ERR_GFX_D3D_INIT in FiveM and GTA V: how to fix the DirectX crash

The game window opens for a moment, then closes with this error:

ERR_GFX_D3D_INIT

It means GTA V could not start its graphics layer. Here are the fixes in order, from the safest to the most drastic.

#1. Update the graphics driver

Start here. Download the latest driver from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel, install it, and reboot. If you have a laptop with two GPUs (integrated and dedicated), update both.

If the error appeared right after a driver update, install the previous version instead. New drivers do break things from time to time.

#2. Check the DirectX version in the GTA settings

GTA V has a DirectX version option in its graphics settings (DirectX 10, 10.1 or 11). If the game starts with a bad setting, it can crash before you reach the menu, and you cannot change it from inside the game.

Fix it by resetting the settings file, as explained in section 5, so the game starts with a default value. After that you can open Settings > Graphics and pick the version that works on your GPU. Modern cards run DirectX 11 fine.

#3. Remove overclocks

An unstable GPU overclock, memory overclock or aggressive undervolt shows up as a Direct3D error first, because GTA V pushes the graphics card hard at startup.

• Reset your GPU to stock clocks in MSI Afterburner or your vendor's tool.
• Disable factory "OC mode" or "boost" profiles temporarily.
• Test again. If the error is gone, bring the overclock back in smaller steps.

#4. Disable overlays and capture tools

Programs that hook into DirectX are a classic cause of this error. Turn off, or fully close:

• Discord overlay
• MSI Afterburner and RivaTuner Statistics Server
• Steam, NVIDIA and AMD in-game overlays
• Xbox Game Bar and OBS game capture

Test with all of them off. If you do not want to lose them forever, enable them one by one afterwards.

#5. Reset settings.xml

A corrupted or incompatible graphics config often triggers the crash. Close FiveM and GTA, then rename the settings file. Open this folder:

%userprofile%\Documents\Rockstar Games\GTA V

Rename settings.xml to settings.xml.bak. When the game starts, it generates a new one with safe defaults. This also resets all your graphics choices, which is why you rename instead of delete.

You can do it from PowerShell:

$dir = "$env:USERPROFILE\Documents\Rockstar Games\GTA V"
Rename-Item "$dir\settings.xml" "settings.xml.bak"

If your Documents folder is redirected to OneDrive or another drive, use that path instead.

Tip: FiveM keeps its own copy of the graphics settings. If renaming settings.xml does nothing, rename %appdata%\CitizenFX\gta5_settings.xml the same way.

#6. Try windowed or borderless mode

Exclusive fullscreen asks the driver for more, and fails on some setups, mostly with multiple monitors, a second GPU, or a changed refresh rate.

Once the game starts, go to Settings > Graphics and set the screen type to Windowed or Borderless. If you cannot reach the menu because it crashes first, the settings reset above is the way in: a default config starts without the setup that was failing.

Also set your monitor to a normal resolution and refresh rate while you test. A custom resolution can also cause this error.

#7. Check the GTA files and the GPU health

If nothing worked:

• Verify the GTA V files. See Verifying GTA V files.
• Clear the FiveM cache with How to clear the FiveM cache.
• Make sure the GPU is not overheating and Windows is up to date.
• If you use a laptop, make sure FiveM runs on the dedicated GPU, in Windows Settings > System > Display > Graphics.

If it still crashes, save the crash information and ask on the Cfx.re forum. FiveM crashes on startup shows how.

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