Pes 2021 Settingsexe Not Opening New May 2026

Here’s an interesting feature-style piece on the frustrating (and surprisingly complex) issue of PES 2021’s settings.exe refusing to open.

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Fix 3: Update Your GPU Drivers (Clean Install)

Outdated or corrupted drivers can prevent the settings tool from detecting your hardware.

• NVIDIA: Use GeForce Experience or download the latest Studio/Game Ready driver.
• AMD: Use Adrenalin Edition software.
• Intel: Use Intel Driver & Support Assistant.

Pro tip: When installing, select "Custom (Advanced)" and check "Perform a clean installation". pes 2021 settingsexe not opening new

Method A: Launch via Command Line with Logging

Open Command Prompt as Admin → Navigate to PES 2021 folder:

cd /d "C:\Program Files (x86)\eFootball PES 2021"
start /wait Settings.exe > output.log 2>&1

Check output.log for hidden errors (e.g., missing d3dx9_43.dll or access violation codes). Fix 3: Update Your GPU Drivers (Clean Install)

Phase 2: The Reliable Fix – Disable Control Flow Guard (CFG)

This is the single most effective solution for "PES 2021 settings.exe not opening new" on Windows 10/11.

Control Flow Guard is a security feature that Microsoft introduced to prevent memory corruption attacks. Unfortunately, it frequently blocks older .exe files that use unconventional memory pointers—exactly what PES 2021 Settings.exe does. NVIDIA: Use GeForce Experience or download the latest

Fix 4: The "Windows Language" Workaround

This is a weird but famous fix for PES. The Settings app sometimes fails if your system language is not fully supported.

1. Open Windows Settings → Time & Language → Language & Region.
2. Under "Preferred languages", ensure English (United States) is at the top of the list.
3. If not, click "Add a language", add English (US), then move it above your native language.
4. Restart your PC and try Settings.exe again.
5. (You can switch back after you've configured everything).

Additional Tips

• Compatibility Mode: Try running settings.exe in compatibility mode. Right-click on the file, go to Properties, and under the Compatibility tab, check "Run this program in compatibility mode for" and select an older version of Windows.
• System File Checker (SFC) Scan: For Windows users, perform an SFC scan to fix corrupted system files. Open Command Prompt as administrator and type sfc /scannow.

Phase 1: Prerequisite Checks (Do These First)

Do not skip these basic steps—they resolve 60% of cases.

Feature Point 3: The "Clean Boot" Detective Work

If the above fails, you likely have "Software Interference." Third-party controller software (like DS4Windows, Xbox Accessories, or RGB software like Razer Synapse) can hook into the controller API and cause the settings app to crash before it even draws a window.

The Fix: Perform a "Clean Boot" of Windows to strip away the interference.

1. Press Win + R, type msconfig, and hit Enter.
2. Under the Services tab, check "Hide all Microsoft services" (Crucial step—don't break Windows!).
3. Click "Disable all".
4. Restart your PC.
5. Try opening settings.exe. If it opens, one of your background apps (usually controller drivers) was the culprit.