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Affinity Won't Open or Crashes on Launch

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Workaround available Windows, macOS Updated November 14, 2026Based on 4 user reportsHow we research

Quick answer

Affinity usually fails to launch because of GPU acceleration (OpenCL/Direct3D), outdated graphics drivers or a conflicting app. Turning off hardware acceleration and updating drivers fixes most reports.

Most likely fix: Update the graphics driver

How to fix it

Try these in order — the most common fix is first.

  1. 1. Update the graphics driver

    1. Download the latest driver from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel, not Windows Update
    2. Choose a clean install if the installer offers it
    3. Restart and open Affinity
    Did this fix it?

  2. 2. Disable hardware acceleration

    1. If you can reach the app, open Settings > Performance and untick Hardware acceleration, then restart
    2. If it will not launch, users on Intel and Windows reported success after disabling OpenCL or Resizable BAR in BIOS (check your board manual)
    Did this fix it?

  3. 3. Check system requirements

    1. Windows 10 version 2004 or later or Windows 11 with a Direct3D 12 capable graphics card
    2. macOS 10.15 Catalina or later (third-party summary of the requirements; confirm on Affinity's help site)
    Did this fix it?

  4. 4. Reinstall and test with a clean boot

    1. Uninstall Affinity from Windows Settings > Apps or delete it from Applications on Mac
    2. Download the installer again from affinity.studio
    3. If it works in a clean boot, re-enable startup items one by one to find the conflict
    Did this fix it?

Symptoms

Affinity closes straight after the splash screen, never shows a window, or crashes when opening a file.

Why it happens

  • Hardware (OpenCL) acceleration conflicting with the GPU or Resizable BAR
  • Outdated or corrupted graphics driver
  • Graphics card without Direct3D 12 support on Windows
  • Conflicting third-party software
  • Corrupted install

This guide also covers

  • affinity won't open
  • affinity crashes on launch
  • affinity designer not responding
  • affinity keeps crashing

Still not working?

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