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If The Last of Us Part I keeps crashing on Windows 10 or 11, update the game, verify its files, install a current graphics driver, and let shader compilation finish before playing. Those are Naughty Dog’s core support recommendations. If the crash continues, use the symptom-specific checks below; no single step is guaranteed to fix every crash.

Start with the fixes that apply to most crashes

  1. Note when it crashes. Record whether the game closes before the main menu, during shader compilation, at a repeatable scene, or after extended play. Note your storefront and game version too; this helps distinguish a known version-specific bug from a different problem.
  2. Update the game and verify its files. Install the latest update available for your Steam or Epic Games copy, then use that storefront’s file verification option. Naughty Dog recommends verifying game files. The exact menu labels can vary with the storefront and its current interface.
  3. Update the graphics driver. Install a current driver from the manufacturer of your GPU—NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel. Driver numbers cited in older patch notes are historical and should not be treated as current driver recommendations.
  4. Wait for shaders to finish building. On first launch or after an update that triggers a rebuild, wait until the PSO cache and shader compilation are complete before starting a session. Naughty Dog warns that running the game before shaders are fully built may cause poor performance; compilation time varies by PC.

These steps come from Naughty Dog’s support guidance. The publisher’s latest patch notes are also a useful place to check for applicable fixes.

Match the crash to a documented fix

Crash on Windows 11 boot

Naughty Dog’s May 9, 2023 v1.0.5.0 patch notes list a fix for a crash that occurred on boot on Windows 11. If you are seeing that particular symptom, make sure the game is updated beyond the version that introduced the fix. That historical patch note does not establish that every Windows 11 crash has the same cause or is resolved by the patch.

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Source: The Last of Us Part I v1.0.5.0 Patch Notes for PC.

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Crash on an Intel Arc GPU

Intel says its identified The Last of Us Part I crash issue was corrected in graphics driver 31.0.101.5081 or newer. This threshold applies to the documented Intel Arc issue, not to other GPU vendors or every crash on an Arc system. Install a current Intel driver and compare your symptom with Intel’s support article.

Crash on an AMD system with a matching CPU configuration

Naughty Dog’s v1.0.4.0 notes documented an AMD CPU-affinity crash case involving X3D-core configurations. This is a specific historical fix, not a general recommendation to change CPU affinity. Check that the game is updated and use this clue only if your CPU configuration and crash behavior match the documented case.

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  • Experience the emotional storytelling and unforgettable characters in The Last of Us, winner of over 200 Game of the Year awards.
  • Includes the complete The Last of Us single-player story and celebrated prequel chapter, Left Behind, which explores the events that changed the lives of Ellie and her best friend Riley forever.

Source: Naughty Dog’s PC patch notes.

Crash while shaders are compiling

Let the PSO cache finish compiling, especially after a first launch or an update. Earlier patches addressed shader-build crashes and related problems, so update the game before treating a compilation failure as a new, separate issue. If it still fails, record that it happens during shader building when contacting support.

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Sources: Naughty Dog support guidance, PC patch notes.

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Check whether the PC meets the official requirements

PlayStation’s PC requirements list the following figures and targets. They describe specified hardware tiers; meeting them is not a guarantee against crashes, and an upgrade is not a proven fix for a software or driver problem.

Official tier or requirement Published specification
Minimum Windows 10 64-bit, version 1909 or newer; 16 GB RAM; 100 GB SSD storage
Recommended 60 fps at 1080p, High settings
Performance 32 GB RAM; 60 fps at 1440p, High settings
Ultra 32 GB RAM; 60 fps at 4K, Ultra settings

These are PlayStation’s published tier targets, not an independent performance guarantee. Its requirements page states Windows 10; it does not establish a Windows 11 minimum requirement. Compare your PC with the official PC requirements before considering hardware changes. The listed RAM and storage figures are relevant checks, not evidence that adding memory or an SSD will resolve an otherwise unexplained crash.

Contact support if the crash persists

If the crash is reproducible after updating, verifying files, updating the GPU driver, and allowing shaders to finish, send Naughty Dog enough information to identify the configuration and failure point. Its support page explains where to find relevant logs, saves, and crash data, and how to save a DxDiag report.

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  • CPU and GPU models, plus the graphics-driver version
  • Installed RAM, storage drive type, and Windows version
  • Game version, storefront, and in-game settings
  • Where the crash happens and what you were doing immediately beforehand
  • A DxDiag report and relevant logs or crash data, when available

Use Naughty Dog’s ticket-submission instructions to locate the files and submit the report.

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