League of Legends critical error is a reoccurring problem that prevents players from joining the lobby in the multiplayer game. The error is from the user’s side so RIOT server downtimes aren’t the cause. Despite the word ‘critical’, it can be solved with a few simple solutions which will be explored in this guide.
Fans of the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) genre may have tried League of Legends. RIOT Games has continuously upgraded LoL since 2009 to give its massive fanbase multiple modes, online events, and even competitive tournaments. The franchise is now aiming to conquer mobile devices.
Reason For League of Legends Critical Error
League of Legends critical error is caused due to an unstable connection, an outdated graphics processor that is unable to run the game, an antivirus block, and other reasons. Players can encounter the error at any time during their gameplay, with the error message stating:
“A critical error has occurred and the process must be terminated. Would you like to create a crash dump to aid the developers in troubleshooting this issue? This may take up to 5 minutes. NOTE: The process may appear unresponsive during this time.“
Crash dump consists of information about the codes that League of Legends was trying to run before it ran into the error. You can select the option to notify RIOT about the critical error. Even though it takes time to get a response, it is a good way to find the root cause of the League of Legends critical error.
How To Fix League of Legends Critical Error?
Here are a few ways in which you can fix the critical error in the fan-favorite MOBA game.
Restart the PC
A simple PC restart can fix the League of Legends critical error. It refreshes the memory of the computer device and allows a smoother gameplay experience. Alternatively, you can cancel any background processes that consume memory and increase latency before opening League of Legends to increase the bandwidth of the game.
Reset Configuration Folder and Delete Logs Folder
League of Legends has multiple updates each month such that some of the patches and fixes could get corrupted and stored in the files. You can get rid of them and re-install them after opening the game. Here is the full process for deleting the logs and configuration folders:
- Open the File Explorer on your PC.
- Navigate to the default path for League of Legends. It is usually stored in the C drive, inside the ‘Program Files’ section for Riot Games\League of Legends.
- Make a box on the ‘Logs and Configs’ folder by holding and dragging the left-click mouse button. Then right-click and select the Delete option.
- Launch League of Legends. This will lead to the re-installation of game files as well as generate a new configuration folder for you to access.
Update Graphic Drivers
An outdated graphics driver might be the reason for players continuously encountering League of Legends critical errors. You can fix the issue by updating it to the latest version. Here is the full process:
- Open the Device Manager by writing the words in the AI Search bar located in the middle.
- Select the Display Adapters option. Below, you will find the GPU that the PC is using.
- Right-click on the GPU and choose ‘Update driver.’ When it is completed, re-launch League of Legends and check if the critical error message persists.
Turn Off Your Antivirus Protection and Firewall
If you are about to play League of Legends from the RIOT Games Launcher, there is no need for antivirus protection as RIOT is a trusted website. It might be preventing the game from running. A common fix for LoL critical errors is by turning off the antivirus and firewall protection by opening the application (Norton, Kaspersky, McAfee, etc) and disabling it from the settings menu.
Use Hextech Repair Tool
When none of the aforementioned fixes work, download the League of Legends application fixing tool via the support website of RIOT Games. Hextech repair tool is regarded as the best troubleshooting option for any LoL error. You just need to delete the League of Legends app from your PC and re-install it from the Hextech menu and the error will be resolved.
Sign in to RIOT Games Support Service to voice your concerns about the MOBA game. We hope that the fixes we listed for League of Legends Critical Error worked out for you.