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• If your PC restarts randomly when playing games, the problem generally lies with the PSU or graphics driver.
• To fix it, first, verify that your computer meets the system requirements for the game, update the drivers, or try the other methods here.
• Also, find out how to stop your PC from overheating when playing games.

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Any disruption or even minor interruptions affect the gaming experience and users may lose their in-game progress. Things become even worse if your PC restarts when playing games, and several users reported encountering this frequently.

Games with high-end graphics require a computer with decent configurations, in the absence of which, you may face issues such as game lag, but a frequent reboot is a rather tricky problem.

So, let’s find out why your PC restarts when playing games, and the solutions for it.

Why does my PC restart when playing games?

The PC may restart due to several reasons, but generally, it happens when there is a problem with the computer’s PSU (Power Supply Unit). If the PSU doesn’t supply the required amount of power, the PC restarts when playing a game even if it’s not overheating.

Your graphics driver or other device drivers too might be causing the issue. Other than that, if the power settings are misconfigured, it will result in frequent crashes or even a restart.

Overheating is another common reason, and when the temperature goes beyond a certain level, the PC automatically restarts to protect the various components from damage.

If you overclocked the PC to get more performance out of it, chances are that the modifications could have introduced instability, and are causing the frequent restarts.

What do I do if my PC restarts when playing games?

1. Verify that your PC meets the game requirements

Every game has a specific set of requirements that have to be met in order for the game to effectively run. But, things are not all that simple!

Games generally have two types of requirements, Minimum and Recommended. Even if the PC meets the minimum requirements, the computer could still restart randomly when playing games.

For ideal gameplay and optimal performance, it’s best that the PC meets the recommended system requirements.

2. Some basic checks

Many users after spending hours troubleshooting and trying every possible method realized that it was a loose or improper connection that caused the PC to reboot when playing games. So, make sure that the cables running from the PSU are properly plugged in.

In case of issues with the PSU, the PC restarts while gaming without a blue screen. Also, you can try installing another PSU to find out if the one currently in use works fine.

Besides, you can use a reliable performance monitoring software solution to identify the underlying cause. Use it to check if the power supply is proper, the input voltage is neither too high, nor too low, and the computer is not overheating.

3. Update the graphics driver

Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter Device Manager in the text field, and click on the relevant search result.

Now, double-click on the Display adapters entry.

Right-click on the graphics adapter in use, and select Update driver from the context menu.

Next, select Search automatically for drivers.

Though it’s not recommended that you frequently check for driver updates, the graphics driver here is an exception. When gaming, it plays a critical role, and if it’s outdated or there’s a bug present, updating it could fix the problem.

Expert Tip: Some PC issues are hard to tackle, especially when it comes to corrupted repositories or missing Windows files. If you are having troubles fixing an error, your system may be partially broken. We recommend installing Restoro, a tool that will scan your machine and identify what the fault is.
Click here to download and start repairing.

If this method doesn’t work, try manually installing the latest driver version and check if the PC still restarts when playing games.

Constantly updating drivers on your PC is essential, especially when playing games, and a third-party automated solution like DriverFix can actually improve gaming sessions.

DriverFix will quickly scan your PC for outdated graphics card drivers and install or update them in an instant. If you are an avid gamer, this is much more efficient than doing it manually.

4. Disable automatic restart

Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter View advanced system settings, and click on the relevant search result.

Click on the Settings button under Startup and Recovery.

Now, untick the checkbox for Automatically restart under System failure, and then click on OK at the bottom.

5. Remove overclocking

For many users, it was overclocking that resulted in frequent restarts when playing games on the PC. Overclocking is meant to boost the performance and take it to levels the device is not designed to run at, thus often causing it to malfunction.

So, remove any kind of overclocking present on the PC, and uninstall apps that fall under the category of game boosters. If the problem persists after making the changes or the method is not applicable in your case, head to the next one.

6. Update Windows

Press Windows + I to launch Settings, and select the Windows Update tab from the left.

Click on the Check for updates button on the right.

If there’s a newer version available, click on Download & install.

Oftentimes, the problem lies with the version of Windows installed or if you haven’t updated the OS in a while. So, check if there’s an update available and install it to fix things if your PC crashes and restarts when playing games.

7. Perform a System Restore

If none of the methods listed here have worked, chances are that the underlying problem is not a general one but specific to your computer. In this case, the simplest solution is to perform a System Restore.

A system restore will fix almost any kind of issue, be it problematic drivers that were recently installed, conflicting applications, or changes to the settings. It does that by reverting any modifications that were made to the computer’s software.

Once done, the PC would no more restart when playing games in Windows 10 or 11.

How do I stop my computer from overheating when playing games?

The overheating problem generally arises when the CPU usage is high, there isn’t enough RAM available, the computer fan does not work, no space around the CPU for the hot air to escape, or due to dust buildup.

Here are a few ways to stop your computer from overheating when playing games:

• Choose optimal system settings: If the PC is overheating due to poor performance, configure the settings such that your PC becomes faster and more responsive.
• Clear storage space: If your computer is running low on storage, uninstall unnecessary apps and additional files. In case you don’t want to delete them, upload the files to a cloud storage.
• Control the CPU fan: If you notice the fan speed to be persistently low, manually control the CPU fan and set it to run at the optimal speed.
• Use a dedicated software too: You can also use a dedicated third-party tool to reduce overheating. These identify what’s causing the problem, and automatically take the necessary corrective measures.

That’s it! These were all the ways you can fix things if the PC restarts when playing games and stop it from overheating. The methods here would also work if the PC restarts with a black screen while gaming.

Also, find out what to do if your Windows 11 PC restarts randomly, even when not playing games.

If you have any other queries or know of a method that’s not listed here, drop a comment below.

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