- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core i5-3570 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 or AMD Radeon RX 470
Recommended System Requirements:
- OS: Windows 10/11
- Processor: Intel Core i7-4770K or AMD Ryzen 7 1800X
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580
2. Run Modern Warfare 3 as an Administrator
To avoid any crashing or launching issues while running the game exe application file on your PC, it is recommended to run the program file as an administrator. This grants the user account control access and allows the system to run the file properly. You can follow the steps below to do so:
- Right-click on the COD: Modern Warfare 3 exe file on your PC.
- Select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.
- Make sure to click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to checkmark it.
- Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.
- Now, run the game to launch it.
Please note: If you use the Battle.net or Steam client to play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, make sure to follow the same steps for the game launcher.
3. Update GPU Drivers
Checking for the graphics driver update on the PC is highly recommended by following the steps below. By doing so, you’ll be able to install the latest update, which will fix several graphical issues with the program. To do so:
- Right-click on the Start Menu to open up the Quick Access Menu.
- Click on Device Manager from the list to open it.
- Double-click on Display adapters to expand it.
- Right-click on the dedicated graphics card that you’re using.
- Click on Update driver > Choose Search automatically for drivers.
- The system will automatically check for the available update.
- An update will automatically download and install the latest version if available.
- Once done, ensure to restart your PC to apply the changes.
If there is no update available on the PC then make sure to visit the official manufacturer website of the graphics card and manually grab the latest version. Search for the particular graphics card model by the following links.
4. Update Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
It’s highly suggested to check for the game updates on your PC by following the steps below to ensure there is no outdated game version present. Sometimes issues with the outdated game patch version might cause several conflicts at your end that can affect the game launching or gameplay experience badly. To do that:
For Battle.net:
- Open the Battle.net (Blizzard) launcher > Click on the Blizzard logo from the top left corner.
- Go to Settings > Click on Game Install/Update.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page > Click on Apply latest updates and download future patch data for recently played games to enable it.
- Now, click on Done to save changes > Restart the Battle.net launcher to apply changes.
- It should automatically update the game to the available version.
For Steam:
- Open Steam and go to Library.
- Click on COD: Modern Warfare 3 from the left pane.
- Steam will automatically search for the available update.
- If there is an update available, click on Update.
- Make sure to wait for some time until the update completes.
- Once done, ensure to reboot the PC to apply changes.
5. Try Lowering In-Game Graphics Settings
If you’re experiencing issues with lag or stuttering while playing a game, there’s a good chance that your in-game graphics settings are to blame. To ensure that the game runs smoothly, it’s important to adjust your graphics settings according to your PC configuration and display device. If you have a less powerful PC and have set the graphics settings too high, you may experience frequent lags and stutters. To fix this, simply open the game settings menu and lower the graphics options to a level that is suitable for your PC’s capacity.
6. Disable Fullscreen Optimizations
By default, Windows programs have Full-screen optimization and DPI settings. However, enabling these options may cause performance issues with games. To disable Full-screen optimization, follow the steps below manually.
- Go to the COD Modern Warfare 3 game directory.
- Now, right-click on the ModernWarfareII.exe application file.
- Select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.
- Click on the Disable Full-Screen Optimizations checkbox to enable it.
- Next, click the Change high DPI settings button > Select the Override high DPI scaling behavior checkbox.
- Select Application from the drop-down menu > Click Apply and then OK to save changes.
- Once it’s done, you can try checking the COD Modern Warfare 3 Stuttering, Lags, or Freezing constantly issue again.
7. Turn On Nvidia DLSS
If your COD Modern Warfare 3 game is stuttering or freezing a lot and you’re using the Nvidia graphics card, then make sure to enable the Nvidia DLSS feature to reduce the in-game stutter issue to some extent. Sometimes, the game may not run smoothly on the FidelityFX CAS option, which comes enabled by default. So, disable FidelityFX CAS and then turn on DLSS. You can set DLSS to Quality to see visual improvements and fewer FPS drops.
8. Disable NVIDIA ShadowPlay
If you experience any issues with game loading or gameplay, it’s worth trying to turn off Nvidia ShadowPlay feature on the Nvidia GeForce Experience app. Although Nvidia ShadowPlay allows you to record and share high-quality video games, take screenshots and perform live streams with your friends, it acts as an overlay app that may unexpectedly cause game performance issues in some scenarios. This recommendation is only applicable to Nvidia GPU users. If you use AMD GPU, you can skip this step.
- Open the Nvidia GeForce Experience app.
- Click on Settings > Click on the General tab.
- Go to the Share option and disable it.
- Ensure to save changes and reboot the PC.
9. Set CPU Affinity via Task Manager
You can try setting up the CPU Affinity via Task Manager if your processor runs a 6-12 core architecture. Set the CPU Affinity by following the steps below accordingly to reduce frame drops or stutters in the game.
- Press the Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys to open Task Manager.
- Now, click on the Details tab > Right-click on the COD Modern Warfare 3 process (cod.exe).
- Click on Set Affinity > Manually tickmark the CPU cores to use as CPU 0, 1, 2, 3.
- Then, uncheck the rest of the processors > Click on OK to save changes.
- You should also reboot the PC to apply changes.
10. Verify and Repair Game Files
If in case, missing or corrupted game files on the PC may trouble players a lot. You can follow the steps below to verify and repair game files on the computer so that the game can run properly.
For Battle.net:
- Open the Battle.net client on your PC.
- Click on the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II game.
- Now, click on OPTIONS (Gear icon) > Click on Scan and Repair.
- Choose Begin Scan and wait for the process to complete.
- Once done, close the Battle.net launcher, and restart your PC.
For Steam:
- Launch the Steam client > Click on Library.
- Right-click on COD: Modern Warfare 3 from the list.
- Click on Properties > Go to Local Files.
- Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files.
- This process may take some time to get completed. So, have some patience.
- Once done, make sure to reboot the PC to apply changes.
11. Update Windows
Updating Windows OS build is always essential for PC users as well as PC gamers to reduce system glitches, compatibility issues, and crashes. Meanwhile, the latest version mostly includes additional features, improvements, security patches, and more. To do that:
- Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
- Click on Update & Security > Select Check for updates under the Windows Update section.
- If there is an update available, select Download and Install.
- It may take a while to complete the update.
- Once done, restart your computer to install the update.
12. Close Background Tasks
Unnecessary background running tasks or programs can eat up a lot of system resources like CPU or Memory usage that, reduces system performance. Hence, the startup crashing, lagging, and not loading issues appear quite often. Simply, close all the unnecessary background running tasks completely. To do this:
- Press the Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys to open Task Manager.
- Now, click on the Processes tab.
- Click to select the task individually that you want to close. [Running in the background and consuming enough system resources]
- Click on End Task to close it one by one.
- Once done, restart your system.
Some of the programs or services may run in the background whenever you boot up the Windows system without your intent. Those apps or services will going to use a lot of internet connection as well as system resources. If you’re also feeling the same, make sure to perform a clean boot on your computer to check for the issue. To do that:
- Press the Win+R keys to open the Run dialog box.
- Now, type msconfig and hit Enter to open System Configuration.
- Go to the Services tab > Enable the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox.
- Click on Disable all > Click on Apply and then OK to save changes.
- Now, go to the Startup tab > Click on Open Task Manager.
- The Task Manager interface will open. Here go to the Startup tab.
- Then click on the particular task which has a higher startup impact.
- Once selected, click on Disable to turn them off from the startup process.
- Do the same steps for each program that has a higher startup impact.
- Once done, make sure to restart your computer to apply changes.
14. Disable Steam Overlay
If in case, you’ve enabled the Steam Overlay app on your PC but you’re not using it that much then we’ll recommend you disable it right now. The Steam Overlay option may come in handy in streaming, recording, or taking screenshots. But not everyone finds it useful always. So, turning it off should reduce the extra load from your system to improve performance.
- Open the Steam client > Go to Library.
- Right-click on COD Modern Warfare 3 > Click on Properties.
- Make sure to click on Enable Steam Overlay while in-game under the GENERAL tab to uncheck it.
- Once it’s disabled, re-launch the game to see if it performs better or not.
15. Increase Virtual Memory
Make sure to manually increase the virtual memory on the PC by following the steps below to confirm whether the virtual RAM works well with the game.
- Open Control Panel from the Windows Start menu > Go to System.
- Click on Advanced system settings > Go to the Advanced tab.
- Open Settings under Performance > Click on the Advanced tab.
- Click on Change under Virtual memory.
- Now, click on Disable next to the Automatically manage paging file size for all drivers option.
- Then you’ll need to select a Custom size > Type in a higher value of your actual RAM size in both Initial size and Maximum size. [For example, if you’ve 8GB RAM then input 12000 MB]
Note: Kindly enter the RAM value in MB size. 1GB means 1024MB in storage. So, do accordingly, and use C: drive where Windows is installed.
- Click on Ok and restart your computer > Once done, make sure to reboot the PC to apply changes.
16. Keep the PC in Well Ventilated Area
It’s important to keep your PC in a well-ventilated area to ensure proper air circulation and prevent overheating. If you use your PC in an air-conditioned room, you don’t need to worry much about overheating.
To avoid overheating, it’s advisable to power off your computer once a day after completing your work or gaming. This will allow the computer to rest if it’s been in use for an extended period of time or if the weather is hot.
Avoid placing your computer near windows, open areas, or direct sunlight as it will increase the temperature. You should also use a high-quality thermal paste on your CPU to maximize cooling.
If you’re using a gaming rig or heavy programs that cause overheating issues, it’s best to invest in water cooling which is more expensive but worth the cost.
17. Reset BIOS Settings to Default
Resetting the BIOS settings to the optimized default one is a recommended method to fix COD Modern Warfare 3 stuttering, lags or freezing issues. However, it’s important to proceed with caution and follow the user manual guide specific to your laptop model or desktop configuration. Take note of the boot drive settings or information before proceeding. If your TPM is disabled, turn it on. Some laptop brands, such as Lenovo, push BIOS updates periodically via their own update software or support application. After updating the BIOS to the latest version, check if the issue has been resolved.
18. Try Upgrading Physical RAM
It’s quite unfortunate that the above methods didn’t work for you and your physical RAM isn’t sufficient enough to run video games properly. In that scenario, make sure to upgrade the physical RAM to double if your PC support RAM expansion. As most laptops or desktops do support up to 8GB/16GB of RAM expansion, you should upgrade it. Make sure to buy the same generation of compatible RAM stick to avoid the hassle.
Obviously, it may take some extra money from your pocket but this one-time upgrade of RAM will last many years without any issue. However, there is a catch. If your PC has only one channel for RAM then you’ll need to replace your older RAM stick with a new one. But if your PC has dual-channel for RAM then you can use both new and old ones like 4+4 or 8+8 depending on how much RAM storage you want to use.
For those who are experiencing specific issues like getting Unexpectedly Stopped Working Error, Multiplayer Not Working, or Shaders Optimization Every Time, it’s recommended to click on the provided link to get detailed troubleshooting steps and possible solutions. Always ensure your systems are up-to-date, and be patient as fixes and updates roll out. That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.
