Respawn EntertainmentIf you are attempting to launch Apex Legends from Steam and being hit with the untrusted system file error, which is caused due to the Easy Anti-cheat system used in Apex. Thankfully, there is a fairly straightforward fix.
Although this specific error has been around in Apex Legends since launch, it has reared its head again a lot more frequently since Apex was released on Steam. But, it can also still affect players on the EA app.
What is untrusted system file on Apex Legends?
This error is caused by Easy Anti-cheat flagging certain game files as ‘untrusted’. It is a measure to prevent players with hacks and cheats loading up the game, but it can also incorrectly flag perfectly normal files.
If you are on Steam, you may be getting an error message like “untrusted system file (D:\Program Files\Steam\steamclient64.dll)”
There are a couple of methods to fix this bug, so we’ll start with the simplest first.
How to fix Untrusted System File in Apex Legends
Delete ui(01).dll
As of the launch of Apex Legends Season 24, this issue has become extremely common for EA app users. Respawn have since addressed the issue and, while it doesn’t yet have a formal patch, there is a method of getting the game to launch
- Go to the file location where Apex Legends is installed on your PC
- e.g. Program Files\EA Games\Apex\paks\Win64
- Delete the file titled ui(01).dll
- Restart your computer and launch Apex through the app
The devs have promised to roll out a more permanent and less obscure fix to this issue but, for now, this should get the game working for you.
A quick note that verifying your game files can restore this specific file that keeps the game from opening. If you tried verifying and it didn’t work, remove this file after doing so, not before.
Run EAC as administrator
The first fix to try is the simplest, so best to get this one out of the way first.
- Go to Apex Legends in your Steam library
- Right click and go to game properties
- Select ‘browse’ from local files
- Find ‘Easy Anti-Cheat launcher’ in the file list
- Right click and select Properties > Compatibility
- Select ‘Run this program as administrator’
Running Easy Anti-Cheat as administrator may solve your problems.Fix untrusted System File in command prompt
If this doesn’t resolve the issue, another solution should fix the untrusted system file error when trying to launch Apex Legends.
- Search ‘cmd’ in start menu
- Right click ‘command prompt’, run as administrator
- In the cmd window, type ‘netsh winsock reset’ and hit enter
- Then type ‘sfc /scannow’ and hit enter, wait for this to complete
- Restart your PC
Reinstall Apex Legends
If these fixes don’t resolve the issue, the next option is to remove Apex from your system, and reinstall it. Obviously, this will take more time, but should hopefully fix any files that were being flagged by Easy Anti-Cheat.
These fixes should work for any game that uses Easy Anti-Cheat too, which may also be causing similar errors with other games.
