2019’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is still considered one of the best-in-class and realistic action first-person shooter video games under the COD franchise. Later Activision and Infinity Ward released COD: Warzone as an integral part of it that offers first-ever online battle royale gaming. But we can’t deny that a large number of COD: Modern Warfare players are experiencing the Dev Error 6178 on the PC randomly while trying to launch the game.

Well, it seems that the specific error just leads to crashes and prevents players from getting into the game. It’s specifically happening on the Windows platform no matter which OS version you’re using and whatever the PC configuration you have. If we talk about the particular error message, it says “Fatal Error: Dev Error 6178” on the screen during startup and there is no additional information mentioned on what’s actually causing such an issue quite often.

Expected Reasons for COD: MW Dev Error 6178

Whereas some reports are also claiming that this error appears while loading the map in Modern Warfare or Warzone. It becomes quite frustrating for the affected players and may happen due to several possible reasons that we’ve mentioned below. The specific dev error 6178 might occur if there is an outdated graphics driver present on the PC. While an outdated game version, corrupted or missing game files, incorrect game settings, etc can cause it.

Alternatively, sometimes an outdated Windows version, antivirus software blocking issue, lack of admin access to run the game file, lower virtual memory, and more can be another reason behind the fatal error: dev error 6178.

How to Fix COD Modern Warfare Dev Error 6178

Luckily, here we’ve shared a couple of possible workarounds for you that should come in handy. If you’re also facing the same issue quite frequently then make sure to follow the troubleshooting methods until the problem gets fixed for you. Now, without wasting any more time, let’s jump into it.

1. Run the Game File as an Administrator

First of all, you should run the game exe application file on your PC as an administrator to grant the user account control access. It’ll allow the system to run the program file properly without any kind of interruptions whatsoever. You can follow the steps below to do so:

  • Right-click on the COD: Modern Warfare exe shortcut file on your PC.

  • Now, select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.

  • Make sure to click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to checkmark it.

  • Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.

  • Now, you can just double-click on the game exe file to launch it.

Note: If you’re using the Battle.net client to run the Call of Duty: MW game then you should also perform the same steps to allow admin access for your Battle.net launcher.

2. Update Graphics Drivers

Make sure to check for the graphics driver update and install the same whenever available because an outdated graphics driver can occur multiple issues with the program launching such as graphics-intensive games. To update the GPU driver:

  • Right-click on the Start Menu to open up the Quick Access Menu.

  • Click on Device Manager from the list to open the interface.

  • Now, you’ll need to double-click on Display adapters to expand it.

  • Then right-click on the dedicated graphics card name you’re using to bring the context menu.

  • Next, click on Update driver > Choose Search automatically for drivers.

  • The system will automatically check for the available update.

  • If an update is available, it’ll automatically download and install the latest version.

  • Once done, make sure to restart your PC to apply the changes.

If there is no update available on the PC then make sure to head over to the official graphics card website and search manually for the latest update. If a new version is available, just download the file on your PC and install it. Whatever graphics card you use, jump to the link below as per the manufacturer.

  • Nvidia GPU
  • AMD GPU
  • Intel GPU

3. Update Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

It’s also highly recommended to check for the game update and install the same (if available) on the PC to ensure there is no compatibility issue with an outdated game version. a new game patch update mostly delivers bug fixes, improvements, etc that might come in handy for you. To do that:

  • Open the Battle.net (Blizzard) launcher > Click on the ‘Blizzard logo’ from the top left corner of the screen.
  • Now, go to ‘Settings’ > Click on ‘Game Install/Update’.
  • Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the screen and click on the ‘Apply latest updates and download future patch data for recently played games.’ option to checkmark it. [Basically, Enable it]
  • Next, click on ‘Done’ to save changes and restart the Battle.net launcher.
  • It should automatically try updating all of your installed games including Modern Warfare (if available).

4. Turn Off V-Sync (Vertical Sync) for COD: MW

Well, V-sync is also known as the ‘Vertical Sync’ feature that’s really useful to adjust the in-game graphics frame rate count with the monitor’s refresh rate capacity. This will eventually reduce screen tearing issues and the texture or fast-moving visuals will look good. However, turning on this feature might limit the FPS count to keep the display visuals from tearing. In that scenario, the chances are high that your game may start crashing unexpectedly.

Disable V-Sync from COD Modern Warfare Settings:

  • Open COD Modern Warfare via Battle.net > Go to ‘Option’ at the bottom of the screen.
  • Click on the ‘Graphics’ tab > Disable the ‘Sync Every Frame (V-Sync)’ option.
  • Make sure to save changes.

Turn Off V-Sync from NVIDIA Control Panel:

If in case, you prefer to tweak or adjust graphics settings via the Nvidia Control Panel tool (Nvidia graphics users) then you can disable V-Sync from there too.

  • Launch NVIDIA Control Panel > Click on 3D Settings.
  • Click on Manage 3D Settings > Choose ‘Program Settings’.
  • Click on the ‘Add’ button > Make sure to include ‘COD Modern Warfare’.
  • Now, scroll down until you find ‘Vertical Sync’ and set it to ‘Off’.

5. Disable G-Sync From NVIDIA Control Panel

Nvidia G-Sync is quite similar to V-Sync (Vertical Sync) technology where it also prevents the screen tearing issue to match the game’s FPS and screen’s refresh rate. In that case, most PC gamers may encounter some drop in FPS counts apart from crashing issues due to some unexpected conflicts. Now, it’s better to turn it off for the specific COD game if you’re also facing the dev error 6178 quite often. To do so:

  • Right-click on the desktop screen > Select ‘NVIDIA Control Panel’.
  • Go to Display and click on Set up G-Sync.
  • Now, click on the ‘Enable G-Sync’ checkbox to uncheck/disable it (turn it off).
  • Once done, make sure to save changes, and restart your computer.

6. Adjust In-Game Graphics and Texture

We’ll highly recommend you adjust the in-game graphics and texture settings by following the steps below because incompatible graphics configurations may cause crashes a lot. Alternatively, your game loads slow and you might face frame drops or lags during the intensive gameplay sessions. To do this:

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  • Open COD Modern Warfare > Go to ‘Options’.
  • Click on the ‘Graphics’ tab > Click on ‘Details & Texture’.
  • Set ‘Texture Resolution’ to ‘Normal’.

7. Update Windows

If in case, you’re running the outdated Windows OS version or outdated build for a while then make sure to follow the steps below to check for the available updates and install them properly. An outdated system version or build will eventually trigger multiple issues with the system performance as well as the program running.

  • Press the Windows + I keys to open up the Windows Settings menu.
  • Click on Windows Update from the left pane > Click on Check for updates.
  • If there is an update available, click on Download and Install.
  • Wait for the update process to be completed.
  • Once done, reboot your PC to apply changes.

Make sure to cross-check the optional updates section by following the steps below to ensure there is no pending driver update or security patch update present for your PC.

  • Press the Windows + I keys to open up the Windows Settings menu.
  • Click on Windows Update from the left pane > Click on Advanced Options.
  • Now, scroll down a bit and find the Additional options section.
  • Click on Optional updates > If there is an update available, make sure to select the update.
  • Click on Download & install > Once done, reboot the system to apply changes.

8. Switch to Dedicated GPU

You should also ensure that your using the dedicated GPU on your Windows computer instead of using the integrated HD graphics. An integrated graphics card isn’t capable to run hardcore games or programs properly. To switch it:

For Nvidia GPU:

  • Right-click on the desktop screen to open the context menu.
  • Now, click on Nvidia Control Panel to open it.
  • Head over to 3D Settings > Select Manage 3D Settings.
  • Open the Program Settings tab > Choose COD: Modern Warfare from the drop-down menu.
  • Next, select the preferred graphics processor for this program from another drop-down menu.
  • Finally, your Nvidia GPU should show as High-Performance Nvidia Processor.
  • Save the changes and reboot the PC.

For AMD GPU:

  • Right-click on the desktop screen to open the context menu.
  • Now, open Radeon Settings > Navigate to Additional Settings.
  • Go to Preferences > Select Power > Choose Switchable Graphics Application Settings.
  • Select COD: Modern Warfare from the list of installed applications. [If the game isn’t in the list, you can select Add Application and include the game exe file]
  • Finally, select High Performance from the Graphics Settings, option > Reboot the PC.

9. Disable Windows Firewall

You should also turn off the Windows Firewall program on the PC to avoid any kind of blocking issues. Windows Firewall may block ongoing connections and prevent game files to run properly. To do this:

  • Click on the Start Menu > Type Firewall.
  • Select Windows Defender Firewall from the search result.
  • Now, click on Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off from the left pane.
  • Select the Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended) option for both the Private & Public Network Settings.
  • Once selected, click on OK to save changes.
  • Finally, restart your computer.

10. Turn Off Antivirus Protection

It’s suggested to turn off the antivirus software on the PC too because an aggressive security program may block some files to run on the system and therefore you might experience a crashing issue. To do so:

  • Press the Windows + I shortcut keys to open the Windows Settings menu.
  • Click on Update & Security > Click on Windows Security from the left pane.
  • Now, click on the Open Windows Security button.
  • Go to Virus & threat protection > Click on Manage settings.
  • Next, you’ll need to turn off the Real-time protection toggle.
  • If prompted, click on Yes to proceed further.

If in case, you’re using any other third-party antivirus program on your PC then make sure to turn it off.

11. Perform a Clean Boot

According to some reports, some third-party programs may always run in the background right from the system start without notifying you that much. So, the chances are high that your system resources are getting consumed by those programs all the time. It’s better to perform a clean boot to eliminate unnecessary background running tasks on the PC to get maximum system performance. To do this:

  • Press the Windows + R shortcut keys to open the Run dialog box.

  • Now, type msconfig and hit Enter to open System Configuration.

  • Go to the Services tab > Enable the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox.

  • Click on Disable all > Click on Apply and then OK to save changes.

  • Now, go to the Startup tab > Click on Open Task Manager.

  • Click on the Startup tab from Task Manager.

  • Make sure to click on the particular task which has a higher startup impact.

  • Once selected, click on Disable to turn it off. [Do the same steps for each program that has a higher startup impact]

  • Finally, make sure to restart your computer to apply changes.

12. Try Disabling Overlay Apps

In some cases, it’s also possible that background running overlay apps are consuming the system resources to cause performance-related issues whatsoever. Though overlay apps are quite useful for gamers or streamers, you can try turning them off to cross-check if the problem is still bothering you or not.

Disable Discord Overlay:

  • Launch the Discord app > Click on the gear icon at the bottom.
  • Select Overlay under App Settings > Turn on the Enable in-game overlay.
  • Click on the Games tab > Select COD: Modern Warfare.
  • Finally, turn off the Enable in-game overlay toggle.
  • Make sure to reboot your PC to apply changes.

Disable Xbox Game Bar:

  • Press the Windows + I keys to open Windows Settings.
  • Click on Gaming > Go to Game Bar > Turn off Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using the Game bar option.

Disable Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay:

  • Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience app > Head over to Settings.
  • Click on the General tab > Disable the In-Game Overlay option.
  • Finally, restart the PC to apply changes, and launch the game again.

There are some other overlay apps that can cause trouble for you something as MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB software, etc. You should turn them off as well.

13. Disable Nvidia Highlights

Try disabling the NVIDIA Highlights feature that automatically saves key moments of your gameplay. Though it might be a pretty useful feature, it consumes higher system resources and power that may conflict with the system performance issues. It’s better to turn off Nvidia Highlights to ensure there is no conflict appearing at your end. To do so:

  • Launch Call of Duty Modern Warfare via the Battle.net client.
  • Now, select ‘Options’ at the bottom of the screen.
  • Then go to the ‘Graphics’ tab > Find out ‘NVIDIA Highlights’.
  • Make sure to ‘Disable’ it and apply changes.
  • You can also reboot the PC to change effects immediately.

14. Play Modern Warfare In Windowed Mode

Most gamers do use the full-screen borderless mode to play games on the Windows PC which is quite obvious to get an immersive experience. But sometimes the fullscreen display mode may trigger multiple issues with the game launching and performance. Therefore, you should also try playing the game in windowed mode to reduce the chances of crashing or frame drops up to some extent. To do so:

  • Launch the COD: MW game > Click on ‘Options’ at the bottom of the screen.
  • Now, switch to the ‘Graphics’ tab > Search for the ‘Display Mode’ option.
  • Then make sure to select ‘Windowed’ from the list.
  • Once done, save changes, and restart the game.

15. Try Deleting Battle.net Files

Sometimes outdated or corrupted or even missing Battle.net files/folders may cause game launching issues with the COD: Modern Warfare title. It’s recommended to try deleting the Battle.net files from the installed directory by following the steps below:

  • Press the Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys to open Task Manager > Click on the Processes tab.
  • Click to select the mentioned task and select End Task one by one. [Agent, Blizzard Battle.net desktop app]
  • Once done, press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialogue box.
  • Type %ProgramData\ in the field and press Enter > Now, head over to the Battle.net (Blizzard Entertainment) folder.
  • Make sure to Delete the folder and run the Battle.net client again > Then run the COD: MW game to check for the issue.

16. Verify and Repair Game Files

Sometimes missing or corrupted game files can trigger several issues with the game launching on the PC which can be easily fixed by repairing the game files using the game launcher. You can follow the steps below to do so:

  • Open the Battle.net client on your PC.
  • Click on the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare game from the left panel. [Choose your respective game]
  • Click on OPTIONS (Gear icon) > Click on Scan and Repair.
  • Choose Begin Scan and wait for the process to complete.
  • Once done, close the Battle.net launcher and restart your PC.

17. Increase Virtual Memory

The chances are high that your physical RAM capacity is getting on its verge of working limit on the system due to plenty of background tasks as well as foreground tasks. It’s highly recommended to increase the virtual memory by setting up the paging file size on the PC. The paging file size should be higher than the actual RAM capacity to get better results. You can follow the steps below to increase the virtual memory size on your PC.

Please Note: You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group to complete this process. If your computer is connected to a network, the network policy settings may also cause such issues.

  • Click on the Start menu > Click on Control Panel.

  • Click on Performance and Maintenance > Go to System.

  • From the Advanced tab, click on Settings under Performance.

  • On the Advanced tab, click on Change under Virtual memory.

  • Under Drive [Volume Label], click on the drive that contains the paging file you want to change.

  • Under Paging file size for the selected drive, click on System Managed Size > Click on Set.

  • Click on Custom Size under Paging file size for selected drive.

  • Now, type a new paging file size in megabytes in the Initial size (MB) or Maximum size (MB) box. [It should be 1.5x-2x higher than the physical RAM]

  • Click on Set and save changes > Restart the PC to apply changes.

18. Reinstall Call of Duty Modern Warfare

Sometimes uninstalling and reinstalling the game might fix multiple issues on the PC. Though it’s not a good idea to uninstall such a vast game and getting lose the saved game data or progress, there is nothing you can do except for this one. At least you’ll be able to launch the game to get into the gameplay once again. To do that:

  • Open the Battle.net client > Select the COD: Modern Warfare game icon.
  • Now, select the drop-down arrow icon next to the play button > Click on Uninstall.
  • Wait for the game to get uninstalled completely.
  • Once done, make sure to reboot the PC to apply changes.
  • Then open the Battle.net client again and re-install the COD: MW game again. [This time install it on a different drive]
  • It may take some time to install the game completely depending on the storage space or internet speed.
  • Finally, launch the Call of Duty Modern Warfare game to check if the Dev Error 6178 is still bothering you or not.

19. Contact Activision Support

If none of the methods did fix the issue for you then make sure to contact Activision Support Page for further assistance on it. Escalating the particular issue by creating a support ticket should help you a lot. Whereas the game developers will be able to take a deep dive into the investigation process for the same so that they can provide a valid fix to you. Sometimes developers releases patch updates for the game which may fix most of the common issues.

That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For additional queries, you can comment below.