Gmod Keeps Crashing? Fixes That Actually Work

If Garry’s Mod keeps crashing on you, the fix is usually one of a handful of things: outdated graphics drivers, a corrupted addon, or a missing DirectX component. This guide walks you through the most common causes and the exact steps to stop the crashes, from verifying game files to disabling problematic addons.

Why Gmod Crashes: The Short Version

Garry’s Mod (Gmod) is a sandbox game built on the Source engine, which means it relies heavily on your graphics card, CPU, and a stable set of game files. Crashes typically happen for one of four reasons:

• Corrupted or missing game files – a bad update or interrupted download can leave the game broken.
• Incompatible or outdated addons – mods from the Steam Workshop can conflict with each other or with the base game.
• Outdated GPU drivers – Source engine games are sensitive to driver bugs, especially after Windows updates.
• Running out of memory (RAM) – Gmod is 32-bit, so it can only use about 4GB of RAM before it crashes.

Below are the fixes in order of likelihood, starting with the ones that solve most crashes.

1. Verify the Integrity of Game Files

This is the first thing to try. Steam can check your Gmod installation against the official files and replace anything that’s broken or missing.

1. Open Steam and go to your Library.
2. Right-click Garry’s Mod and select Properties.
3. Go to the Installed Files tab.
4. Click Verify integrity of game files.
5. Wait for the process to finish (it can take a few minutes).

If any files were corrupted, Steam will re-download them. After that, launch Gmod and see if the crash is gone. This fixes crashes caused by missing or broken core files, which is surprisingly common after a Windows update or a power outage during a download.

2. Disable Your Addons (The #1 Cause of Crashes)

Gmod’s biggest strength is its modding community, but addons are also the most frequent cause of crashes. A single outdated or incompatible addon can bring the whole game down. To test if an addon is the problem:

1. Launch Gmod. On the main menu, click Options.
2. Go to the Addons tab.
3. Click Disable all at the bottom.
4. Try launching a new single-player sandbox map.

If the game runs fine with all addons off, then one of them is the culprit. Re-enable them in batches of 5–10, testing each batch until you find the one that crashes. Pay special attention to addons that haven’t been updated in a long time, or those that add weapons, vehicles, or custom NPCs – these are the most likely to conflict.

3. Update Your Graphics Drivers

Outdated GPU drivers are a classic source of Source engine crashes. Gmod uses an older version of DirectX 9, and newer drivers sometimes break compatibility, while older drivers can have bugs that cause random crashes.

• NVIDIA: Use GeForce Experience or download from the NVIDIA website.
• AMD: Use Adrenalin software or the AMD website.
• Intel Integrated: Use Intel Driver & Support Assistant.

After updating, restart your PC. If the crash happens right after a Windows update, rolling back the GPU driver (via Device Manager > Display adapters > Properties > Driver > Roll Back Driver) can also help.

4. Run Gmod in DirectX 9 Mode (or DirectX 11)

Gmod normally launches with whatever DirectX version it detects. Sometimes forcing a specific version fixes rendering-related crashes. You can do this by adding a launch option in Steam:

1. Right-click Gmod in your Steam Library and select Properties.
2. In the Launch Options field, type one of the following:
3. -dxlevel 90 (DirectX 9 – most stable for older GPUs)
4. -dxlevel 95 (DirectX 9 with some shader improvements)
5. -dxlevel 110 (DirectX 11 – better performance on newer GPUs)

Try -dxlevel 90 first. If the game runs, great. If you get a black screen or worse performance, try -dxlevel 110. Note that the first launch after adding this will recompile shaders, so it may take longer to start.

5. Close Background Programs and Free Up RAM

Gmod is a 32-bit application, so it can only address about 4GB of RAM. If your system is low on memory, the game will crash when it tries to allocate more. Before launching Gmod, close:

• Web browsers with many tabs (Chrome/Firefox are RAM hogs).
• Discord (you can use the web version or re-open it after launching).
• Spotify, music players, or video editors.
• Any overlay programs like MSI Afterburner or RivaTuner (they can also cause conflicts).

If you have less than 8GB of RAM, consider closing everything except Steam. Also, make sure your Windows page file is set to “System managed” – a small page file can cause crashes even with enough physical RAM.

6. Delete the Gmod Cache and Config

Sometimes the game’s local configuration files get corrupted. This is different from your saved games – it’s the settings that control graphics, keybinds, and the game’s internal state. To reset them:

1. In Steam, right-click Gmod > Manage > Browse local files.
2. Go to the garrysmod folder, then settings.
3. Delete the config.cfg file (or the entire settings folder – it will be recreated).
4. Also delete the cache folder inside garrysmod if it exists.

This resets your video settings and keybinds, but not your saved games or addons. If the crash was caused by a bad graphics setting (like an unsupported resolution or shadow detail), this will fix it.

7. Check for Overheating and Power Issues

Less common, but if your PC crashes only during intense gaming sessions (not just Gmod), it could be overheating. Gmod can push your CPU and GPU hard, especially with many props and physics objects. Download a temperature monitor like HWMonitor or MSI Afterburner and check your temps while playing. If your CPU goes above 90°C or your GPU above 85°C, you may need to clean dust from fans, reapply thermal paste, or improve case airflow.

Also, if you have a power supply that’s barely enough for your GPU, it can cause random crashes under load. This is harder to diagnose, but if you’ve tried everything else and your system is older, it’s worth considering.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Gmod crash when I join a multiplayer server?

This is almost always an addon mismatch. The server has addons that you don’t have, or you have addons that the server doesn’t. Gmod tries to load the server’s content and can crash if it’s incompatible. Try disabling all your addons and joining a server that uses no custom content. If that works, re-enable your addons one by one until you find the conflict.

Can I fix Gmod crashes by reinstalling the game?

Yes, but it’s a last resort. Reinstalling will delete all your local addons and settings, but not your Workshop subscriptions (those are tied to your Steam account). Before reinstalling, back up your garrysmod/settings and garrysmod/saves folders if you want to keep them. After reinstalling, you’ll need to re-download all your Workshop addons, which can take a while.

Does Gmod crash because of a 64-bit issue?

Gmod is a 32-bit application, so it can only use about 4GB of RAM. This is a common cause of crashes on maps with lots of content or many players. There is no official 64-bit version, but you can reduce memory usage by lowering texture quality and closing background programs. Some community patches exist, but they are not officially supported and can cause other issues.

Why does Gmod crash on the loading screen?

A crash during loading usually means a corrupted map file or a missing dependency. Verify your game files first. If that doesn’t work, try loading a different map (like gm_construct) to see if the issue is specific to one map. If only one map crashes, unsubscribe from it and re-subscribe, or find an updated version.

Is there a way to see what exactly is causing the crash?

Yes, you can check the Windows Event Viewer. Press Win + R, type eventvwr, and go to Windows Logs > Application. Look for errors with source “Application Error” or “Windows Error Reporting” that mention hl2.exe (Gmod’s executable). The error details will show the faulting module – if it’s a DLL from an addon, that’s your culprit. If it’s engine.dll or client.dll, it’s likely a core game issue.

Will lowering graphics settings stop crashes?

Sometimes, yes. If your GPU is running out of video memory, lowering texture quality and disabling anti-aliasing can help. But if the crash is due to a bug or addon conflict, graphics settings won’t matter. Still, it’s worth trying if you have a low-end GPU, as it reduces the chance of memory-related crashes.

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