Archicad crashes before startup or splash screen

No warning message or bug-report dialog is shown, and the project file never loads.
The workspace does not display and no error message is visible.

Solution

This problem is usually caused by corrupted preference files, incompatible hardware or software, missing permissions, or network license problems. Or default settings may be affected by system or user changes.

These are some common causes and steps to resolve the issue:

Verify system compatibility

1. Ensure your computer meets the minimum system requirements for your version.
2. Compare your hardware and operating system against the current System Requirements page on the Graphisoft website.

3. Close other memory-intensive applications if RAM is below the recommended value.

    

Update software

1. Download the latest updates for both the application and your operating system.
2. In Archicad, go to Help > Check for Updates to ensure you have the latest build.

3. Update the computer's operating system through its native updater to ensure driver and security patches are current.

    

Launch with elevated permissions

1. On Windows: Right-click the program icon and select Run as administrator.

2. On macOS: Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access and add Archicad to the list, then reopen the application.

    

Reset user preferences

1. Corrupted preferences or user profiles can prevent the program from launching.
2. Close the application.
3. Navigate to the preferences folder:
   • Windows: C:\Users\<username>\Graphisoft\
   • macOS: ~/Library/Preferences/Graphisoft/
4. Rename the version folder to _old to force creation of fresh settings at next launch.

5. Alternatively, hold Shift while double-clicking the icon to open with default settings only.

    

Disable or remove add-ons and plugins

1. Move every file from the Add-Ons folder inside the installation directory to a temporary folder on the desktop.
2. Hold Shift while starting to open in default mode without add-ons.
3. Relaunch.

4. If successful, return add-ons one by one to identify the conflicting item.

    

Update graphics drivers

1. Download the latest driver from your GPU vendor’s website.

2. On notebooks with dual GPUs, force the program to use the dedicated card via the vendor control panel.

    

Check for conflicts with other software

1. Ensure that no other software or drivers are interfering with operation.

2. Close unnecessary background applications.

    

Check network license integrity (for network licenses)

1. Confirm the workstation can reach the License Manager Tool host by pinging its IP address.
2. Ensure your network connection is stable and the license server is accessible.

3. Re-download the license if it shows Unavailable inside the License Manager Tool window.

    

Perform a clean re-installation

1. Uninstall the application with the bundled uninstaller.
2. Manually delete residual folders in Program Files or Applications.

3. Download a fresh installer from the Support Site and run it as administrator.