Endnight Games Ltd did an excellent job with the release of The Forest back in 2014. As a survival-horror video game, it continues to perform well in the market even today. The game has received overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam for the PC version, which highlights just how popular it remains.
That said, like most PC titles, The Forest isn’t free from technical issues. One of the most common problems players face—especially after recent updates—is the “Not Responding” or “Not Loading” error.
If you’re one of the unlucky players encountering this issue, don’t worry. It’s actually a common occurrence across many PC games, and plenty of players are dealing with the same thing. The good news is that there are several potential fixes you can try.
In this guide, we’ll go through some workarounds to resolve The Forest not responding or not loading issue so you can get back into the game without frustration.
Fix: The Forest Not Responding or Not Loading After Game Update
Talking about the possible reasons behind such an issue, it seems that incompatibility with the game and the PC specifications can be a major reason. Whereas outdated game patch version, issues with graphics driver, outdated system, corrupted or missing game files, conflicts with the antivirus or firewall protection, and more can trouble you a lot. So, you should follow all the methods one by one until the problem gets fixed for you. Now, let’s dive into it.
1. Check System Requirements
Make sure to check out the system requirements before jumping to any conclusion whatsoever. If in case, your computer configuration isn’t compatible enough then you may find issues with the game launching and gameplay.
Minimum System Requirements:
- OS: Windows 7
- Processor: Intel Dual-Core 2.4 GHz
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT
- DirectX: Version 9.0
- Storage: 5 GB available space
- Sound Card: DirectX-compatible
- Additional Notes: 32bit windows users need to ensure they have at least 4GB of ram usable on their system.
Recommended System Requirements:
- OS: Windows 7
- Processor: Quad-Core Processor
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560
- DirectX: Version 9.0
- Storage: 5 GB available space
- Sound Card: DirectX-compatible
2. Run the game as an Administrator
If you’re not running your video game using an administrator privilege, then it may cause some issues with the game launching or startup crashing or even the game not loading, etc. So, it’s better to run the game exe file as an administrator on your Windows computer to check if that fixes the problem or not. To do so:
- Right-click on The Forest exe shortcut file on your PC.
- Now, 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.
3. 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 active graphics card.
- 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.
4. Close Unnecessary Background Tasks
Another thing you can do is close unnecessary background tasks on your PC to ensure there is no additional consumption of system resources happening in the background whatsoever. 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.
5. Update The Forest
If in case, you haven’t updated your The Forest game for a while then make sure to follow the steps below to check for updates and install the latest patch (if available). To do this:
- Open the Steam client > Go to Library > Click on The Forest 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. Check for Windows Updates
The chances are high that your Windows OS build becomes outdated enough or corrupted. If you’re also feeling the same then make sure to follow the steps below to check for Windows updates. If the update is available then just install it. The latest software updates always offer bug fixes and improvements. To do this:
- 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.
- Wait for some time until the update gets completed.
- Finally, reboot your PC to apply changes immediately.
7. Try Disabling Overlay Apps
It seems that a couple of popular apps do have their own overlay program that can eventually run in the background and cause issues with the gaming performance or even launching issues. You should turn them off to fix the issue by following the steps below:
Disable Discord Overlay
- Launch the Discord app > Click on the gear icon at the bottom.
- Click on Overlay under App Settings > Turn on the Enable in-game overlay.
- Click on the Games tab > Select The Forest.
- Finally, turn off the Enable in-game overlay toggle.
- Make sure to reboot your PC to apply changes.
Disable Xbox Game Bar
- Press Windows + I keys to open Windows Settings.
- Click on Gaming > Go to Game Bar > Turn Off the Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using the Game bar option.
If in case, you’re unable to find out the Game Bar option then just search for it from the Windows Settings menu.
Disable Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay
- Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience app > Head over to Settings.
- Click on the General tab > Disable the In-Game Overlay option.
- Finally, restart the PC to apply changes, and launch The Forest game again.
Also do keep in mind that you should disable some other overlay apps like MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB software, or any other third-party overlay apps that run in the background always.
8. Update DirectX
Make sure to update the DirectX version on the PC to fix game application running issues in several aspects. To do so:
- Go to the C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Steamworks Shared\_CommonRedist\DirectX folder path.
- Next, run the DXSETUP.exe file to reinstall/update DirectX.
- Once done, restart your computer to apply changes.
Some of the apps and their services may start automatically while booting the system right away. In that case, those apps or services will definitely gonna 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 Windows + 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.
10. Disable Antivirus and Firewall Program
You should also try disabling both the antivirus software and firewall program on the PC to ensure no security software is blocking the ongoing game files.
- Click on the Start menu > Type Control Panel and click on it.
- Now, type firewall in the search box > Click on Windows Firewall.
- From the left pane, click on Turn Windows Firewall on or off.
- Make sure to select Turn off Windows Firewall for the Private, Domain, and Public Network Settings.
- Finally, reboot the PC to apply changes, and try checking the issue.
Now, you’ll have to disable the anti-virus protection (Windows Defender) as well by following the steps below:
- Head over to the Windows Settings > Privacy and Security.
- Now, go to Windows Security > Virus & threat protection.
- Click on Manage settings >Then turn off the Real-time Protection option.
- Once done, make sure to reboot your PC to apply changes.
If in case, you’re using any third-party antivirus program then make sure to turn it off manually.
11. Verify 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 The Forest 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.
12. Reinstall The Forest
If none of the methods worked for you then try reinstalling The Forest game to check if that helps you to fix the game not launching issue. To do so:
- Launch the Steam client on your computer.
- Now, go to Library > Right-click on The Forest game.
- Head over to Manage > Select Uninstall.
- If prompted, click on Uninstall again and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation process.
- Once done, make sure to reboot your computer to apply changes immediately.
- Open the Steam client again and install the game again using the existing Steam account.
- You’re done. Enjoy! This can resolve The Forest not responding or not loading issue on the PC.
That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.
