Could Not Start Engine Bluestacks Mac
I have used Bluestacks Android emulator for a while now. The reason is that I needed access to Android phone applications on my PC. Learning about Bluestacks and using it helped me have the same experience. However, suddenly Bluestacks could not start the engine on my Windows at home and Mac in the office.
Therefore, I sought a solution. To my surprise, the solutions were plenty.
To make the Bluestacks engine to start on Windows 10 and Mac, I had needed to:
- Use an older Windows version
- Change the graphics mode
- Disable anti-virus temporarily
- Uninstall and reinstall Bluestacks
Go to the Start menu/Accessories and click it. Open the Task Manager. Go to the “Services” tab. Search for BstHdAndroidSvc or BlueStacks Android Service. Look for the PID column (if you can’t find it, inside the Task Manager go to “View/Select Columns”, select PID and apply). Now, keep the Task Manager open or remember that number. Bluestacks support says the android engine is failing to start, but they can't seem to find out why and don't have any suggestions. I've tried the turing 3D acceleration on and off which I've seen in some other posts. But that didn't work either. BlueStacks is a great application for Windows and Mac which brings most of your Android apps to your computer. But often, in-app activity requires access to external files, photos and videos. BlueStacks emulates the Android OS within its own environment. What if you wanted to use an app in BlueStacks to edit a photograph on. Aug 19, 2021 Why isn’t my Bluestacks engine starting? Maybe the Virtualization feature is disabled which is causing the issue. Also, it may appear when your computer fails to meet the minimum required standards for Bluestacks engine to start. Sometimes the engine could not due to a bug detected after your latest Bluestacks version or Windows update installation. Bluestacks Not Responding: Bluestacks Not Responding is one of the errors that. In the end, they will make the Bluestacks Engine start successfully on.
I will show you in detail how I did this.
Before that, let’s talk about Bluestacks. Moreover, about some of its features.
Understanding the features allows us to know whether this android emulator is compatible with our Windows 10 PC or Mac.
Contents
What is Bluestacks?
Bluestacks is an Android emulator. Well, an Android emulator makes your Windows 10 or Mac to behave like an Android device. The result is that on the emulator, you get to run any Android application you want to use on your PC—just the same way as on your Android device.
Occasionally, the Bluestacks emulator engine may not start. One reason could be Bluestacks is not compatible with PC. Therefore, let’s quickly look at the minimum requirement required to install Bluestacks.
Bluestacks Recommended Requirements
- Microsoft Windows and Mac OS
- Intel and AMD Core Multi-Processor with a single thread(score over 1000)
- ATI/Nvidia/Intel graphics(score over 450)
- RAM of 8GB or higher
- An up to date graphics driver
- Fusion, Hybrid, or SSD HDD Drives
- Broadband Internet connection( just reliable internet)
Warning: Do not install BlueStacks App Player if you use a virtual machine like Oracle Virtualbox, VMWare Workstation, or Microsoft Virtual PC.
Well, if your PC meets the above requirements, solving the engine not starting in Bluestack error can be done as below.
1. Use an Older Windows OS version
At one time, my Bluestacks could not start after a Windows update. I learned that a BlueStacks engine might not begin to incase I was using a new windows version. The solution, therefore, might be to go back to the previous Windows OS.
Note; The limited number of days for reverting your Windows 10 to an older version is 10 days. After that, you may need to use another option.
Maybe uninstall and reinstall Bluestacks, I will touch on this later. So how do we revert to the old Windows version?
- Press hold Windows key and press I (This shortcut opens Settings)
- Click on Update and Security
- Click on Recovery on your left side
- Click “Get Started”(Located in the Go back to an earlier build)
Note: If the Get Started button is in grey, then you cannot revert to the previous OS version. In case the Get Started button works, then follow the rest of the instructions on your screen.
- How to Play Pubg Mobile on PC?
Once the revert is done, re-open BlueStacks. If it fails to open, try changing the graphics mode.
Here’s how.
2. Change Bluestacks Graphics Mode
When you install Bluestacks it runs on an OpenGL engine(by default). I changed my graphics mode on one occasion and Bluestacks opened correctly. Tweaking these settings is easy.
1. Open Bluestacks
2. Click on Settings (Gear icon at the top)
3. Select Engine on the left panel
4. Choose DirectX
5. Then, let’s restart your PC.
Bluestacks Doesn't Start
Now, verify whether the Stacks engine can starts. Do not restart, try the same engine but change the Core number and implement RAM capacity settings. Click Restart now. Ascertain that Bluestacks start.
If this does not work, then we need to disable the antivirus program on your PC temporarily. Let’s do it.
How To Uninstall Bluestacks
3. Disable Antivirus Temporarily
Antivirus software is good for PC. If you have software like Avast do not be surprised if your Bluestacks on one occasion do not start. The reason is that Avast tends to see an autonomous Android emulator to pose a threat to PC security. To use your Bluestacks you may just need to temporarily stop antivirus. Here’s how I usually disable my Avast Temporarily.
Note: Do not disable Avast permanently. It is just for a while to check whether your BlueStacks will work with anti-virus disabled.
1. Right Click on Avast icon at the bottom of your screen( On Windows Systems Tray)
2. Place cursor on Avast Shield Control the drop-down menu opens
3. Choose”Disable for 10 minutes” or the one-hour option.
Note: This leaves your PC vulnerable for a short while. However, you get to check whether Avast prevents your Bluestacks from starting.
4. A popup “Do you want to continue” opens. Choose “Yes”
5. Re-launch your Bluestacks
Pro Tip: Choose a different antivirus software in case BlueStack starts correctly. In case the problem persists, turn your Avast back on. Then, try another solution.
This time let’s try to uninstall and reinstall our Bluestacks.
4. Uninstall and Reinstall Bluestacks
This is usually a last resort when everything fails. This method allows you to avoid any bugs that could be affecting Bluestacks in the background. So how do we go about this?
1. Close Bluestacks
2. Head to its icon, right-click it and click Quit
Another approach: Press Ctrl+ Alt+Del. This takes you to Taskmanager. From the list, choose Bluestacks and click End Task.
3. Once done, hold press Windows key and press R.
4. In the run box, type %Temp%, then press Enter
5. Now press and hold Ctrl and A
6. Now press the Delete key on the keyboard and type Yes to any popups that appear (This action clears your Temp folder)
7. Now Download the BlueStacks Uninstall from BlueStacks’ official site. Run the software. This software removes anything Bluestack related to your PC.
8. Now click Yes or OK.
The uninstall is complete. Now let’s move on to installing Bluestacks.
1. Go to BlueStacks’ official website. Download BlueStacks latest version.
Tip: The installation should be in safe mode. Therefore we need to Safe Boot.
2. Hold Press Windows+R (This opens the run box)
3. Type “msconfig” and press Enter. Choose Boot
4. Select “Safe Boot”, then Minimal option. Click OK.
5. Click Restart on prompt (This brings you to safe mode)
6. Go to downloads. Run Bluestacks to install.
Tip: To run installed Bluestacks, get out of safe mode. Here’s how.
7. Use keyboard shortcut Windows+R. Type “msconfig.”Then press Enter.
8. Choose Boot and uncheck the Safe Boot tab.
9. Click and restart once prompted
10. Open Bluestacks. By now it should run properly. In case it fails to work, then you may need to check whether your PC has the minimum requirements required.
The solutions to BlueStacks engine not starting are numerous. The above should be able to get you started. If not, then you could revisit other available options. Good luck!
Bluestacks provides a compelling platform for all the gaming enthusiasts to play their favorite Android games on PC. Still, unfortunately, it has one drawback, and that is, it gets stuck in ‘Bluestacks could not start the engine’ issue which can sometimes be very annoying.
Each gamer might want to know an easy fix for this issue and the good news is, there is a Super easy fix which you will be introduced to you that will solve this problem instantly.
Here are a few easy fixes that you can try for getting rid of this never-ending loop of ‘could not start engine’ error in Bluestacks.
The Bluestacks Graphics Mode Fix
Most of the users have found this fix to be effective in getting rid of the issue since Blustacks is entirely dependant on its graphical output and changing the mode can find the root cause of the problem.
Switching to another graphics mode can imbibe new life to Bluestacks, and you may have an error-free gaming experience in this emulator.
Here are the steps that you need to follow in order to change the graphics mode to OpenGL to DirectX.
Changing the graphics mode
➢ You have to begin by opening Bluestacks and then if you see the “engine won’t start” error message, ignore it and proceed
➢ Now locate the icon which will be in the shape of a cogwheel
➢ Now you need to select “Settings” from the drop-down menu that will appear
➢ After you have selected the “Settings”, you can choose “Engine” which will be available in the left hand of the screen
➢ Now select the “choose graphics mode” and check the “DirectX” option instead of the “OpenGL.”
➢ You will now see a message that states “Checking DirectX compatibility” which will be displayed for some time, and then you will see “Restart Bluestacks to boot in DirectX.”
➢ Next, you need to click on the “Restart Now” button that will appear in the blue color
➢ Now Bluestacks will boot up without any issue, and it will no more show the ‘could not start engine” error
The error will mostly be fixed if you use this method and if it still persists you can check some other fixes that are listed below
The Antivirus software fix
Bluestacks and antivirus software share a very complicated relationship as the antivirus would sometimes hinder the ability of the program to work at its optimum level.
Here are some of the steps that you should follow to disable the antivirus temporarily for your Bluestacks to work properly.
Disabling the antivirus software temporarily
➢ Firstly you should right-click on your antivirus software’s icon which will be located in your Windows System tray
➢ In the drop-down menu, you will be able to find the control of the shield.
➢ In the expanded menu you will find many options select one of the ‘Disable’ options that is present in the menu but make sure not to choose the ‘Disable permanently’ as that will result in your PC vulnerable to malicious attacks instead you can opt for “Disable for 1 hour” option.
➢ The above step will ensure that you have enough time to check if the driver issue has been resolved in Bluestacks or not.
➢ When you get a prompt saying “Do you want to continue?” you should click “Yes.”
➢ Now try to launch Bluestacks, your issue may have resolved now.
There are other changes in the inbuilt virtualization of the antivirus software that helped other users, and you can also try the same if the former fix did not work for you.
Here are a few steps that will help you in disabling any of the inbuilt virtualizations features
Disabling the inbuilt virtualization
➢ Select the antivirus icon that you have installed and which will be present in the Windows system tray.
➢ In the drop-down menu, you will be able to see the “open interface” button; you will have to click on that.
➢ In your Antivirus software’s window, you will be able to see the “Menu” button and then click on the “Settings” menu.
➢ Now you will have to click on the “Troubleshooting” menu from the subcategories provided to you in the Settings window.
➢ Find and uncheck the “Enable hardware+assisted virtualization” option.
➢ Now you will be asked to restart your PC, and you should do it immediately.
➢ After rebooting you will now have to launch Bluestacks and check for the error, you will notice that the error no longer exists.
Uninstalling and installing Bluestacks fix
If all the above solutions do not work for you, then you can try this easy fix which also worked for many of the Bluestacks users.
The main motive behind reinstalling Bluestacks is to clear away any bugs that are trying to stop the proper functioning of Bluestacks.
The reinstallation of Bluestacks
➢ If the Bluestacks application is currently running, then you should close it and then right-click on it, then select “Quit.”
➢ If the above step does not close the application entirely then you should press Ctrl+Alt+Del, then you will see the task manager from which you will have to select “Bluestacks” and then click on the “End task” button
➢ Now you will have to right-click on the Windows start menu and then select “Run” from the list
➢ Next, you will have to type “%temp%” into the search field and then click the “OK” button
➢ You will be able to see a list of files in the windows explorer which you can select and delete, as these files are temporary and can be discarded safely
➢ You will have to download the Bluestacks uninstall from the Bluestacks website
➢ The uninstall utility will help you remove all the traces of Blustacks from your computer, and you can start fresh when you install Bluestacks again.
➢ Once you have downloaded, then you should click on the BSTCleaner_All.exe executable file.
➢ You will receive a prompt asking “Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?” then click “Yes.”
➢ The uninstall wizard will remove Bluestacks and allow up to a few minutes for this to complete and you will know that the process is finished when the ”Process has been finished” message shows up on the screen.
➢ When you have finally downloaded it, you can now click on the BlueStacks-Installer_” executable.
➢ When the window prompts you saying “Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device ?” then you should click “Yes.”
➢ Next, you will see the install wizard in which you will have to select the “install now” option.
➢ When the installation is successfully completed, you can click on the “Complete” button.
➢ Now Bluestacks will launch on its own and follow the first boot process which will take not more than a few minutes.
➢ Always remember to switch the graphics mode to DirectX as you have been directed in the beginning.
What are the System Requirements for Bluestacks?
Some of the gamers may have this question about the System requirements of Bluestacks, and each gamer should know about it because even a single missing element may hinder your Bluestacks performance or it may not be compatible at all
System requirements of Bluestacks
➢ It needs an Operating System of Windows 7 or above
➢ You can work with an AMD or Intel processor
➢ You will need at least 5GB of free disk space in your HDD
➢ You should be the Admin of the PC you use for managing permissions
➢ your graphics driver must be an updated one in order to avoid any graphics related issues
These are the minimum system requirements of Bluestacks, and you must ensure all the requirements are met before you install it in your PC
How to update the graphics driver?
You will have to update the graphics driver before you install Bluestacks so that you do not have to encounter any issues and here are the steps to update the graphics driver.
➢ Locate the device manager in your PC or just press the windows and R button together on your keyboard then type “devmgmt.msc”
➢ On the device manager page, you will have to click on the “Display adapters” and choose the graphics adapter in your PC.
➢ Now choose the “update driver” options and keep your drivers up to date.
How to allocate more memory to Bluestacks?
You will have to allocate memory to Bluestacks too, and in order to do that you can follow the steps
➢ Locate the settings in your PC and then select engine, then use the slider to adjust the “Memory” that you want to allocate to Bluestacks
➢ The new changes will only be applicable when you restart Bluestacks in your PC
How to free up the RAM in your PC?
If you want your Bluestacks to run without any issues in your system, then you need to make sure that there is enough RAM available for it to perform at its best.
Here are some of the tips that you can apply to free up the RAM in your PC:-
➢ Close all the applications that are running in the background, and you can also force close stubborn application which might take up your RAM.
➢ Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open the task manager and then stop the application that is unnecessary or taking up too much RAM.
➢ You can easily disable unnecessary start up programs which only take up the RAM and are not vital to your System’s operations.
➢ Choose your web browser wisely as some of the web browsers can be the reason for taking up more space in your RAM and not having enough for Bluestacks.
➢ Restarting your computer can be a good choice if you want to kill any stored RAM and help you in freeing up space.
These are some of the ways that you can follow in order to free up some space in the RAM and let your Bluestacks run its operations without any hindrance.
Benefits of using Bluestacks in your system
Bluestacks is a must for avid Android gamers as it gives them a bigger screen in your PC to play the game and also increase their excitement level effortlessly. There are various benefits for the gamers if they start using Bluestacks such as-
➢ You will have more control over your favorite Android game if you play it in a PC because you will have to touch 20 different spots to attack or move in the game on your small mobile screen. Bluestacks gives the gamers the control that they need.
➢ You can easily multitask if you have Bluestacks in your PC because you do not have to be glued to your game until it is over, as you can easily switch to other applications while you wait for your game to come to an end.
➢ The addition of great features in Bluestacks makes it the best alternative to Android gaming on PC as you will have a plethora of superpowers which you could not find in your phones.
➢ You will also be able to experience the high-end gaming with the Bluestacks, and you simply have to install it in your PC to start the action, and you will never be disappointed.
➢ You will also be able to experience the game on a bigger screen which will make the game even more interesting, hardcore gamers always prefer bigger screen gaming and Bluestacks gives you just the right platform to play all your favorite Android games.
As for the errors that you might face after installing Bluestacks you can quickly fix them with the tips provided above.
Conclusion
The super-easy fix for your “Bluestacks could not start engine” is provided for you to quickly get rid of the problem and enjoy the Android games on your PC without any issues.
You will have to follow the steps correctly and also makes sure that your system meets the minimum system requirements recommended by Bluestacks.
After successfully fixing the issue you can continue gaming and enjoy all the Android games right in your PC with the added features too, so those of you who are struggling with the issue follow one of the solutions and enjoy uninterrupted gaming in your PC