The Last of Us Part 1 Won’t Launch or Not Loading on Windows 11? [SOLVED]

The Last of Us Part 1 is a popular post-apocalyptic action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog. The game was released on PS5 before recently getting released on PC which received backlash over its poor optimization.

If you’re a fan of The Last of Us Part 1 and you’re trying to launch the game on your PC but it won’t start or load, it can be frustrating.

The good news is that there are several solutions you can try to get the game up and running. In this article, we’ll provide you with 12 fixes to The Last of Us Part 1 not launching/loading on your PC.

So, let’s dive in and get your game back on track!

Solution 1: Restart the PC

When you experience a Won’t Launch, Not loading issue, or any bug in your game, it’s recommended to start by restarting the computer before attempting any other fixes. This is because restarting the computer can resolve any temporary errors caused by outdated cookies and cache or conflicts with other software on your system. Simply restarting the PC

Here are our recommended PC Builds to play TLOU Part 1 Smoothly

Solution 2: Run the Application as Administrator

Running the program as an administrator will help you eradicate The Last of Us Part 1 not loading issue as it might lack the privileges required to run the Application.

To solve the issue of the game Won’t Launch on start-up, running the program as an administrator could be a helpful solution as it may not have the necessary privileges to run the application. By granting administrative access to the program, you can ensure that it has all the necessary permissions to operate and potentially resolve any errors causing the game to crash.

Here is how you can run the application as an administrator:

1. Go to the file/ folder.
2. Then go to the Game Launcher/Steam client.
3. Right-click on the Launcher icon
   
4. A menu will open
5. Select “Run as administrator“

Now the program will start running smoothly without giving you The Last of Us Part 1 not loading issue on startup.

The above solution is a temporary fix which helps you run the program or access folder. If you want to run the program permanently on administrator, then follow the next solution to solve The Last of Us Part 1 errors.

Solution 3: Run the Program as an Administrator (Permanently)

When running a program or application on a Windows computer, there may be times when you need to give the program administrative privileges to access certain features or settings.

However, simply right-clicking on the program and selecting “Run as administrator” may not always be enough, as you may need to grant these privileges permanently to avoid constantly having to repeat the process.

In this case, you must take some additional steps to ensure that the program always runs with administrative privileges, even if you forget to select this option explicitly. In this solution, we will walk you through the process of running a program as an administrator permanently, so that you can gain the access you need without any extra hassle.

1. Go to the folder/Application
2. Right-click on it
3. A menu will open
4. Select Properties
5. A new window will open
6. Navigate to the “Compatibility Tab“
7. Under the Settings heading
8. Find “Run this Program as an administrator“
   
9. Check the box for this option
10. Click “Apply“

Now your program successfully Runs as an Administrator on Windows (Permanently) and you can easily open the program without repeating the steps again and again.

If you still facing errors then proceed to the next solution.

Solution 4: Update Graphics Card Driver Via Windows Update

Updating your graphics card driver is an important step in ensuring your computer is running smoothly and efficiently. With the latest driver updates, you can improve your system’s performance, fix any bugs like the black screen issue, and enjoy new features. In this solution, we will be showing you how to update your graphics card driver using Windows Update, a straightforward method for keeping your drivers up to date. So, let’s get started!

Here is how you can update drivers via optional updates on Windows 11:

1. Click on the Windows icon
   
2. Click on the Settings icon
3. A new window will pop up
4. Select Windows Update from the left menu
   
5. The new window will pop up
6. Now select Advanced options
7. Click on Optional updates
   
8. A new window will open
9. Click on the drop-down button for Driver updates
10. Now, select your desired drivers
11. Now press the Download & Install button
    

If you cannot update your drivers through Windows Update, then you can try updating the Graphics Drivers through Device Manager to fix The Last of Us Part 1 that Won’t Launch on startup.

Solution 5: Update Graphic Drivers Via Device Manager

Updating your graphics card driver is essential for ensuring optimal performance and compatibility with the latest software and games. Updating your graphics card driver can be done via the Device Manager in Windows and is a straightforward process that can be completed in just a few steps.

Here is how you can update drivers through Device Manager:

1. Click on the Search icon
2. Type Device Manager
3. Click to open Device Manager
   
4. Then select the Display adapters
5. A further menu will open
6. Right-click on the graphic card name
7. Click on the Update driver
   

Solution 6: Check for Driver’s Updates of GPU/Video Cards of Different Company

The Last of Us Part 1 Won’t Launch can be due to outdated GPU drivers. When the video card drivers are not up to date, the GPU cannot keep up with modern gaming and may cause crashes. To resolve this, we suggest updating the video card drivers. Direct links to the main GPU manufacturers can be found below.

• AMD
  
• Nvidia
  
• Intel
  

If the above solution didn’t work out for you, then try the next solution.

Solution 7: Disable The Steam Overlay

Some players have reported that disabling the Steam overlay on their Windows computers has improved their ability to play The Last of Us Part 1 on PC.

Here are steps to Disable the Steam Overlays:

1. Open the Steam client
2. Go to the Library
3. Right-click on The Last of Us Part 1 and select the properties
4. Select the General section
5. Now just uncheck the Enable Steam Overlay

Solution 8: Verify the Game Files On Steam

Sometimes the game file will get corrupted or get deleted, which eventually causes a Won’t Launch issue on The Last of Us Part 1 on PC.

Verify the Game File in Steam

Follow the steps to verify the game file on steam software:

1. Launch the Steam Software
2. Now login in the steam
3. Navigate to the library
4. Select the game and right-click on the game
5. Now select properties
6. Now click on the “Local file” Option
7. A further menu will open
8. Click on the “Verify Integrity of the Game Cache“
   
9. Now the software is verifying the files, and this will take some time.

Solution 9: Disable DirectX 12

Sometimes the game file will get corrupted or get deleted that eventually causing a not loading issue on steam.

If you are encountering issues while running The Last of Us Part 1 on your PC, it might be helpful to disable DirectX 12. Although it is the latest version available for Windows, your PC may not meet the requirements to run it smoothly. To turn off DirectX 12:

1. Open the Settings menu in the game.
2. Go to the Video section.
3. Locate the option to enable DirectX 12 and set it to “Off”.
4. Save your changes and exit the Settings menu.
5. Restart the game to apply the changes.

By disabling DirectX 12, you may be able to resolve any performance issues or glitches that you are experiencing while playing the game.

Solution 10: Set Correct Rendering Device

To ensure that The Last of Us Part 1 is running on the correct rendering device, select the appropriate option from the game’s video settings menu.

Here’s how you can do it:

1. Launch the game through the Steam client.
2. Open the Video Settings menu from within the game.
3. Look for the option labeled “Selected Rendering Device” and click on it.
4. Choose your dedicated GPU from the available options. Make sure not to leave it set to the default option.
5. Save your changes and exit the settings menu.
6. Restart the game to apply the new settings.

By selecting the correct rendering device, you can ensure that the game is utilizing your dedicated GPU instead of the default option, which may not be as powerful. This can result in improved performance and a better gaming experience.

Solution 11: Disable Multi-Threaded Rendering

The Last of Us Part 1 has a multi-threaded rendering option enabled in its video settings menu, which can lead to game not loading. To resolve this issue, you should disable the multi-threaded rendering option. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Open the in-game video settings menu.
2. Look for the option labeled “Multi-Threaded Rendering” and disable it.
3. If you are using an AMD processor, make sure to turn off this option and reboot the game to apply changes.

Disabling the multi-threaded rendering option can help resolve The Last of Us Part 1 won’t launch. By following these steps, you can ensure a smoother and more enjoyable gaming experience.

Solution 12: Update The Last of Us Part 1

Keeping The Last of Us Part 1 updated can also help improve its performance and stability. Recently the developers release a new patch The Last of Us Part I v1.0.1.6 Patch Notes: Performance and Stability Enhancements Rolled Out for PC

Here are the steps to check for updates and install the latest patch:

For Steam:

1. Open the Steam client and go to your Library.
2. Find The Last of Us Part 1 in the left pane and click on it.
3. If an update is available, the client will automatically search for it. Click on the Update button to install it.
4. Wait for the update to install, then close the Steam client.
5. Restart your PC to apply changes and try launching the game again.

For Epic Launcher:

1. Open the Epic Launcher client and go to your Library.
2. Look for The Last of Us Part 1 in the left pane and click on the three-dot icon next to it.
3. Make sure auto-update is enabled to receive automatic updates in the future.
4. If an update is available, the launcher will automatically search for it. Click on the Update button to install it.
5. Restart your PC to apply changes and try launching the game again.

Checking for and installing updates can help ensure that The Last of Us Part 1 is running smoothly and free of any performance issues caused by outdated software.

If you still have any queries or suggestions, share your experience with us in the comments section below.