Payday 3, one of the most-awaited sequels to PAYDAY, is a popular co-op shooter that offers thrilling heist experiences. However, some PAYDAY players have encountered real issues.
Many players have reviewed the game poorly. According to Steam reviews, most of the reviews are negative. The game is also available on GeForce Now, offering a maximum of 4K @120 frames per second gameplay on PCs and Macs.
Payday 3 System Requirements
Here are the Payday 3 system requirements to experience the game as it is expected to run.
| Requirements | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Requires | 64-Bit processor, and OS | 64-Bit processor, and OS |
| OS | Windows 10 64-Bit | Windows 10/11 64-bit |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-9400F | Intel Core i7-9700K |
| Memory | 6GB RAM | 8GB RAM |
| Graphics | 4GB Nvidia GTX 1650 | 8GB Nvidia GTX 1080 |
| DirectX | V11 | V11 |
| Network | Broadband Internet connection | Broadband Internet connection |
| Free Disk Space | 65GB available space | 65GB available Space |
It is also recommended to place the storage and RAM in the slots properly. Additionally, try unplugging the HDD/SSD RAM accordingly if you encounter issues with launching the game on the loading screen, and check if it gets fixed.
Fix Payday 3 Troubleshooting Guide
Before proceeding, it is always recommended for users to follow these steps if they encounter the same issue.
- Reduce display scaling from the GPU Control Panel.
- Enable game mode on Windows.
- Set texture quality to performance in the GPU Control Panel.
- Set the Power Option to Max Performance in the GPU Control Panel.
Most of the issues often occur due to incorrect PC configurations, which can make Payday 3 incompatible with the game.
- Login issue.
- Startup and Not Loading
- Black Screen: If you are facing a black screen issue or issues like not exiting, it can cause players to get stuck on a black screen after launching the game. This can also result in no sound, and players must quit the game.
- Crashing: If your game is crashing or not loading on PS5 or Xbox One Series X consoles, it could be due to firmware issues, incorrect settings, or corrupted game data.
- Missing or corrupted game files
- Outdated game version
- DirectX issue
- Overlay app issue
Payday 3 (literally release game) is hella laggy
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- High in-game graphics
- Low FPS drop: Various factors could cause frame drops.
- Bottleneck: It might also be possible that you have reached your GPU usage, which should be around 95–100% in AAA games but 80–90% in demanding games. To check, use the Bottleneck Calculator to check your CPU bottleneck.
- Payday 84 low GPU usage: You can fix your low GPU usage, which is annoying as it causes low FPS and GPU usage.
- Download the latest driver. You can use Driver Booster or your preferred way of installing new updates.
- Set your graphics settings to preferred executable files in performance mode.
- Change power management to either performance/consistency/Nvidia preferred from the NVIDIA Control Panel.
- Payday 3 is not working on the Nintendo Switch. There is a high chance that the game has some bugs or issues that need to be fixed by the developers. This could be caused by temporary system glitches, corrupted or outdated games, cache data issues with memory, corrupted or missing game data, low storage space, or other factors that trigger crashes.
- Stuttering, lags, or freezing: Such configuration is required to run the game in full resolution and at a higher FPS. Despite being relatively common for PC titles, this can be performance-hungry.
- The Payday 3 sound is not working, or the audio is cutting out.
- If the audio is not working during a gaming session, it could be due to trouble with in-game sound, outdated drivers, or other issues.
Here are some potential reasons for Payday 3 issues, especially not loading at startup, as it keeps crashing or not launching.
Payday 3 has very poor optimisation on PC
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Before proceeding, it is recommended that users observe your system’s behavior through the task manager, memory usage, CPU usage, RAM, and temperatures, and then proceed accordingly.
Uninstall or Rollback Windows Update
If you have recently updated your Windows to the latest update, it is possible that the latest update is causing the Payday 3 performance issues.
- Open Windows Settings (Windows + I)
- Uninstall Windows Update: Click on Windows Update, and then go to Uninstall Updates
- Rollback Windows Update: Click on Update & Security, then click on Recovery from the left sidebar.
- There you will find the option to Go back to the previous version of Windows, and then click on Get Started.
Note: Rollback Windows update is only available for 10 days after the Windows update because the backup of the previous Windows installation remains in backup. Also, some updates cannot be uninstalled.
Disable Payday 3 Fullscreen Optimisation
This takes up the whole screen and allows Windows to optimize the applications and games to take up the whole screen.
- Open Windows Settings, and then click on the Gaming option.
- From there, it will prompt you with the Windows title bar.
- Uncheck the checkbox for the “Show game bar when I play full-screen games Microsoft has verified.”
It is enabled by default for most apps, but with this guide, it is disabled for all. Here is a guide if you want to deactivate it specifically for Payday 3.
- Go to the installed directory of Payday 3.
- Right-click on the Payday 3.exe file and click on Properties.
- In the Properties dialogue box, go to Compatibility and uncheck the checkbox for the Enable Fullscreen Optimisation toggle.
- Click on Apply and then OK to save the changes.
It affects optimization, which can cause FPS drops. It was created to provide players with a better gaming experience.
Payday 3: Login Error
Users must create a Nebula Starbreeze account to immerse themselves in the game fully. You must also grant access to serve as your portal for embracing cross-platform gaming and enhancing your gaming experience. Nebula connections are quite common; this can occur for various reasons.
If you encounter the Nebula Login error, it is most likely due to server overload. Try refreshing your browser. It will attempt to connect to the server. If you continue encountering the login error, try again after some time.
- First, check the server status before checking your network. Generally, this issue occurs due to maintenance, emergency outages, or other issues.
- Community Report: Check out the Payday 3 gaming community. You can also check Reddit or DownDetector to see if other players are experiencing the issue.
- Re-login to your Nebula account: Try logging into your Nebula account within the game after establishing the connection.
Run Payday 3 as an administrator.
To avoid account controls, you must run it as an administrator and make it permanent. Players are always advised to run the Steam Client as an admin on a PC.
- Go to the installed directory of Payday 3, then right-click the Payday 3.exe file.
- Open the Properties and go to the Compatibility tab.
- Check the checkbox for “Run this program as an administrator.”.
- Click on Apply, and then select OK to save the changes.
Update Graphics Drivers
Drivers help boost your PC’s performance; if they are already installed, you need to update to the latest version.
- To simplify it, press Windows + X, then click Device Manager.
- Next, expand the display adapter by double-clicking on it and right-clicking on your GPU.
- Click “Update driver” to start searching for the GPU driver.
- If an update is available, download and install it. It will also require a restart to apply the changes successfully.
You can update your sound driver if you are also facing audio issues.
- Update the driver from the same Device Manager by choosing the audio device.
- After that, search for the driver automatically; if an update is available, simply download and install it.
- Once finished, restart your computer to apply the changes.
Update Payday 3 game.
It depends on updating Payday 3. Check for the update and then install it.
Check for updates on Steam.
- Open Steam and go to the library. From the list of installed games on the left pane, click on Payday 3.
- It will start checking for updates automatically. If an update is available, click on the Update option and wait for the update process to complete.
- Once the update is finished, quit the Steam client and reboot your PC to apply the changes.
Check for updates on the Epic Game Launcher.
- Launch Epic Game Launcher and go to the library.
- Select the triple-dot menu in Payday 3 and choose Auto Update to ensure it is enabled.
Xbox
- Press the Xbox button on the controllers, choose My Game & App, and then select All.
- Choose Manage, and if an update is available, it will automatically start downloading and installing the new patch.
PlayStation
- Head to the library and choose the game you want to update.
- Press the Option button on the controller, then select Check for Update. If an update is available, simply follow the on-screen instructions to install it.
Nintendo
- Open the Home screen, select Payday 3, press the plus button, and choose Software Update from the drop-down menu.
- Click on “Using the Internet as a source,” and it will start the update process. A reboot may be required.
Check RAM, GPU, and CPU usage.
If you are experiencing slow computer issues, here is how you can check your hardware usage.
- Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
- Go to the Process tab and choose the task, such as Payday 3 or any other task consuming many resources.
- Select the task and close the specific app by right-clicking on the task and clicking on End task.
- Then, restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
After closing the background and running tasks, simply set the game as a high priority.
- From the taskbar, right-click on the game in the Processes tab.
- Select Set Priority to High, and then close the Task Manager.
Verify game files and repair.
By verifying the integrity of the game, you can check the files on your computer to ensure they are not damaged or corrupted.
Steam
- Open Steam and go to the library.
- Right-click on the Payday 3 game and click on Properties.
- Go to the Local Files tab and click Verify game file integrity. This process will verify and check the installed game to determine if any missing or corrupted files are located.
- It may take some time. Once it finishes, reopen Steam and try relaunching the game.
Epic Game Launcher
- Open the Epic Game Launcher and go to the Game Library.
- Choose Payday 3, then select Settings and click on Verify. This will start the verification process.
- Close the Launcher and then restart your PC to apply the changes.
Nintendo
- Open the menu and choose System Settings from the drop-down menu. Select data management.
- Choose Software from the drop-down menu, and then select Payday 3.
- After that, choose Look for Data Error and wait for it to finish. Then, reboot the Switch console to apply the changes.
Reset Console
This will wipe all users’ data, and factory reset your console.
PlayStation
- Open the PlayStation Settings menu, select the Initialization tab, and choose Initialise PS5.
- After that, from the prompt, choose Full, which will automatically start wiping itself to restore factory defaults.
- It may take some time. Once it finishes, reboot your system.
Xbox
- Press the Xbox button, then from the controller guide menu, choose Profile & System.
- Head over to Settings, then choose System. Go to Console Info and reset the console.
- Then, it will ask you to reset your console and select Reset and Remove Everything. You can also choose to reset and keep your games and apps.
- After that, with the selected option, it will start deleting and resetting the system to factory default settings.
- Wait for some time to finish the console.
Disable third-party overlay apps
Overlays are interactive widgets or statistical information. You can improve performance by turning off in-game overlays, especially for low- to mid-end PCs. For Steam, follow this guide:
Steam
- Open Steam, then go to the library. Right-click on Payday 3.
- Choose Properties, then head to the General section and uncheck the checkbox for Enable Steam Overlay.
- Return to the library to relaunch Payday 3 and fix the issues.
If there are any other third-party applications with overlays enabled, disable them as well.
Discord Overlay
- Open Discord, then click on the settings icon at the bottom right.
- Next, click “Overlay” under “App Settings” and enable the in-game overlay.
- Afterward, go to the “Game” tab and choose Payday 3 to turn off the in-game overlay toggle, then restart your PC.
Xbox Game Bar
- Open Windows Settings, then go to “Gaming”.
- From there, click on “Game Bar” and toggle off the “Record Game Clip,” “Screenshots,” and “Broadcast using Game Bar” options.
Nvidia GeForce Experience
- Open the Nvidia GeForce Experience, then go to “Settings.”
- Choose the “General” tab, then turn off the “In-game Overlay” option.
- Restart your PC to apply the changes, and then try relaunching the game.
Check for updates.
To update your Windows to the latest version, sometimes bugs need to be fixed, or stability issues need to be addressed. If you have any pending Windows updates, install the Windows 11 update.
Windows
- Open Windows Settings by pressing Windows + I.
- Go to Update & Security, then click Check for Updates under the Windows Update section.
- If there are any available Windows updates, download and install them.
- Please wait for the updates to be installed, then it will prompt you to restart your computer.
PlayStation
- Open Settings, then go to System Software Update.
- Check for updates; if an update is available, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the update.
- Once the update is finished, reboot the system to apply the changes successfully.
Xbox
- Press the Home button on the Xbox to open the Dashboard menu.
- Then go to Settings and select All Settings. Now choose System, and then select Updates.
- If an update is available, select Update Console to follow the on-screen instructions to finish the installation, then restart.
Nintendo
- Before proceeding, ensure that there is enough battery charge. Go to the Home Menu, then select System Settings.
- Then scroll down to select system and choose System Update.
- After that, select System Update and perform a check to determine if an update is available. Then download and install it to finish successfully.
Disable Mouse Acceleration
- Search for mouse settings, and then change mouse settings.
- Next, go to Additional Mouse Options and choose the Pointer option tab.
- Uncheck the checkbox for Enhanced Pointer Precision.
- Then, save and apply the changes.
Disable Steam Input
If you are still encountering issues like the game not launching or getting stuck:
- Launch the Steam client and go to the library.
- Right-click on the game, click Controllers, and set “Override for Moral Kombat 1” to “Disable Steam Input”.
- Then, relaunch the game.
Use a dedicated GPU instead of an integrated
NVIDIA
- Please right-click on the desktop to open the context menu, and then click on the NVIDIA Control Panel to open it.
- Next, head to 3D Settings and choose Manage 3D Settings to open the Programm Settings tab.
- After that, choose Payday 3 from the drop-down menu, and then choose Preferred Graphics Processor for this game from the drop-down menu. Choose the NVIDIA GPU to show as the high-performance NVIDIA processor. Save the changes and reboot your PC.
Limit your GPU resources.
If your game exceeds the GPU limit (locked at 100% usage), you can limit your GPU resources in the GPU Control Panel. Set the FPS limit to 120 and choose the standard texture quality, or adjust it based on your GPU’s strength. This might help improve your game performance.
Nvidia
- Open your NVIDIA GPU Control Panel and then go to 3D Settings.
- From there, click on the Programme tab and search for Payday 3.
- Now, choose Max Per Frame Rate and select 120, 140, or a suitable value based on your GPU strength.
AMD
- Open the AMD GPU Control Panel.
- Go to Gaming and select Payday 3.
- Enable the Chill settings, and then choose a FPS limit between 80, 120, and 140 or any suitable FPS based on your GPU strength.
Change the high DPI settings.
If you have enabled the high DPI settings, it could cause frame drops.
- Open Steam, head to the library, and right-click on the game to manage it.
- From there, click Browse Local Files to open the file explorer.
- Next, scroll down to Payday 3.exe and right-click on the file to go to Properties.
- Now, go to the Compatibility tab in the properties to change the high DPI settings.
- Uncheck the checkbox for Override High DPI Scaling Behavior and Scaling Performed by Application. That is it. Apply the changes to save.
Disable full-screen optimization.
- Launch Stream, head to the library, and right-click on Payday 3.
- Go to Manage, then browse local files to open File Explorer. From there, scroll down to find the.exe file.
- Right-click on the file, then go to Properties and click the Compatibility tab to turn off full-screen optimization. Then, apply the changes.
Update DirectX
It is possible that your DirectX is outdated and needs to be updated to the latest version. You can download the DirectX End-User Runtime web installer. Install it, and after updating, restart your computer.
Alternatively, you can also try disabling DirectX 12.
- Open Settings, then go to Videos and set Enable DX12 to off. Then, restart Payday 3 after making the changes.
Correct rendering device
- Open Steam, then launch Payday 3.
- Afterward, go to the Video Settings menu and Select Rendering Device.
- Choose your dedicated GPU, and then reboot to save the changes.
Reinstall the MS Visual C++ Runtime
Some apps require Microsoft C and C++ tools. Try reinstalling the MS Visual C++ Runtime.
- Open Apps and Features from Windows Search.
- Look for the Microsoft Visual C++ program. You can download and install MS Visual C++ if it is not installed.
- Uninstall the existing MS Visual C++ runtime, then install the latest version of Microsoft Visual C++ runtime. After installing, restart the system to apply the changes.
Delete saved games.
Deleting all data stored in the game. The data will be saved in the cloud, so after clearing the saved data, reinstalling or launching the game will restore the saved game data.
PlayStation
- Open Settings, then go to storage.
- From there, choose Saved Data, then choose Payday 3.
- After that, press the Option button on the controls, choose saved game data files, and hit delete to clear the saved game data. After this, restart your game to see the changes.
Xbox
- Head over to Profile & System, then go to Settings.
- Choose system and then click on storage, then select Manage Storage Device and Clear Local Save.
Xbox Cloud Saves
- Head over to My Games & Apps, then press the Menu button on the controller.
- Choose Manage Game & Add-on, then select Saved Data.
- Choose Payday 3 data, confirm the deleting process, and wait for it to finish. Then, reboot the console to make changes.
Nintendo
- Go to the Home menu, then select System Settings from the drop-down menu.
- After that, choose the system, then select the Formatting option, and choose Delete all content and settings from the browser’s menu.
- Now, clear the cache and follow the on-screen instructions to fix it.
Use Task Switcher
If facing a black screen, press the Alt + Tab keys to open the Task Switcher. This will allow you to switch between apps, even if your game is on full-screen Windows.
Disable the Windows firewall or antivirus program.
You can disable the Windows firewall for the private network, which sometimes temporarily blocks the game. However, temporarily disable or turn off the real-time protection and firewall.
Windows Firewall
- Search for firewall in the Windows Start menu, then select Windows Defender Firewall.
- Click “Turn Windows Defender Firewall on/off” from the left pane, then turn off the Private Network or Public Network settings.
- Now save it, and then restart your computer.
Privacy and Security
- Open Windows Settings, then head over to Updates & Security.
- Choose Windows Security from the left pane and click the Windows Security button.
- Go to Virus & Threat Protection, then click on Manage Settings.
- From there, disable the real-time protection and proceed with turning off the antivirus. You can also turn off cloud-delivered protection and tamper protection if required.
Set High Performance in Power Options
In the power options, you can choose a power mode that does not run on balance mode. Select the high-performance mode, which will consume more power or battery to enable the performance mode.
- Go to the Power Options and click on High Performance to select it.
- Next, make sure to restart your computer to improve performance.
Audio Output Device
- Right-click on the sound icon on the taskbar, then click on Open Sound Settings to choose the correct audio device.
- After making changes, test the audio with the master volume and try relaunching the game.
Perform a clean boot.
Apps and services automatically start during boot, and if you’re experiencing issues, perform a clean boot on your computer.
- Open msconfig by pressing Windows + R, then type “msconfig” and press Enter.
- In the System Configuration, enable the “Hide all Microsoft Services” checkbox, turn off all other services, and apply the changes.
- Go to the Startup tab in the Task Manager and turn off all unnecessary startup items.
- That is it!
If you are still encountering any issues, it is recommended that users get in touch with official support. Alternatively, you can connect with other users and access additional support resources by visiting their official website or joining the discussion community on Steam.
