How to Fix Baldur’s Gate 3 Vulkan Error on PC

Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3) is not only among the best RPGs but has become a new standard by which new RPGs are judged by gamers and critics. It is a game filled with content, each choice has a tangible impact on the story and companion relations, and one playthrough isn’t enough to see what it has to offer. On top of that, the game is technically polished on all platforms, and Larion Studios has further improved its performance with subsequent patches. Despite that, PC users are experiencing errors and crashes with it, like the Vulkan Error crash. I have compiled the best fixes that will resolve the Baldur’s Gate 3 Vulkan error on your Windows PC.

9 Best Fixes for Baldur’s Gate 3 Vulkan Error

PC users report that Baldur’s Gate 3 keeps crashing at startup with the “Vulkan Error: DEVICE_LOST” error message popping up. The following is the full error message:

There are multiple reasons why you are experiencing this error, like an incompatible Vulkan driver, an overclocked graphics card, Windows Timeout Detection and Recovery not working properly, and more. The following fixes will resolve the Device Lost error in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Fix #1: Install Beta Vulkan Driver

PC users report that regardless of the GPU driver version, the game crashes with the Vulkan error. However, you can fix it by downloading and installing Nvidia’s Beta Vulkan driver. Launch the game after installing it, and you will see a pop-up on your screen asking you to update the installed driver. Ignore the pop-up and play Baldur’s Gate 3, and the Device Lost Vulkan error is fixed.

Fix #2: Disable Overclock and Enable Debug Mode

Overclocking a GPU allows PC users to boost performance and enhance the gaming experience, but it also puts unnecessary load on it. This is the reason why you are experiencing the “Vulkan Error: DEVICE_LOST” crash at startup. You can fix this error by reverting the GPU to its default clocks.

Some GPUs are factory overclocked, and this can also lead to the Vulkan error. By forcing the GPU to use Nvidia-recommended GPU clocks, you can fix this error. Simply go to the Nvidia Control Panel, click Help, and select Debug Mode. Run Baldur’s Gate 3, and the Vulkan error is now fixed.

What is the Debug Mode?

The Debug Mode option in the Nvidia Control Panel forced the graphics card to use Nvidia’s recommended GPU and Memory clocks for the particular model. It reduces the GPU load, which fixes the Device Lost Vulkan error. You can turn off the Debug Mode at any time.

Fix #3: Play BG3 Using DirectX 11

Another way to fix the Vulkan error while playing Baldur’s Gate 3 is to launch the game with DirectX 11. Open Steam Library, right-click Baldur’s Gate 3, and click Properties. Type “-dx11” under launch options and close this window. Run Baldur’s Gate 3, and the Vulkan error is now fixed.

Fix #4: Reinstall or Update the GPU Driver

The reason you are experiencing the Vulkan Error: Device Lost error on Baldur’s Gate 3 is a corrupted or damaged GPU driver. You can fix it by reinstalling or installing a different GPU driver version. Make sure you do a clean installation so the files from the previous install don’t interfere with the new one.

Fix #5: Turn off ReBAR or SAM

Both Nvidia and AMD GPUs come with special features that boost performance in video games. Nvidia has ReBAR while AMD has SAM. However, sometimes they can force Baldur’s Gate 3 to crash on startup with the Vulkan error. Turn off ReBar or SAM, depending on your GPU make, and the error will be fixed.

Fix #6: Delete Larian Studios Folder in Appdata

Most video games create a special folder in AppData to save user settings and game settings. The files in this folder can get damaged or corrupted and force Baldur’s Gate 3 to crash with the Vulkan error. Fix the error by deleting the folder by navigating to C:\Users\’your username’\AppData\Local. Look for the Larian Studios folder and delete it. Play Baldur’s Gate 3, and the game will run smoothly without the Vulkan error.

Fix #7: Turn off XMP

XMP is a RAM profile in the BIOS that allows users to use the RAM in their PCs to its full potential. If you have enabled the XMP profile, it is the reason you are facing the Device Lost Vulkan error while launching Baldur’s Gate 3. Disable the XMP profile from the BIOS, and the error will be fixed.

Fix #8: Disable FSR

FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) is AMD’s competitor to Nvidia’s DLSS. It offers a performance boost by rendering games at a lower resolution and then upscaling them to your display’s native resolution. While this is an excellent feature for PC gamers, many users have reported that it forces the games to crash. In the case of Baldur’s Gate 3, enabling FSR can force the game to crash with a Vulkan error. To resolve this issue, simply disable FSR from the in-game graphics settings, and the error should be resolved, allowing the game to run smoothly again.

Fix #9 – Tweak Windows Timeout Detection and Recovery

Timeout Detection and Recovery (TDR) is a Windows feature that tries to recover GPU-related errors and issues. However, it isn’t a perfect system is the reason why Baldur’s Gate 3 is crashing on startup with the Vulkan error. You can fix this issue by tweaking Windows TDR. There are two ways you can do it, and here is how:

TDRLevel

You can fix the Vulkan error crash when launching BG3 by creating the TdrLevel file in the Windows Registry that resets the GPU driver when TDR detects a driver stall. Here is how to do it:

• Open “regedit” and run it as an administrator.
• Go to “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> SYSTEM -> CurrentControlSet -> Control -> GraphicsDrivers”.
• Right-click in the right panel in the ‘blank space’ and select New in Windows Registry.
• Select DWORD (32-bit) Value and name the file TdrLevel.
• Open the “TdrLevel” file and select Modify.
• Confirm that the value is 0.
• Restart your PC.

TdrDelay

Windows TDR has a default 2-second timer for the GPU driver to respond. If the driver takes more than 2 seconds, the OS resets the graphics card. You can fix the Vulkan crash by setting up Timeout Detection and Recovery Delay in the Windows Registry, which gives the driver more time to respond or recover.

• Type regedit in Windows search and run it as an administrator.
• Go to “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> SYSTEM -> CurrentControlSet -> Control -> GraphicsDrivers”.
• Right-click on the right panel in the ‘blank space’ and Select New in Windows Registry.
• Select DWORD (32-bit) Value and name the file TdrDelay.
• Open the “TdrDelay” and select Modify.
• Confirm that the value is 10.
• Restart your PC.

That’s all from our side for fixing the Vulkan error while playing Baldur’s Gate 3 on PC. We have tested each of the fixes explained above, and they work effectively. If you are experiencing errors or issues while playing other PC games, explore our fixes for commonly occurring PC errors.