FIX: BlueStacks engine won’t start

• BlueStacks is a popular cloud-based Android emulator for PC, where users can enjoy thousands of apps on their computers.
• If BlueStacks Engine won't start on your system, then try running it in compatibility mode, close background applications and pause your antivirus software.
• BlueStacks should be running fine on your system if you followed this guide, but if it ever crashes or stops working, check out our collection of BlueStacks Guides articles.
• Whenever you encounter glitches with your system, be it hardware or software related, the Troubleshooting Page should be your first stop.

To fix various PC problems, we recommend DriverFix: This software will keep your drivers up and running, thus keeping you safe from common computer errors and hardware failure. Check all your drivers now in 3 easy steps:

1. Download DriverFix (verified download file).
2. Click Start Scan to find all problematic drivers.
3. Click Update Drivers to get new versions and avoid system malfunctionings.

• DriverFix has been downloaded by 515,221 readers this month.

BlueStacks is a popular cloud-based Android emulator for PC, where users can enjoy thousands of apps on their computers. Whilst the platform is fairly solid, sometimes users report issues running it, such as BlueStacks Engine won’t start on certain systems. Fix BlueStacks not working on Windows 10

If you have encountered errors with starting BlueStacks on your Windows PC, then the fixes below will help you get it up and running in no time.

What can I do if BlueStacks Engine won’t start?

Bluestacks is a useful application, but many users reported that Bluestacks gets stuck on initializing. This can be a big problem, and speaking of problems, here are some similar issues that users reported:

• Bluestacks stuck on initializing screen Windows 10 – This problem can appear on almost any version of Windows, and even if you don’t use Windows 10, you should be able to apply most of our solutions to your version of Windows.
• Bluestacks stuck on starting engine – Sometimes this issue can occur due to Bluestacks processes running in the background. To fix the problem, simply end those processes and check if that helps.
• Bluestacks stuck on welcome screen – This is another issue that can prevent Bluestacks from running. To fix the problem, make sure that your antivirus isn’t interfering with Bluestacks.
• Bluestacks stuck on just a sec – Several users reported this issue on their PC. To fix this problem, disable all startup applications and try to run Bluestacks again.

1. Close any additional applications

Third-party applications can sometimes interfere with Bluestacks and cause Bluestacks to get stuck on initializing. Since many of these applications start automatically with Windows, it’s advised that you perform a Clean boot and disable all startup applications and services.

This is quite simple, and you can do it by following these steps:

1. Press Windows Key + R and enter msconfig. Now press Enter or click OK.
   
2. The System Configuration window will now open. Navigate to Services tab and check Hide all Microsoft services. Now click Disable all button.
   
3. Proceed to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager.
   
4. List of startup applications will now appear in Task Manager. Right-click the first entry on the list and choose Disable from the menu. Repeat this step for all startup applications on the list.
   
5. Close Task Manager. Now go back to the System Configuration window and click Apply and OK to save changes. Restart your PC to apply the changes.
   

Once your PC restarts, check if the problem with Bluestacks still appears. If not, it means that one of the startup applications was causing it.

To find the cause, you need to enable startup applications and services until you find the problematic application.

Once you find it, remove it from your PC and check if that helps.

Looking for the best VPN for Bluestacks? Here are the best options.

2. Install the latest version of Bluestacks

Sometimes older and outdated versions of Bluestacks engine won’t start, and to fix this problem, we advise you to reinstall the Bluestacks application.

Be sure to uninstall Bluestacks from your PC first and then download the latest version of the software from Bluestacks’ website.

In addition to downloading the latest version, be sure that you have the necessary .NET framework installed. You can download all the necessary components from Microsoft’s download page.

Ad

Some users are suggesting to completely remove all files, folders and registry keys associated with Bluestacks. To do that, follow these steps:

1. Uninstall Bluestacks. You can do that by going to Settings app > System > Apps & features. Locate Bluestacks and click the Uninstall button.
2. Locate and remove the following folders:
   • C:Program Files (x86)BlueStacks or C:Program FilesBlueStacks
   • C:ProgramDataBlueStacks
   • C:ProgramDataBlueStacksSetup
3. Press Windows Key + R, enter %temp% and press Enter or click OK.
   
4. Delete all BST files and folders. You can search for BST files using the search bar at the top right corner.
5. Download the removal tool and use it to remove Bluestacks.
6. After doing that, you can also use CCleaner to remove any registry entries left after removing the Bluestacks software.

If this process seems a bit complicated, you can also remove Bluestacks using the uninstaller software.

Uninstaller software is a special application that will completely remove the selected application along with all of its files and registry entries.

By using software such as Revo Uninstaller you’ll ensure that the Bluestacks is completely removed from your system. Once you remove Bluestacks using this tool, install it again and check if the issue is resolved.

3. Change the security properties

Users reported that Bluestacks initialization problems can occur due to your security settings.

Sometimes you might not have the necessary privileges to run this application, but you can fix that problem by following these steps:

1. Go to the Bluestacks installation directory. By default, it should be C: > Program Files > BlueStacks.
2. Locate HD-StartLauncher, right-click it and choose Properties.
   
3. Go to Security tab and click Edit.
   
4. In group or user names section select your user name and under the Permissions section check Full control in Allow column.
   
5. After you’re done, click Apply and OK to save changes.

Bluestacks failed to connect to the server? Here is how to fix this problem.

4. Run Bluestacks in Compatibility mode

Few users reported that you can fix problems with Bluestacks not starting by running it in Compatibility mode. To do that, follow these steps:

1. Right-click Bluestacks shortcut and choose Properties from the menu.
2. Go to the Compatibility tab, check Run this program in compatibility mode for and select a previous version of Windows from the dropdown menu.
   
3. After you’re done, click Apply and OK to save changes.

5. End all Bluestack processes

If Bluestacks gets stuck on initializing on your PC, you might be able to fix the problem by disabling all running Bluestacks processes. This is quite simple to do, and you can do it by following these steps:

1. Turn on Airplane mode. If you don’t have a laptop, you can just disable your Internet connection.
2. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
3. Locate all Bluestacks processes and terminate them. You can do that by right-clicking the Bluestacks process and choosing End Task from the menu.
   
4. Once your disable all Bluestacks processes, close Task Manager.
5. Navigate to the Bluestacks installation directory and run HD-Quit, HD-QuitMultiInstance, and HD-Restart.
6. After doing that, try to run Bluestacks again.

Bluestacks should now start. Disable Airplane Mode or enable your Internet connection and you’re good to go.

Sometimes Task Manager is slow to open. Solve this annoying problem with the help of our guide!

6. Try an older version of Bluestacks

According to users, sometimes Bluestacks won’t start due to issues in the latest version. To fix this problem, users are suggesting to switch back to the older version and check if that helps.

To do that, first you need to completely delete your current installation of Bluestacks. After doing that, install the older version and check if that helps.

7. Check your antivirus

Your antivirus software can cause Bluestacks not to start. However, you can fix this problem simply by disabling certain features in your antivirus.

If that doesn’t work, be sure to add Bluestacks to the list of exceptions in both your antivirus and firewall. If the issue is still there, you need to disable your antivirus altogether.

In the worst-case scenario, your only option might be to completely remove your antivirus.

If uninstalling the antivirus solves the problem, you might want to consider switching to a different antivirus solution.

There are many great antivirus applications on the market, and some of them such as BullGuard, offer great protection without interfering with your system.

8. Install the latest updates

Another cause for problems with Bluestacks can be missing updates.

There may be certain incompatibility issues between Bluestacks and your version of Windows. To ensure that everything is running smoothly, we strongly encourage you to keep your Windows 10 up to date.

For the most part, Windows 10 installs the missing updates automatically, but sometimes certain glitches can occur causing you to skip updates. However, you can check for updates manually by doing the following:

1. Press Windows Key + I to open the Settings app.
2. When Settings app opens, go to Update & Security section.
   
3. Now click Check for updates button.
   

If any updates are available, they will be downloaded automatically in the background. Once the updates are installed, check if the problem with Bluestacks is resolved.

Bluestacks is one quite useful tool, and if Bluestacks is stuck on initializing on your Windows 10 PC, be sure to try some of our solutions.

• quad-core CPU (Intel or AMD)
• Radeon HD8650G / GeForce 9800 / Intel Iris 5100 GPU
• 8 GB of RAM
• 5 GB of space available

In order to increase loading times, consider upgrading to an SSD and adding more memory.

• How do I fix BlueStacks 4 loading problem?

Reboot your PC, reinstall BlueStacks, turn off Hyper-V as shown at Step 5 of our guide.