8. Use the Initial Size and Maximum Size fields to increase the amount of your hard drive allocated to virtual memory. You can decide to double the current figures or increase the maximum figure by a factor such as 1.5 times the size of your RAM.
9. When you’re done, click Set, then OK.

Now, exit all the system windows, launch Steam and run the game. The crashing issues in Rust should no longer appear due to the increased VRAM.

Optimize Your In-Game Settings

If Rust keeps crashing on an old PC or one that barely meets the system requirements, you can optimize the game so it can run better.

Optimizing a game doesn’t always mean you increase its graphics effects. On a PC that is struggling to run Rust, you can lower the game’s image effects and graphics quality. This will reduce the strain on the system resources so Rust can run without periodic crashes.

Another method is to optimize your system instead so more resources can be available for Rust to run. This will improve your gameplay and the performance of your PC.

Windows 10 has inbuilt system optimization tools. However, if you are looking for a more convenient option, a piece of software like Auslogics BoostSpeed will do the hard work for you. The software contains a host of system optimization tools that will clean up your PC, make it faster and allocate more memory when you play games like Rust.

Reinstall Rust

If you have tried all the fixes here to no avail, you have few options left. Before you give up in a huff and go play a less problematic game, try removing the game and installing it again. This tends to work like magic for reasons we aren’t quite sure of yet.

Before you delete Rust as explained below, don’t forget to first copy your saves elsewhere. You can find the Rust game folder in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common. Open the game folder and copy the save folder from there.

Now here is what you should do:

1. Launch Steam and select Library.
2. Find your game, right-click it and select Uninstall.
3. When the Remove Game Files dialog shows up, click Delete.
4. Close Steam.
5. Next, navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common with File Explorer.
6. Right-click the Rust folder and select Delete.

After deleting Rust and its folder, open Steam and download the game again. You should be able to play it without a hitch.