If your game or app suddenly closes with the Unhandled Exception: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION error, don’t panic. You are not alone. This classic memory access error has been kicking players out of titles like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, Palworld, Skyrim Special Edition, Marvel Rivals, and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

If you’re in the same boat, don’t worry. We’ll walk you through a few diagnostic steps to solve it.

What is the EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION error?

The EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION error occurs when an application attempts to read or write to a hardware memory address that has not been allocated to it, or is actively protected by Windows security policies. It essentially stops the program immediately to prevent system instability or memory corruption.

How to fix EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION

You don’t have to try them all. Just work down the solutions until you find the one that resolves the problem.

Method 1: Turn off in-game overlays

Background overlays are one of the most common causes behind Unreal Engine and DirectX 12 memory crashes. Programs like Discord, Steam, or hardware monitors try to inject graphics directly into your game’s render stream, which Windows occasionally flags as an unauthorized memory access.

Here’s how to turn off common overlays:

Steam overlay:

  1. Launch the Steam client and select the LIBRARY tab.
  2. Right-click on your game and select Properties.
  3. Select GENERAL and uncheck the box Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game.
    Valheim disable Steam overlay
  4. Apply the changes and exit Steam.

Ubisoft Connect overlay:

  1. Open Ubisoft Connect and go to Settings.
  2. Under General, uncheck Enable in-game overlay for supported games and click Close.

Discord overlay:

  1. Click on the User Settings icon.
  2. Locate and click on Game Overlay. Then toggle off the option Enable in-game overlay.
  3. Apply the changes and exit Discord.

GeForce Experience in-game overlay:

  1. Click on the Settings icon.
  2. Under the GENERAL tab, scroll down and switch IN-GAME OVERLAY to OFF.
  3. Apply the changes and exit GeForce.

Method 2: Verify and repair game files

Corrupted or missing game files can often lead to runtime errors, including EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION, because the game may try to execute data from damaged or incompatible files. Verifying file integrity through your game launcher ensures that any faulty files are repaired or replaced, restoring the program to a clean state and reducing the chance of crashes.

Below is how you can do this on Steam, Epic Games Launcher, and Battle.net.

Steam

  1. Under LIBRARY, find your game, right-click it and select Properties….
    Steam - how to verify integrity of game files
  2. Select the Installed Files tab and click the Verify integrity of game files button. Steam will verify the game’s files – this process may take several minutes.
    Steam - how to verify integrity of game files

Epic Games Launcher

  1. Find the game in your Epic Games Library.
  2. Click the three dots on the right side of the game line, and select Manage.
  3. Click the Verify button. Then wait for the validation to complete. It may take a while to verify your files.

Battle.net

  1. Open the Battle.net desktop app and click on the icon of the game you are trying to repair.
  2. Click the cogwheel next to the Play button and select Scan and Repair.
  3. Click Begin Scan and wait for the repair to finish.

If repairing game files doesn’t solve your issue, proceed to the next fix.

Method 3: Update your graphics driver

Updating your graphics driver is one of the most effective fixes for resolving “Unhandled: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VILATION” errors, especially those tied to graphics-intensive applications or games like Skyrim and Palworld. These crashes often occur when outdated or corrupted drivers mishandle GPU memory, leading to access violations. Installing the latest driver ensures better memory management and compatibility with modern graphics APIs, reducing the likelihood of such errors.

To do this, go to your graphics card manufacturer’s site (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel) to find the correct latest driver, then download and install it for your system. This may require some computer knowledge or patience. For a hassle-free method to update drivers, you can use Driver Easy,

Driver Easy can automatically detect any device with a missing or outdated driver, then downloads and installs the latest version that is compatible with your system version. It also features a Game Boost mode and game dependencies scan, which, when enabled, installs missing Visual C++ Redistributable components.

Updating drivers with Driver Easy just takes a few clicks:

  1. Download and install Driver Easy.
  2. Run Driver Easy and click the Scan Now button. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.
  3. Check if your graphics driver is flagged in the scan results. If it is, click Activate & Update to start a 7-day free trial or upgrade to Driver Easy Pro. Either option will automatically download and install the latest drivers for you.
  4. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect. Then try to launch the program. If the error still pops up, proceed to the next fix.
If you need any assistance while using Driver Easy, do not hesitate to reach out to Driver Easy Support Team at support@drivereasy.com.

Method 4: Exclude programs from DEP (Data Execution Prevention)

DEP is a Windows security feature that prevents code from executing in non‑executable memory regions, protecting your system from malware. However, some legitimate applications may trigger false positives and cause “Unhandled Exception: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION” errors. By excluding the affected program from DEP, you allow it to run normally while keeping DEP active for the rest of your system. This can resolve crashes caused by legitimate memory-loading behavior.

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run box. Type or paste sysdm.cpl, then hit Enter. This will open the System Properties window.
  2. Select the Advanced tab, click Settings under the Performance section.
  3. Select the Data Execution Prevention tab and select Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select. Then click Add and navigate to the .exe file of the program that fails to launch properly.
  4. Once done, select Apply > OK.

After applying the changes, relaunch your program and see how it works. If your issue persists, try the next fix below.

Method 5: Test RAM for hardware instability

EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION errors can sometimes be caused by faulty or unstable system memory—even if most apps work fine. Running a stress test can reveal hidden RAM or voltage issues that cause crashes under heavy load. Below are the steps you can take.

  1. Press Win + R simultaneously to open the Run box. Type or paste mdsched.exe and hit Enter.
  2. Click Restart now and check for problems (recommended). Then let the test complete.

If you’ve followed every step and still see the error, you may need to wait for an official patch from the developer with additional bug fixes. Alternatively, you can contact the support team of the program where the issue occurs.

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