The “error reading pak file” issue occurs for some players when they try to start Apex Legends. That error message says “error reading pak file” with a pak file path specified. An AL player described that issue on Reddit like this, “I tried playing Apex on PC today and I’m encountering an ‘Error reading pak file’ with a destination address to such file.” Apex doesn’t start when it throws up that error. This is how you can fix the Apex Legends “error reading pak file” error on Windows 11/10 PCs.
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Delete the Respawn Folder
Many players say erasing the Respawn folder can fix the Apex Legends “error reading pak file” issue on Windows PCs. So, that’s something you should try to fix this pak file issue. This is how you can erase the Respawn folder.
- Hold the Windows logo key and press E to access File Explorer.
- Go to the This PC > C: drive > Users > [user folder] > Saved Games directory.
The Respawn folder
- Right-click the Respawn folder and select Delete.
Erase the Pak File
Erasing the Pak file specified in the error message is another confirmed way to fix the Apex Legends “error reading pak file” issue on Windows PCs. To apply this fix, you’ll need to locate and erase the pak file specified. You can apply this potential solution as follows.
- Open Explorer and the installation directory for Apex Legends. The default Steam path for that folder is Program Files > Steam > steamapps > common > Apex Legends, but its installation path is different for EA players.
- Right-click the r5apex file in the Apex Legends folder and select Delete.
The Delete option
- Next, open the folder path for the pak file specified in the error message.
- Right-click the pak file specified in the error message to select the Delete option.
- Finally, verify the Apex Legends game by following the steps on this Steam support page. EA users need to select Apex Legends in the Library tab and click Manage > Repair.
The Verify option
Reinstall Apex Legends
Reinstalling Apex Legends will completely refresh the game’s files. Applying this potential resolution might repair corrupted game files causing the “error reading pak file” issue to occur. You can reinstall Apex with the Steam and EA gaming clients like this.
Steam
- Start up Steam and go into the Library tab within that software.
- Next, right-click your Apex Legends game in the Library tab and select Manage.
- Click Uninstall to remove the game.
The Uninstall option in Steam
- To reinstall, click the Install button for Apex Legends.
EA Desktop
- Run your EA Desktop software and click its Library tab.
- Click the three-dot (ellipses) button for Apex Legends.
- Next, select Uninstall on the menu.
The Uninstall option
- You can reinstall Apex by clicking the down arrow for the game in the EA app.
Update the Driver for Your Graphics Card
- Start Run (press the Windows logo + R key combination), enter dxdiag, and click OK. Click Display in the DirectX Diagnostic Tool that opens to view details for your PC’s graphics card model.
- Bring up your web browser and open either the NVIDIA or AMD driver download page for your graphics card.
- Select your graphics card model on the AMD/NVIDIA page and click Submit or Search.
- Click Download for the latest compatible driver available for your graphics card.
- Next, click File Explorer (the folder library icon) on the taskbar and bring up the folder in which your driver package was downloaded.
- Double-click the NVIDIA or AMD driver file to access the setup wizard window.
- Go through the setup wizard to select to install the graphics driver from there.
There aren’t many possible ways to fix the “error reading pak file” issue. However, many Apex Legends have resolved the “error reading pak file” issue by applying the potential solutions in this guide. The first and second resolutions here are especially widely confirmed to work.
