Compatibility modes allow League of Legends to run smoothly even on older PCs and laptops. However, they can also cause errors and unexpected shutdowns on rare occasions, requiring players to change their settings.

Personally, compatibility mode is one of those settings I adjusted years ago and completely forgot about until my game started randomly shutting down. During a widespread problem in May 2025, even LoL devs suggested users turn off the compatibility mode, and here’s how you can do that.

How do you disable compatibility mode in League of Legends

To turn off compatibility mode in LoL, you need to: 

1. Locate League of Legends.exe and right-click on it.
2. Choose Properties.
3. Head to the Compatibility Tab.
4. Remove the check mark from “Run this program in compatibility mode”
5. Select Apply and Launch LoL again.

Making the changes above can fix unexpected crashes. This solution can also be used to get rid of League’s “Cannot Be Launched With Your Current Compatibility Mode Settings” error.

What is the compatibility mode in League of Legends?

Compatibility mode is a Windows feature that allows older programs to run as if they were on an earlier version of the operating system. When it comes to League of Legends, some players turn this setting on to avoid issues like startup crashes or graphical bugs that can occur on older PCs or after a major Windows update.

While it can be helpful in certain scenarios, enabling compatibility mode is generally unnecessary for most players. The feature can interfere with Riot’s own updates or optimization processes. If your system meets the minimum requirements and your OS is up to date, you’re better off leaving this setting off entirely.

There may be rare cases where temporarily enabling compatibility mode helps avoid specific critical errors in League of Legends. It’s generally best to turn off compatibility mode again once Riot Games rolls out a fix through a patch.

If your game starts crashing out of nowhere, you can also keep an eye on community hubs like the League of Legends subreddit and official or regional Discord servers. Players generally discuss ongoing bugs and share solutions that work for them on these platforms, so keeping up with the community can help you get back into League of Legends faster.