7 Ways to Fix Silent Hill 2 Not Launching on a Windows PC (2025)

Here we tell you about some of the best ways players can fix Silent Hill 2 not launching on Windows 11/10 PCs. Is the Silent Hill 2 game failing to start on your Windows 11/10 PC? If that is the case, you may be able to kick-start SH 2 by applying one or more of the potential solutions in the guide below.

The Silent Hill 2 remake has had rave reviews since its recent October 2024 launch. However, some players have already reported startup issues for that game. One player’s Reddit post described a SH 2 startup issue like this: “I purchased the deluxe edition of the game (Silent Hill 2) on Steam, and when I press start to play nothing happens. I didn’t experience crashes or else like other players online: it just won’t start.” This is how you can fix Silent Hill 2 not launching on Windows PCs.

Run Silent Hill 2 as an Administrator From its Folder

First, try starting Silent Hill 2 by running it as an administrator directly from the game’s folder. This will give the game full administrative permissions to access whatever it needs. You can set elevated privileges for Silent Hill 2 like this.

1. Go into your Steam software to select Library.
2. Right-click Silent Hill 2 to select Manage and Browse local files on the context menu.
3. Next, right-click the SHProto.exe file in the Silent Hill 2 folder to select Properties.
4. Select the checkbox with the Run this program as an administrator label inside the Compatibility tab.
5. Click Apply and OK to save the compatibility configuration settings.
   

   The Compatibility tab

6. Double-click the SHProto file to start the game.
7. If this doesn’t work, repeat the above steps for the SHProto-Win64-Shipping file in the Silent Hill 2 > SHProto > Binaries > Win64 subfolder.

Set DirectX 11 or DirectX 12 Launch Options

Players confirm they can fix Silent Hill 2 not launching by setting DirectX 11 or DirectX 12 launch options. You can do this by setting -dx11 or -dx12 launch parameters for SH 2 in Steam. These are the steps for setting those launch options.

1. Run Steam to select the Library tab in that gaming client.
2. Click Silent Hill 2 in the left sidebar with the mouse’s right button and select Properties.
3. First, enter -dx11 into the Launch Options box for Silent Hill 2.
   

   The Launch Options box in Steam

4. Try starting Silent Hill 2 with the DirectX 11 launch option set.
5. If Silent Hill 2 still doesn’t start, try launching the game with a DirectX 12 launch option set. You can do that by inputting a -dx12 parameter in the Launch Options box.

Disable the Overlay for GeForce Experience

Disabling the GeForce Experience overlay is another way to fix Silent Hill 2 some players confirm has worked for them. So, that potential solution could be worth trying for players with GeForce Experience installed. These are the steps for disabling that overlay.

1. Click the NVIDIA system tray icon with the right mouse button to select GeForce Experience.
2. Next, press the Settings button.
3. Turn off the In-Game Overlay setting.

Update Graphics Drivers for Your PC

Outdated graphics drivers can cause startup technical issues to arise for games. Updating graphics drivers on your PC can address this potential cause. If your PC has two GPUs, update the drivers for both your integrated Intel and dedicated GPU. Check out this guide to updating graphics drivers for details about how to apply this potential fix.

Verify the Silent Hill 2 Game

A verification scan for Silent Hill 2 will check for and repair missing or corrupted game files. This is a troubleshooting method you should apply for any game that doesn’t start. You can select to verify Silent Hill 2’s files by going through the steps on this Steam page.

Set a High-Performance GPU for Silent Hill 2

Does your Windows desktop or laptop have two graphics cards? If it does, make sure the superior dedicated GPU is set for Silent Hill 2. You can set a higher-performance GPU setting for Silent Hill 2 like this.

1. Bring up the Windows tool for finding files by clicking on the taskbar search box or magnifying glass icon.
2. Type in a graphics settings keyword and select the matching result.
3. Click Desktop app or Add Desktop app in Settings. In Windows 10 Settings, you’ll also need to click Browse.
   

   The Graphics settings in Windows 10

4. Select the SHProto file and click Add.
5. In Windows 10 Settings, click Silent Hill 2’s Options button > High performance > Save. Windows 11 users must select High Performance on the GPU Preference drop-down menu for Silent Hill 2.

Temporarily Turn off Antivirus Shields Before Playing

Another possibility is that the antivirus app on your Windows PC is preventing Silent Hill 2 from launching. If you don’t have a third-party security app installed, try temporarily disabling the Microsoft Defender antivirus shield in Windows Security before starting SH 2. You can do this by toggling off the Real-time protection setting as instructed on this Microsoft webpage.

Those users with different third-party security apps will need to disable their antivirus shields. Most third-party antivirus apps have right-click context menu options for turning off their shields. Right-click your security app’s tray in the Windows system tray area and select an option that disables its antivirus scanning for a few hours if you can.

Other Possible Ways to Fix Silent Hill 2 Not Launching

There are numerous other potential fixes for Silent Hill 2 launching that could be worth trying. Here are some additional suggestions for kick-starting SH 2:

• Make sure your Windows PC is configured to use the correct audio output (PC speakers) for Silent Hill 2. This is especially recommended for players who utilize controllers with built-in speakers.
• If your PC has an AMD GPU, disable the AMD Fluid Motion Frames 2 setting within the Adrenalin software.
• Reinstall the Silent Hill 2 game.
• Run Silent Hill 2 in compatibility mode for Windows 8 or 7.

So, try applying the troubleshooting methods above to fix Silent Hill 2 not launching on your PC. There’s a reasonable chance one will kick-start that game on your PC since they’ve worked for other players. However, you can submit a support ticket to SH 2’s help service from this Konami page if more potential fixes are needed.