Fix: Project Zomboid Screen Flickering or Freezing

The Indie Stone has developed and published Project Zomboid back in 2013 as one of the open-world isometric survival zombies horror video games. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic and zombie-intense world so that players can survive till last breath. Though the game has received very positive reviews on Steam for the PC version, it’s still in the early access stage. Meanwhile, some players are reporting about Project Zomboid Screen Flickering or Freezing.

Well, this becomes quite common for most PC games and even for some console games. However, the screen flickering or freezing issue might get appeared due to several possible reasons that we’ll gonna mention below. It’s also worth mentioning that we’ve provided some workarounds to easily resolve such an issue. Screen flickering or freezing or screen tearing issue affects the gaming experience a lot and especially during intense sessions.

1. Try Lowering In-Game Graphics Settings

First of all, you should try lowering the in-game graphics settings on your PC or console to check if that helps you to fix the frame drops or stuttering issues. Try turning off some of the display settings for the Project Zomboid game such as texture details, shadow effect, v-sync, anti-aliasing, etc. This should improve the FPS count and performance/smoothness in gameplay.

2. Update GPU Drivers

If in case, you haven’t updated your graphics driver on the Windows computer then make sure to install the latest patch version. To do so, you’ll need to check for available updates by following the steps below:

Press Windows + X keys to open the Quick Link Menu.
Now, click on Device Manager from the list > Double-click on Display adapters.
Right-click on the dedicated graphics card that you’re using.

Next, select Update driver > Choose to Search automatically for drivers.
If there is an update available, the system will automatically download & install it.
Once done, restart the computer to apply changes immediately.

3. Close Unnecessary Background Tasks

Another thing you can do is simply close unnecessary background tasks on your PC to ensure there is no additional consumption of system resources happening in the background whatsoever. Make sure to keep Project Zomboid, Steam, and other system-related tasks running as it is. To clear out background tasks:

Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open Task Manager.
Click on the Processes tab > Select the task that you want to close.

Once selected, click on End Task. Make sure to do the steps for each task individually.
Once done, just restart your computer to change effects immediately.

4. Check Your Internet Connection

You should also try checking for the internet connection on your PC whether it’s running well or not. A slower internet speed or unstable connectivity can cause issues with the game launching or fetching data from the server. You can also try switching the internet connection from wired (ethernet) to wireless (Wi-Fi) to cross-check the network connectivity problem.

If your IP address has some issues or your DNS address is troubling you a lot then make sure to use Google DNS address on the PC to avoid rubberbanding connection or stuttering or even lagging issues which can happen due to slow internet.

5. Update Project Zomboid

Sometimes an outdated game version can also bring multiple bugs or issues. It’s better to update your Project Zomboid game by following the steps below. If an update is available then simply install the latest patch. To do this:

Open the Steam client > Go to Library > Click on Project Zomboid from the left pane.
It’ll automatically search for the available update. If there is an update available, make sure to click on Update.
It may take some time to install the update > Once done, make sure to close the Steam client.
Finally, reboot your PC to apply changes, and then try launching the game again.

6. Verify Integrity of Game Files

If in case, there is an issue with the game files and somehow it gets corrupted or missing then make sure to perform this method to easily check for the issue.

Launch Steam > Click on Library.
Right-click on Project Zomboid from the list of installed games.
Now, click on Properties > Go to Local Files.

Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files.
You’ll have to wait for the process until it gets completed.
Once done, just restart your computer.

7. Set High Performance in Power Options

If in case, your Windows system is running on the Balanced mode in Power Options, just set the High-Performance mode for better results. Although this option will take higher power usage or battery usage. To do this:

Click on the Start Menu > Type Control Panel and click on it from the search result.
Now, go to Hardware and Sound > Select Power Options.
Click on High Performance to select it.
Make sure to close the window and fully shut down your computer. To do this, click on the Start Menu > Go to Power > Shut Down.
Once your computer is fully turned off, you can power it on again.

8. Set High Priority in Task Manager

Make your game priority in the higher segment via the Task Manager to tell your Windows system to run the game properly. To do this:

Right-click on the Start Menu > Select Task Manager.
Click on the Processes tab > Right-click on the Project Zomboid game task.
Select Set Priority to High.
Close Task Manager.
Finally, run the Project Zomboid game to check if it crashing on PC or not.

9. 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 Windows + I keys to open up the Windows Settings menu.
Next, click on Update & Security > Select Check for updates under the Windows Update section.
If there is a feature update available, select Download and install.
It may take a while to complete the update.
Once done, restart your computer to install the update.

That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.

Fix: Project Zomboid Screen Flickering or Freezing