Graphical Issues

Are you shutting down all non-essential programs before launching the game? Things like anti-virus, firewalls, overlays from graphics tweaking or monitoring programs, as well as chat programs, have all been known to cause issues.

In the Larian Launcher, try switching between DirectX 11 and Vulkan, as applicable, to see if that makes a difference. 

Try lowering the graphics settings and resolution, or switching to Windowed or Fake Fullscreen display mode, to see if that helps. If the monitor refresh rate is higher than 60, try setting an FPS cap in the game options for 60.

Try exiting out of the Steam client, or Galaxy for the GOG version, and starting the game directly from the '..\SteamApps\common\Baldurs Gate 3\bin' folder, by right clicking the executable (bg3.exe for Vulkan, or bg3_dx11.exe) and running as administrator or similarly for the GOG install path if applicable.

Try right clicking the executable, select Properties, switch to the Compatibility tab and check off the 'Override high DPI scaling behavior' option (set it to Application), run as administrator and disable fullscreen optimization, and maybe set a Win 7 or 8 compatibility mode. In Windows 7, check off the option to 'Disable display scaling on high DPI settings', disable desktop composition and run as administrator.

Try verifying local files: in the Steam library, right click on the game and select Properties, switch to the Local Files tab and then click on the 'Verify Integrity of Game Files...' button. If you are using the GOG version, in the Galaxy client, select the game, then the settings icon at the top right, beside the Play button and under Manage Installation, select 'Verify / Repair'.

Try browsing to the 'C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Local\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3' folder and delete or rename the graphicSettings.lsx file, to get the game to recreate it the next time it is started. The easiest way to get there would be to copy the following line into the location bar in Explorer and hit Enter: %LocalAppData%\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\

Try browsing to the 'C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Local\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\LevelCache' folder and delete the contents as a corrupt file there can cause problems. The easiest way to get there would be to copy the following line into the location bar in Explorer and hit Enter: %LocalAppData%\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\LevelCache

If you are currently using mods or have used them previously, they may be what is causing this issue. It’s best to double check that all mod files are completely removed. To do so, check the 'Mods' and 'Public' folders in the '..\SteamApps\common\Baldurs Gate 3\Data' folder, etc; and if present, both folders are safe to delete. If applicable, you can also delete the modsettings.lsx file in the profile folder.

You are also going to need to check the local AppData folder for the current user account: 'C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Local\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3’ as any old mod files may have been copied over to there. To do this, copy the following line into the location bar in Explorer and hit Enter: %LocalAppData%\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\Mods Delete any files you find there. 

If applicable, disable Steam cloud support either globally or for only this game. For disabling Steam Cloud globally, within the client click on the Steam menu and select Settings, and then Cloud. Or just for this game: go to your Steam library and right click BG3 and select Properties, then switch to the General tab and check the Steam Cloud section. Alternatively, exit out of the Steam client, or Galaxy for the GOG version, and just start the game directly from the executable when required.

Next, try browsing to the 'C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Local\Larian Studios' folder and rename the 'Baldur's Gate 3' subfolder. The easiest way to get there would be to copy the following line into the location bar in Explorer and hit Enter: %LocalAppData%\Larian Studios This folder contains the saved games, configuration files and a level cache folder. Deleting or renaming it will get the game to recreate it on startup; playing the game from a different Windows user account would effectively do the same thing. With Steam/Galaxy running and cloud support enabled, the client would just download the cloud copy of your existing profile. After that, start the game and check in a new playthrough, if possible. If that works, and you have existing saves, exit and copy a couple from the renamed folder into the newly created profile's ..\Savegames\Story folder. If that helps in general, move the rest of the saves over. If that doesn't help, delete the new BG3 folder and extract the replacement folder from this download into your '..\Local\Larian Studios' folder to test.

The graphicSettings.lsx file is set to 1280x720 Windowed mode and Very Low quality preset, which you can change in the options manually, or by clicking autodetect. Seeif this helps at all.

If the game still has the same issues, delete the replacement BG3 folder or if you have any saves that you wish to keep rename the original back again.

Check for updated graphics drivers and Windows updates.

Try doing a clean boot and then test the game. Click Start, or hit WinKey-R, type in msconfig and hit enter; in the General tab, click Selective Startup, uncheck Load startup items (if required) and leave Load system services and Use original boot configuration options checked. Next, click on the Services tab, check the box to Hide all Microsoft services, then click the Disable All button while making a note of which are currently enabled/disabled, then click OK and reboot the computer. Run msconfig again to switch back to the normal boot configuration.

Try resetting your graphics driver's 3D settings to default by right clicking an open area of the desktop and opening the NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Radeon Software.

Try creating a new Windows administrator user account, switch to that account and try starting the game from there, directly from the executable.

If you check the video options in-game, is the NVIDIA / AMD card listed as the full screen display, rather than integrated graphics, if applicable, or the Microsoft Basic Renderer?

Make sure the Virtual Memory setting in Windows is set to automatic / system managed, rather than being disabled or set to a fixed size. For Windows 10, you may be able to free up a noticeable amount of idle memory usage by opening the 'Notifications & actions' section of the system Settings. In the taskbar search box start typing 'notifications', uncheck some of the options there, especially 'Get tips, tricks and suggestions as you use Windows' and 'Suggest ways I can finish setting up my device to get the most out of Windows' then go ahead and reboot.

You could try a clean reinstall of the graphic card drivers, or do a clean uninstall and try installing older drivers, to see if that makes a difference. The driver installer should have this as an advanced option, or there are various guides online for cleanly uninstalling using the program Display Driver Uninstaller.

 

If that doesn't help, please send Support a dxdiag report. Press WinKey-R, type in dxdiag and hit enter, then when it finishes loading click on the 'Save All Information...' button and save the report somewhere handy to then attach to your email to support.