[2021] EU Running Extremely slowly

What antivirus app do you use?

Does this also affect HOI4?


DXDIAG is a program you run from the Windows search box on the task bar. After running it will open a window and start collecting info with a progress bar in the lower-left corner. When it completes click the 'save all information' button and save it to a file then attach that file here.

Please attach here your Documents/Paradox Interactive/EU4/settings.txt and pdx_settings.txt .
From your Documents/Paradox Interactive/EU4/logs/ folder, attach here system.log , error.log .  

Please do a full **clean** re-install:

- move any valued save games elsewhere
- "uninstall" in Steam-EU4
- manually delete both the Steam/SteamApps/common/EU4 AND Documents/Paradox Interactive/EU4 folders
In particular make sure there are no files or folders left under either the Steam EU4 or Documents EU4 locations, before installing again.
- re-install game in Steam, run a Steam Verify when done.
- add EU4.exe to the exceptions list of your antivirus app; ESPECIALLY if you have Windows Defender, add it to the Ransomware "Apps Allowed Through" list.

Then in File Explorer right click on eu4.exe , properties, compatibility. Tick "disable fullScreen optimisation" and untick every other option there, apply and exit.

Then in the game launcher set Display mode to fullScreen. Run the game up and start a new test campaign. Is that any better?  

Our problem here is the game didn't change within the last few days, the most recent patch was 2 weeks ago.


When you say it's barely moving, you mean the game speed day to day, is that right? What fps are you getting?

Is this all in one particular campaign, or also in a new test one you might start now?  

Is Game Mode enabled or disabled? Whichever one, please try the other:

Did You Know? Windows 10 PCs Have “Game Mode” on by Default

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If still not good, what if you unload GeForce Experience then run the game, any better?  

Was that a clean wipe-and-install, or an inplace upgrade?

Have you checked out your hardware?

What GPU and CPU temperatures do you see before starting the game? In the main game menu? While playing?  

None of those temps are a problem, so the issue with your computer is elsewhere.

I don't have Win11 yet to confirm this is still a thing, but please manually run msconfig . Go into boot-advanced. If Number of Processors is ticked there, untick it and reboot.

If that is not the issue I'm pretty much out of ideas, I am sorry.