Even if you are the only user, Windows sometimes blocks legacy .exe files.
If you are trying to configure your controller layout, tweak your resolution, or adjust graphic details for (or mega-mods like SP Football Life ), encountering a situation where settings.exe refuses to open can completely stall your gaming experience. When you double-click the file, your cursor might briefly show a loading circle, or a silent background crash might occur, leaving your game trapped in windowed mode or with unmapped controls.
Are you using any (like SP Football Life) that might be affecting how the settings application loads?
If your monitor uses an unsupported refresh rate or resolution scaling, the executable may crash instantly upon launch. pes 2021 settingsexe not opening new
If the file is missing or corrupted, use the verification tool in your game launcher:
If it tells you a version is already installed, select the option.
If the problem persists, temporarily disable any third-party antivirus software (like Avast, Norton, McAfee, Kaspersky) as a test. If Settings.exe launches, you'll know your antivirus was the culprit. Remember to re-enable it and add the game to its exclusions. Even if you are the only user, Windows
, which provides legacy files often needed by older PES titles. Install the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables (both x86 and x64 versions) from Microsoft's support site 3. Grant Administrative Rights & Compatibility Right-click settings.exe in your game folder and select Properties Compatibility "Run this program as an administrator" (Optional) Try checking "Run this program in compatibility mode for" and select Advanced Installer 4. Configure Windows Security Exclusions
The settings file itself is missing or corrupted.
For a precise diagnosis:
If you are on a laptop with dual graphics, force the settings.exe to use your dedicated GPU. Right-click the file and select "Run with graphics processor" > "High-performance NVIDIA processor" (or the equivalent AMD setting). Step 7: Reinstall the Game
Newer Intel CPUs (12th Gen and later) use a hybrid architecture with Performance-cores (P-cores) and Efficient-cores (E-cores). PES 2021 is an older game that can crash on CPUs with many cores, and this might affect settings.exe too.