BlueStacks is a well-known and widely used Android emulator you can have and is the best way to enjoy Android games and utilize other applications on a PC. BlueStacks has enhanced with each iteration, and the updated version, BlueStacks 5, is rapid yet provides many features to improve the gaming experience. However, like other software, you can run into problems occasionally while utilizing BlueStacks. This blog will look at some general BluStacks issues and how to solve them.
Error 1: Incompatible Windows Settings Error Message
While using the Android 11 (Beta) or Nougat (32-bit) versions of BlueStacks 5, you will get the “incompatible Windows settings”pop-up message. Also, you can get an error message that reads; your Operating System is not supporting Nougat 32-bit/Android 11 (Beta) when creating a new Instance. This happens on the Windows system with Hyper-V, which has enabled Microsoft’s hardware visualization product.
Solutions to Fix the Issue
- The first method is to utilize a different version of the BlueStacks emulator. Move to the official BlueStacks download page and hit the Download a specific version tab. Choose either Nougat 64-bit or Pie 64-bit; these versions support Hyper-V.
- If you wish to use the latest version of Android (Android 11 Beta), you must disable Hyper-V on the system. Launch the Control Panel, hit the Programs tab, and pick Turn Windows features on or off. On the menu, untick Hyper-V, Windows Hypervisor Platform, Virtual Machine Platform, Windows Sandbox, and Windows Subsystem for Linux. You should restart the PC. Launch BlueStack to check if it works.
- Sometimes, users might also need to disable Memory Integrity. Move to the Setting tab, choose Privacy & Security> Windows security, and tap the Open Windows security button. Next, navigate to Device Security, hit the Core isolation details tab, and turn off Memory Integrity. Note that this service helps stop attacks via malicious code, so turn off this service at your own risk. If you do not wish to take a chance, choosing a BlueStacks version compatible with Hyper-V is best.
- A quicker method to turn off Hyper-V on your device is through the Command Prompt. Write “cmd” in the search box and tap the Run as administrator button in the menu. Then write “bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off.”
- BlueStacks emulator also eases the procedure by offering a .exe file that users can download and use to disable Hyper-V.
Error 2: Device isn’t Compatible with this Device Message When Installing Apps
Sometimes, users may get a “device is not compatible with this device” message while downloading apps via the Play Store in BlueStacks.
Solutions to Solve the Error
- The best method to solve this issue is to change the device profile. In the BlueStacks emulator, launch the Settings menu under Predefined profile, move to Device, and select another device from the list. You can try different options until you get a device profile where you do not see the incompatibility error.
- Also, you can clear the Google app data to solve the problem. Launch the System apps on the home screen and hit Settings (note: these are Android settings). Hit the Apps tab and launch the Play Store. Tap the Storage button and choose the Clear app data option. After confirming the selection, you can install the problematic app.
Error 3: Installation Failed or BlueStacks not Opening Error
Users may get error codes when installing or running a game on BlueStacks or launching the app. A few users also encounter a problem when installing BlueStacks.
Steps to Fix the Error
- If you have issues downloading or launching BlueStacks, confirm that your computer fulfills the lowest requirements of the app. This includes an Intel or AMD processor, Windows 7 or higher, 5GB of free storage, 4GB of RAM, updated graphics drivers, and computer administrator access. Of course, the lowest requirements might not provide the best experience. BlueStacks suggests a computer with Windows 10 or higher, an Intel or AMD multi-core processor with a one-thread benchmark score of more than 1000, SSD storage, a Broadband Internet connection, and 8GB of RAM.
- Confirm that you have enabled Virtualization on your computer. A straightforward method to check is by utilizing the Task Manager. Write Task Manager in the search box, or hit the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open it. Move to the Performance tab, and you will see Virtualization: Enabled. If you have disabled it, you must enable virtualization to utilize BlueStacks. The procedure relies on your computer manufacturer.
- If you cannot open BlueStacks, dedicate more RAM to the app and CPU cores. Launch the BlueStacks Multi-instance Manager and hit the Settings tab. Navigate to the Performance tab and choose High (4 cores) under the CPU allocation tab and High (4GB) under the Memory allocation tab. BlueStacks suggests the settings for the graphic-intensive games. If users can open BlueStacks but have difficulty launching a game, they can switch the allocation within the app. Launch the BlueStacks setting, move to the Performance tab, and select these settings. Also, you can pick the Custom option and allocate more RAM and cores, but confirm that you do not allow all the RAM and CPU cores to BlueStacks. Also, choose the High-Performance option from the performance mode list. Hit the Save Changes tab and relaunch the app.
- The anti-virus program of your device can also interfere and create installation issues with BlueStacks not launching.
Error 4: Error 2318 When Uninstalling BlueStacks
A few users obtain an error message (error 2318) when uninstalling BlueStacks. This issue generally pops up due to corrupted registry keys.
Solutions to Resolve the Issue
- BlueStacks provides a dedicated Uninstaller program you will get in the installation folder. It may be better to utilize this program to uninstall BlueStacks instead of doing this via the settings menu on Windows.
- The Windows Installer program may be a problem, but users can restart it. Write “cmd” in the search box to launch Command Prompt and hit Run as administrator from the menu. In Command Prompt, write net stop msiserver to stop Windows Installer, then write net start msiserver to reboot the service. After this, try uninstalling BlueStacks like other Windows apps and check if it has fixed the issue.
- If the issue is due to corrupted registry keys, users can remove them. Launch the Registry Editor (write reg in the search box). You may need to backup the registry to avoid the problems. Choose the Files options and hit the Export tab in the toolbar. Give the name of your backup file and choose the All option in the Export Range box. After this, hit Ctrl + F to launch the search window and write bluestacks. Delete every visible BlueStacks registry key.
Error 5: Hardware Decoding isn’t Accessible on BlueStacks
While utilizing hardware decoding, the GPU of the computer is essential to provide compressed textures and typically offers a better gaming experience. However, some users encounter the grayed-out hardware decoding option and are unavailable or do not utilize the dedicated GPU even when chosen.
Remedies to Fix the Issue
- This could be an issue with hardware compatibility. Users of AMD GPUs report issues when using hardware decoding, while users of NVIDIA GPUs do not face this issue as much. Contact BlueStacks customer support to ensure whether the dedicated GPU will permit hardware decoding.
- Settings issues can also be why the hardware decoding is unavailable.
- Confirm that you have set up all for BlueStacks to utilize your dedicated GPU. Move to the BlueStacks settings, choose Graphics > GPU in use, and turn on Prefer dedicated GPU. Once you relaunch BlueStacks, you will see your dedicated GPU in this section.
- Also, you can change settings via Windows. Look for Graphics settings in the search box or hit Settings > System > Display > Graphics and choose the Browse option under the Graphics performance preference tab. In the location search section, look for the folder where you have installed BlueStacks, choose HD-player.exe, and hit Add. When added, select BlueStacks on the menu and tap Options. Choose High Performance (with a dedicated GPU) and save the setting.
- Hardware decoding is not accessible with DirectX. Move to the BlueStacks settings tab, hit Graphics > GPU renderer, and choose the OpenGL option. Select the Hardware decoding option from the ASTC textures menu on the Graphic setting screen. If your dedicated GPU is incompatible, you will get a “Hardware decoding isn’t available” error pop-up in this section.
Error 6: Google Play Store Login Problems
Users encounter some problems when logging into the Google Play Store on BlueStacks. While a few login errors have particular solutions, the best way to solve this issue is to clear the app cache. Launch the System Apps folder in BlueStacks, move to the Settings tab, tap Apps > Play Store > Storage, and hit Clear cache.
Solutions
- Having a problem on the loading screen when logging in or a ” Could not sign-in error: The anti-virus program in your device may interfere with BlueStacks running properly. Configure the program utilizing the right settings.
- Black/white login screen: This occurs when your graphics setting on BlueStacks does not match the system specifications. Navigate to the BlueStacks settings tab, choose the Graphics option, and change settings such as Graphics engine mode, interface renderer, and Performance mode to other options. Reboot BlueStacks and check if the issue goes away.
- “Authentication required/Validate it’s you” issue: If you get this issue, clear the Google Play app cache and delete the Google account before signing in again. To delete the Google account, move to the System app tab and hit Settings > Account. Choose your account and tap the Remove Account option. Return to the previous screen, tap Add account, and specify the login credentials.
- “This device is not Play Protected” issue:This issue generally shows if you use a custom device profile. Navigate to BlueStacks settings > Phone, move to Select a predefined profile, and choose any of the phones from the list.
- How to sign in without a Gmail account: You can access BlueStacks with a non-Gmail account but must open a Google account connected to that email address. Move to the Google website and hit the Sign-in tab at the top. Tap the Create Account button. Specify your information and choose the Use currency email account instead option. Provide the non-Gmail address and follow the validation procedure. After setting up the account, you can sign in to BlueStacks with this email account.
Error 7: BlueStacks is Slow
BlueStacks might be resource-heavy, based on what applications you are using, and there are situations when you find it laggy or slow.
Tips to Solve the Problem
- Users can enhance the performance of BlueStacks by allocating more RAM and CPU cores to the app. Hit BlueStacks settings > Performance and select High (4 cores) and High (4GB). Also, you can choose Custom to select more RAM and cores, but do not allocate all RAM and CPU cores to BlueStacks. Confirm that you have set High performance in the Performance mode list.
- Anti-virus programs can also create performance issues.
- Ensure you have enabled Virtualization to get the best experience.
- Also, you can enhance performance by empty RAM. Launch Task Manager by hitting Ctrl + Shift + Esc and close the idle or unwanted apps in the background. Apps such as Google Chrome are a notable issue in this regard. Choose the app you need to close and hit the End task button.
Error 8: Can’t Install APK Issue
You can get a “Can’t install APK” error message if the app or game you are installing is not compatible with the Android version of BlueStacks you are using. It will happen if you use the older versions, such as Android Pie 32-bit.
Tricks to Fix the Error
- The way to play a game or utilize an app that is not compatible is by opening a new instance with the latest version of Android. Launch the Multi-instance Manager ( a three-layer tab at the right, two above the gear icon), hit the Instance tab, and choose Fresh instance. Select the latest Android version from the available list, like Android Nougat (64-bit) or Android 11 (Beta). If you haven’t installed these, you must download a few additional files and choose settings like memory allocation, CUP allocation, performance mode, resolution, and others for this new instance. Tap Download to generate a new instance, then hit Start on the Multi-instance Manager page. Now, you must be able to install the APK with issues.
Some Common BlueStacks Problems
BlueStacks features a weekly running list of issues and bugs that it solves so that users can check to see the solution for their issues.
Users with Mac can encounter the “System extension blocked” error. Older Macs with M1 processors, MacOS 13 Ventura, and Macs running MacOS 12 Monterey do not support BlueStacks. Users can report an error by tapping the “?” icon in the BlueStacks app window and choosing the Report a problem option. Choose the issue type, specify other information, and hit the Submit a Report button. Also, you can download the BlueStacks 5 Log Collection Tool to offer an issue log if you encounter problems with BlueStacks not downloading or launching.
