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Age of Empires

Age of Empires 2 DE Crashing on Startup? Here's the Fix (June 2026)

·5 mins
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Age of Empires 2 DE Crashing on Startup? Here's the Fix (June 2026)

The Problem: AoE2 DE Won’t Launch After June 2026 Update #

If you’re reading this, you probably just tried to play Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition and it crashed before you could even see the main menu. Click Play on Steam or the Xbox App — nothing happens. Or maybe you get a black screen for a second, then it’s gone.

Here’s what makes this one tricky: there’s no error message. No crash dialog, no “AoE2 has stopped working” popup. The game just silently dies. If you check Windows Event Viewer, you’ll see nothing useful — just a generic application termination with no error code.

I’ve been digging into this since it started appearing after the June 2026 update, and here’s the root cause and the fix.

Why This Happened #

The June 2026 update for AoE2 DE introduced a new App Integrity / Anti-Cheat protection framework. This is the security system that prevents cheating in multiplayer. The problem is that this new framework conflicts with Windows running in Test Mode (also called “Testsigning mode”).

If you’ve ever:

  • Installed unsigned drivers
  • Used developer tools that require test signing
  • Followed a tutorial that enabled Test Mode years ago and forgot about it
  • Used certain hardware diagnostic tools

…then your Windows has Test Mode enabled, and the new anti-cheat crashes the game instantly.

Why didn’t this happen before? The old anti-cheat didn’t check for Test Mode. The new one does — and it kills the game process if it finds it.

How to Fix It (4 Steps) #

This fix works for both the Steam and Microsoft Store/Xbox App versions.

Step 1: Open Command Prompt as Administrator #

Press Windows Key, type cmd, right-click on Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.

If you’re not sure how to do this: the Windows Key is between Ctrl and Alt (usually has a Windows logo). Typing “cmd” will show “Command Prompt” in the Start menu. Right-click it and pick “Run as administrator.”

Step 2: Enable Integrity Checks #

Copy and paste this command, then press Enter:

bcdedit.exe -set loadoptions ENABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS

You should see “The operation completed successfully.” If you see an access error, make sure you’re running as administrator.

Step 3: Turn Off Test Signing #

Copy and paste this command, then press Enter:

bcdedit.exe -set TESTSIGNING OFF

Again, you should see “The operation completed successfully.”

Step 4: Restart Your PC #

This is important — the changes don’t take effect until you reboot. Save your work, restart your computer, and then try launching AoE2 DE again.

Did it work? The game should now launch normally. If it does, you’re done. If not, keep reading — there are other potential causes.

Other Fixes If the Test Mode Fix Didn’t Work #

Not everyone has Test Mode enabled. If the fix above didn’t help, try these in order:

Disable RivaTuner Statistics Server #

If you have RivaTuner (often installed with MSI Afterburner) running in the background, it can conflict with the new anti-cheat. Right-click the RivaTuner icon in your system tray and exit it, then try launching the game.

This is the second most common cause after Test Mode. A lot of PC gamers have RivaTuner running without realizing it — it auto-starts with Windows if you have MSI Afterburner.

Disable Overlays #

Overlays from Discord, NVIDIA GeForce Experience, or AMD Adrenalin can sometimes trigger the anti-cheat:

  • Discord: Settings → Game Overlay → toggle off
  • NVIDIA: Open GeForce Experience → Settings → General → toggle off IN-GAME OVERLAY
  • AMD: Open AMD Software → Settings → toggle off Radeon Overlay

Run as Administrator #

Right-click the game executable and select “Run as administrator”:

  • Steam: Right-click the game in your library → Manage → Browse local files → right-click AoEDE_s.exe → Run as administrator
  • Xbox App: Find the game in your Start menu, right-click → More → Run as administrator

Verify Game Files #

Steam: Right-click AoE2 DE → Properties → Local Files → Verify integrity of game files

Xbox App: Find the game → click the three dots → Manage → Verify and repair

Check for Conflicting Mods #

If you have mods installed, the new anti-cheat might not play nice with all of them. Disable all mods, launch the game, then re-enable them one by one to find the culprit.

How to Check If You Have Test Mode Enabled #

Not sure if Test Mode is the issue? Here’s how to check:

  1. Open Command Prompt (doesn’t need to be admin for this)
  2. Type bcdedit and press Enter
  3. Look for a line that says testsigning Yes

If you see testsigning Yes, that’s your problem. Follow the fix above.

If you see testsigning No or the line doesn’t exist, Test Mode is already off — try the other fixes.

Why This Keeps Happening #

Game studios are tightening anti-cheat security to combat increasingly sophisticated cheating tools. Each update can introduce new compatibility checks that break previously working setups. If you’re someone who tinkers with drivers, uses developer tools, or runs unsigned software, you’ll keep running into these conflicts.

The permanent solution: Keep Test Mode off unless you specifically need it for development. If you do need it, you’ll have to accept that some games with aggressive anti-cheat won’t work while it’s enabled.

Prevention #

To avoid future anti-cheat conflicts:

  • Don’t leave Test Mode on after you’re done with whatever needed it
  • Keep your Windows updated (Microsoft sometimes fixes these conflicts in later patches)
  • When a game updates and crashes, check the community forums first — someone’s probably already found the fix
  • Avoid running multiple overlay programs at once

Dealing with crashes in other games? Check our Minecraft Crash Fix Guide for the full diagnostic flowchart, or our Forza Horizon 6 Save Wipe Fix if your saves are disappearing.