Fix Unreal Engine exiting due to D3D device being lost error

The Unreal Engine Exiting due to D3D device being lost error can be very persistent and annoying and has been reported to occur in several games that are powered by Unreal Engine. Such errors occur mostly, due to system and game settings that your device is unable to support. This so happens because gamers tend to push the Central Processing Unit (CPU) and Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) to their maximum levels. Overclocking of CPU enhances game performance but leads to various errors as well, including this one.

Fix Unreal Engine exiting due to D3D device being lost error Reasons for Unreal Engine Exiting due to D3D device being lost Method 1: Disable Game Boost Settings Method 2: Change Prefered Graphics Card Method 3: Disable in-built Graphics Method 4: Disable Windows Firewall & Antivirus Program Method 5: Disable Overclocking and SLI Technology Method 6: Disable in-game Full-screen Mode Method 7: Verify Integrity of Game Files on Steam

Reasons for Unreal Engine Exiting due to D3D device being lost

Outdated Graphics Driver: Often, an outdated graphics driver causes this issue to flare up. Improper Installation: An incomplete installation of Steam files can also cause this error. Outdated Unreal Engine: In addition, this issue can occur if Unreal Engine is not updated to the most recent version. Conflict between Graphics Cards: If the Default and Dedicated graphics cards are running simultaneously on your computer, then this can also create various issues. Third-party Antivirus program: It’s possible that the Antivirus program installed on your system is blocking the Unreal Engine program mistakenly.

We shall now discuss the various solutions to fix this error in Windows 10 systems.

Method 1: Disable Game Boost Settings

Certain new features, such as Game Booster, are added to the latest Graphics card drivers to make the game run smoothly, without glitches. However, these settings also cause issues, like the Unreal Engine Exiting error and D3D device error. Note: The images we are using here pertain to AMD graphics settings. You can implement similar steps for NVIDIA graphics.

  1. Open AMD Radeon Software settings by right-clicking on the Desktop.

  2. Select the Gaming Option located at the top of the AMD window, as shown.

  3. Now, select the game which is causing you trouble. It will be visible in the Gaming window. In our case, no games are downloaded yet.

  4. Under the Graphics tab, click Radeon Boost.

  5. Disable it by toggling off the Radeon Boost option.

Method 2: Change Prefered Graphics Card

Nowadays, hardcore gamers use external graphics cards on their desktops to achieve an enhanced gaming experience. These graphics cards are added externally to the CPU. However, if you utilize the in-built and external graphics drivers simultaneously, this can cause conflict within the computer and result in the Unreal Engine Exiting due to the D3D device being lost error. Thus, it is recommended to run your games using a Dedicated graphics card only. Note: As an example, we are enabling the NVIDIA Graphics card and disabling the default graphics driver.

  1. Select the NVIDIA Control Panel by right-clicking on the desktop.  

  2. Click Manage 3D Settings from the left pane and switch to the Program Settings tab in the right pane.

  3. In Select a program to customize the drop-down menu, select Unreal Engine.

  4. From the second drop-down titled Select the prefered graphics processor for this program, choose High-performance NVIDIA Processor, as highlighted.

  5. Click on Apply and exit. Restart your PC and attempt to run the module/game to confirm that Unreal Engine exiting due to D3D device being lost error is fixed.

Method 3: Disable in-built Graphics

If changing the preference of the graphics card couldn’t fix Unreal Engine exiting due to the D3D device being lost error, then it might be a good idea to temporarily disable the in-built graphics card. This will avoid conflict issues between the two graphics cards, altogether. Note: Disabling in-built graphics will have no effect on the functioning of your computer. Follow these steps to disable in-built graphics card in Windows 10 PC:

  1. Launch Device Manager by typing the same in the Windows search bar, as shown.

  2. Double-click on Display adapters, as highlighted, to expand it.

  3. Right-click on the in-built Display Adapter and choose Disable device.

Restart your system and enjoy playing the game. Also Read: Update Graphics Drivers in Windows 10

Method 4: Disable Windows Firewall & Antivirus Program

Antivirus software has proven to be a boon when it comes to protecting PCs from malware and trojans. Similarly, Windows Defender Firewall is the built-in protection offered on Windows systems. However, in some cases, the Antivirus or Firewall might mistakenly perceive a verified program as malware and block its operations; more often, high resource consuming applications. This might be causing Unreal Engine exiting due to the D3D device being lost error. Hence, disabling them should help. Note: You can turn off these applications while playing your games. Remember to turn them back on, thereafter. Follow these steps to disable Windows Defender Firewall:

  1. Type Windows Defender Firewall in the search box and launch it as shown.

  2. Click the Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off option located in the left pane.

  3. Check the option marked Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended).

  4. Do so for all types of Network Settings and click OK. This will turn the firewall off. Implement the same steps and search for similar options to disable third-party Antivirus program installed on your system. It is recommended to uninstall the third-party antivirus if it is creating issues with multiple programs.

Method 5: Disable Overclocking and SLI Technology

Overclocking is a great game enhancement feature and can really push your graphics card and CPU to perform at the maximum possible levels. However, some games like Unreal engine are just not suited to be run in such overclocked environments. Such settings can result in Unreal Engine Exiting and D3D device errors. Therefore, Disable the overclocking software you have installed on your computer and try running the game to see if it resolves the issue. Also, if you are using SLI or Scalable Link Interface for your graphics cards, then you need to disable it too. The technology was developed by NVIDIA to utilize both default and dedicated graphics cards together for gameplay. Yet, there have been reports of the Unreal engine not working properly when SLI was enabled. Using dedicated graphics card should work just fine. Here’s how to do so:

  1. Launch NVIDIA Control Panel by right-clicking on an empty space on the Desktop.

  2. Double-click on the 3D Settings option from the left panel and then, click on Configure SLI, Surround, PhysX option.

  3. Check the box next to Disable SLI under SLI configuration, as highlighted in the pic below.

  4. Click on Apply and exit.

  5. Reboot your system to implement these changes and then launch the game. Also Read: How to view Hidden Games on Steam?

Method 6: Disable in-game Full-screen Mode

Some games also face troubles operating when the Full-screen mode is turned on. No matter what you do, the game just won’t run in this mode. In such cases, you should try to run the game in a Windowed mode. You can do this easily through the in-game settings. Many of the recently launched games come with these settings. Disable in-game Full-screen mode and verify if this could fix Unreal Engine Exiting due to D3D device being lost error.

Method 7: Verify Integrity of Game Files on Steam

If you prefer to play online games via Steam, you can make use of this amazing feature offered by this popular gaming platform. Using this tool, you will be able to rectify issues related to corrupt or missing game files, if any and enjoy smooth gameplay. Click here to read how to verify the integrity of Unreal Engine files on Steam. Q1. What causes the D3D device being lost error? According to the creators of Unreal Engine, this issue typically happens when the computer graphics or hardware components are not  synced with Unreal Engine correctly. This causes it to fail to operate with D3D devices. Q2. Does updating drivers increase FPS? Yes, updating the installed drivers can increase FPS i.e. Frames Per Second considerably. In few instances, the frame rates have been known to increase by up to fifty percent. Not only that, but updating drivers also smoothens the game experience by freeing up glitches. Recommended:

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We hope that you were able to fix Unreal Engine exiting due to D3D Device being lost error by implementing the methods listed in our guide. If you have any queries or suggestions, drop them in the comment section below.

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