Fix AMD Radeon Software Has Stopped Working in Windows 11

The “AMD Radeon Software has stopped working” error can prevent you from opening AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition or using features such as graphics settings, performance monitoring, recording, and game profiles. Sometimes, while playing a game, the screen suddenly goes black, and Windows shows the error “AMD Radeon Settings Host Application has stopped working.” The problem is usually related to an AMD graphics driver issue, a corrupted Radeon Software installation, a Windows update, or a conflict with another application. It can also happen after installing a new graphics driver or updating Windows 11.

Before making major changes, restart your PC and check whether the problem happens again. If Radeon Software continues to crash or your screen goes black during games, try the fixes below.

Why Does AMD Radeon Software Stop Working?

AMD Radeon Software works together with the AMD graphics driver to provide features such as display settings, game profiles, performance monitoring, recording, and graphics controls. If the AMD graphics driver or a software component becomes corrupted, the Radeon application may stop working.

Common causes include:

• Corrupted or incompatible AMD graphics drivers, especially after a driver or Windows update.
• A damaged Radeon Software installation caused by an interrupted update or software conflict.
• Windows updates that introduce compatibility problems with the installed AMD driver.
• Conflicts with overlays or background applications, such as game launchers, recording tools, or other performance-monitoring software.
• Incorrect graphics settings or changes made by third-party tuning or overclocking tools.
• Driver crashes during gaming, which can cause the screen to go black and the Radeon Settings Host Application to stop responding.

If the problem started immediately after a driver or Windows 11 update, the driver is a good place to start. Otherwise, start with the simpler fixes, then proceed to a clean driver installation if Radeon Software continues to crash.

Fix 1: Restart Windows and Try Radeon Software Again

Before reinstalling drivers or changing Windows settings, restart your PC. A temporary graphics driver or background process issue can prevent AMD Radeon Software from opening properly.

1. Save your work and close your applications.
2. Select Start > Power > Restart.
3. After Windows 11 starts, wait a few seconds for the AMD services to load.
4. Open AMD Radeon Software again.

If Radeon Software opens normally, the problem was likely temporary.

Tip: If the problem happens only when launching a particular game, check whether Radeon Software works normally when the game is closed. This can help determine whether the issue is with Radeon itself or a conflict with the game or another overlay.

Fix 2. Update AMD Graphics Driver

An outdated or incompatible AMD graphics driver is one of the first things to check, particularly if Radeon Software started crashing after a Windows 11 update or while playing a recently updated game.

Before updating, check which AMD driver is currently installed:

1. Press Windows + X and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Display adapters.
3. Double-click your AMD Radeon graphics adapter.
4. Open the Driver tab and note the driver version and date.

You can then check AMD’s latest driver for your specific graphics card from the official AMD support site. Download the driver that matches your GPU and Windows 11 version, then install it and restart your PC.

If you already have the latest driver and Radeon Software keeps crashing, don’t reinstall the same package repeatedly.

Fix 3: Reinstall AMD Software Using Factory Reset

If updating the driver doesn’t fix the problem, the AMD Software installation may be corrupted. AMD’s installer includes a Factory Reset option that removes the existing AMD Software installation before reinstalling the selected package.

• Download the latest compatible AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition package for your graphics card from AMD’s official website.
• Run the downloaded installer.
• Select Additional Options when available.
• Select Factory Reset.

• Continue with the installation and follow the on-screen instructions.
• Restart your PC if prompted.
• Open AMD Software and check whether the problem is resolved.

Factory Reset removes previously installed AMD Software components, so you should use it when a normal driver update does not solve the problem.

If the AMD installer cannot complete the installation or the problem persists after a Factory Reset, use the AMD Cleanup Utility to remove the existing AMD graphics software and driver components, then perform a fresh installation.

For laptops and all-in-one PCs: If the AMD driver downloaded from AMD’s website causes issues, check your computer manufacturer’s support page and try the manufacturer’s recommended AMD graphics driver. OEM drivers can include system-specific customizations and compatibility settings.

Fix 4. Roll Back the AMD Graphics Driver

If AMD Radeon Software stopped working immediately after a driver update, the new driver may be causing a compatibility problem with your Windows 11 system or a particular game. In that situation, rolling back to the previous driver can help.

1. Press Windows + X and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Display adapters.
3. Right-click your AMD Radeon graphics card and select Properties.
4. Open the Driver tab.
5. If Roll Back Driver is available, click it and follow the instructions.
6. Restart your PC and check whether Radeon Software works normally.

The Roll Back Driver option may be unavailable if Windows does not have a previous driver stored. If so, continue with the clean reinstall method above rather than forcing an older driver from an unknown source.

Fix 5. Disable Third-Party Overlays and Monitoring Tools

If Radeon Software crashes mainly while playing games, another overlay or hardware-monitoring utility may be conflicting with AMD Software.

Temporarily close or disable features from apps such as MSI Afterburner, RivaTuner Statistics Server, Discord, Steam, or other game overlays. Then launch the game again and check whether the problem returns.

If the black screen or “AMD Radeon Settings Host Application has stopped working” error disappears, enable these applications one at a time to identify the conflicting program.

You don’t need to uninstall these apps immediately. The goal is to determine whether another overlay, recording feature, or monitoring tool is triggering the Radeon Software crash.

Fix 6. Reset AMD Software Settings

If Radeon Software opens but crashes after loading your settings, profiles, or custom graphics options, resetting its user settings can help. AMD provides a built-in Factory Reset specifically for restoring AMD Software settings and profiles to their defaults.

• Open AMD Software from the Start menu.
• Use the search box inside AMD Software and type Factory Reset.
• Select Factory Reset – System Settings.
• Click Perform Reset.
• Select Proceed when the warning appears.
• After the reset finishes, reopen AMD Software.

The reset restores AMD Software settings and profiles to their default state. Your display may briefly flicker while the reset is performed.

If AMD Software itself won’t open, skip this step and continue with the next fix.

Fix 7. Install Pending Windows 11 Updates

If Windows 11 is missing important updates, compatibility problems can occur between Windows and AMD Software.

1. Open Settings > Windows Update.
2. Click Check for updates.
3. Install all available updates.
4. Restart your PC, even if Windows does not immediately prompt you to.
5. Open AMD Software again and check whether the problem is resolved.

Fix 8. Run SFC and DISM

If AMD Software still crashes after reinstalling the graphics software, the problem may not be limited to AMD. Corrupted or damaged Windows system files can also interfere with graphics drivers and applications. The built-in DISM and System File Checker (SFC) tools can repair corrupted Windows components.

Open Windows Terminal (Admin) and run:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Wait for the command to finish, then run:

sfc /scannow

After SFC reaches 100%, restart your PC and test AMD Software again.

Fix 9: Use AMD Software Compatibility Tool

If AMD Radeon Software shows an “AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition and Driver Version Do Not Match” message, the problem is usually a mismatch between the installed graphics driver and AMD Software.

AMD provides the AMD Software Compatibility Tool specifically for this situation. It can identify the installed driver and install a compatible version of AMD Software.

1. Download and run the AMD Software Compatibility Tool from AMD.
2. Allow the tool to check your installed Radeon driver.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the compatible version of AMD Software.
4. Restart Windows 11 if prompted.
5. Open AMD Software and check whether it now works normally.

If you do not see a driver/software mismatch message, you can skip this solution and continue with the other troubleshooting steps.

When to Contact AMD or Your PC Manufacturer

If AMD Radeon Software still stops working after the troubleshooting steps above, the problem may be specific to your graphics card, Windows installation, or computer model.

Before seeking support, note:

• Your AMD Radeon graphics model
• Your Windows 11 version
• The installed AMD driver and Software version
• When the problem started
• Whether it began after a Windows or AMD driver update
• Any error message or code displayed

For a desktop PC with a separately installed Radeon graphics card, AMD Support is the appropriate next step. For a laptop or all-in-one PC, check the manufacturer’s support page first, as its graphics driver may be customized for that specific system.

If Radeon Software works after reinstalling the driver but crashes again after a specific Windows or AMD update, mention that detail when reporting the problem. It can help identify whether you’re dealing with a version-specific compatibility issue rather than a hardware failure.

Frequently Asked Questions