Lorene Melone
How To Fix the ARK Survival Ascended Unhandled Exception: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION Error on PC
If you’ve been hitting that pesky EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION error while trying to run ARK Survival Ascended, you’re definitely not alone. It’s kind of weird, but this problem pops up for a bunch of reasons—sometimes faulty drivers, bad file configs, or even game interference from mods. The good news is, there’s a decent chance it’s fixable without diving into total reinstall chaos. This guide walks through some tried-and-true methods, from simple tweaks to more invasive ones, so you can get back to gaming instead of troubleshooting forever.
How to Fix ARK Survival Ascended’s EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION on PC
Adjust Launch Settings via Steam
This one helps because the error often relates to conflicts with graphics API settings or DirectX versions. When ARK kicks off with the wrong launch flags, it can access memory it shouldn’t, throwing that exception. Setting specific launch options forces the game into a mode that plays nicer with your hardware.
- Open Steam and go to your Library.
- Right-click on ARK Survival Ascended and pick Properties.
- In the General tab, click on Launch Options.
- Enter some of these commands (try one at a time or in combinations):
-dx11-d3d11-force-d3d11-windowed -d3d11-dx12
One of these tends to work on most setups—on some machines this fails the first time, then works after a quick reboot. Play around and see which one stabilizes things for you.
Reinstall BattlEye for Steam
BattlEye has caused its fair share of crashes for people. Reinstalling it fresh can fix corrupted files or conflicts.
- In Steam, right-click ARK, then go to Manage > Browse Local Files.
- Navigate to the Binaries > Win64 folder.
- Find the BattlEye folder. Right-click on it and select Uninstall. On Windows, run the uninstall as administrator (right-click, Run as administrator) to ensure proper removal.
- After that’s gone, just launch the game again from Steam. It should automatically reinstall BattlEye in the process. If not, you can manually run the BattlEye installer to force a reinstall. On some setups, the installer hangs or requires admin privileges—so, yeah, run as admin.
Run the Game directly from its Install Folder
This is kind of shady, but sometimes launching the game directly from `ARK.exe` bypasses launcher-side issues that cause memory errors.
- Same initial steps as above—navigate to the game folder via Manage > Browse Local Files.
- Right-click on
ARK.exe, select Properties. - In the Compatibility tab, check Run this program as an administrator and disable Full-screen Optimizations. This can help with graphics API conflicts or permission issues.
- Click Apply and OK. Now, launch directly by double-clicking
ARK.exe.
On some setups, this tiny tweak stabilizes memory access or at least helps isolate the root cause.
Make sure Windows and Antivirus aren’t Blocking the Game
Because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary. Sometimes Windows Security or antivirus tools block critical game files or overlays, leading to weird access violations.
- Open Windows Security and go to Virus & threat protection.
- Scroll down and click on Manage ransomware protection.
- Choose Allow an app to control folder access. Then, add your ARK game folder or executable files to the list. Usually, these are in `C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\ARK` or wherever you installed.
Sometimes, simply creating an exception fixes the access issue. Just… don’t block everything just because.
Verify Integrity of Game Files
Naturally, corrupted files can lead to memory access errors. Verifying game files through Steam is free, easy, and often overlooked.
- Right-click ARK in your Steam Library, pick Properties.
- Click on the Local Files tab, then choose Verify integrity of game files.
This process will automatically replace any corrupt or missing files. Usually takes a few minutes, but can save hours of frustration.
Delete the Config Folder (Reset Game Settings)
If fiddling with settings doesn’t work, resetting configs can sometimes clear corrupt configs that cause the crash. Not ideal if you’ve customized a lot, but worth a shot.
- Navigate to `C:\Users\YourUsername\Saved Games\Ark` or wherever your saved configs live.
- Backup the Config folder somewhere safe, then delete it. Launch the game afterward to generate fresh configs.
Disable Mods and Lower Graphics Settings
Mods tend to be a double-edged sword—can add fun, but also break things. Disable all mods and see if that fixes the crash. Same goes for turning down graphics, especially if your PC is struggling.
- In-game, switch display to Windowed mode from the settings menu.
- Lower your graphics quality—especially shadows, post-processing, and view distance.
- Set max frame rate to your monitor’s refresh rate if it isn’t set already to prevent GPU overloads.
- Disable DLSS or frame generation if you turned it on.
Switch Power Modes and Monitor GPU Usage
On some setups, Windows power management limits hardware performance, causing memory errors during GPU-intensive scenes.
- Open Control Panel > Power Options.
- Select Power Saver. This sounds counterintuitive—sometimes lowering performance here reduces crashes.
Update Graphics Drivers or Roll Back
If the crash started after a driver update, maybe rolling back helps. Conversely, if drivers are outdated, getting the latest from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel is smart.
- Visit the official sites: [NVIDIA Drivers], [AMD Drivers].
- Use their tools or manually download the latest or a known stable version. For rollback, pick an older driver version—say, one that worked before the crash.
Disabling Onboard Graphics & Using Dedicated GPU (Laptops)
This is super common on laptops—sometimes the integrated graphics mess with dedicated GPU performance or memory access. Disabling onboard from Device Manager or setting the preferred GPU in GPU control panels can fix access violations.
- Go into Device Manager and disable onboard graphics temporarily for testing.
- In Windows Graphics Settings, assign ARK explicitly to your dedicated GPU.
Final Fixes: Reinstall or Adjust Windows
If nothing else works, reinstall the game—preferably on your SSD’s C drive—and ensure Windows itself is up-to-date. Sometimes, missing system updates or corrupt system files cause access violations. Run System File Checker to scan and repair Windows files.
- Open Command Prompt as administrator.
- Type `
sfc /scannow` and hit Enter. Wait for it to finish, then restart.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
Make sure all your drivers, especially graphics and chipset, are current, and keep an eye out for game patches. If issues persist, checking out official forums or support channels can turn up some weird, game-specific solutions.
Wrap-up
This whole process sounds like a lot, but most of it just targets common conflict points like drivers, config files, or background interference. The key is patience—try one fix, reboot, see if it helps. Once the error stops crapping out, you should be good to go. Fingers crossed this helps someone save a couple of those frustrating hours.
Summary
- See if changing launch options helps
- Reinstall BattlEye if needed
- Run the game directly from its folder
- Check Windows security and verify game files
- Reset configs and turn off mods
- Lower graphics or switch power modes
- Update or rollback graphics drivers
- Ensure Windows is fully updated
- Use dedicated GPU on laptops