{"id":1262,"date":"2014-08-27T12:49:20","date_gmt":"2014-08-27T19:49:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/?p=1262"},"modified":"2026-01-26T12:41:03","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T20:41:03","slug":"support-us2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/2014\/08\/support-us2\/","title":{"rendered":"Support &#038; Bug Reporting | Universe Sandbox"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Contents<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Common\u00a0Solutions<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#troubleshootwindows\">Windows<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#troubleshootmac\">Mac<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#troubleshootlinux\">Linux<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>How to&#8230;<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#oldversions\">Access Old Versions<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#forcecpu\">Force CPU-Mode<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#forceopengl\">Force OpenGL<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#forcesinglethreading\">Force Single-Threading<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#safemode\">Enable Safe-Mode<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#resetsettings\">Reset Settings<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#forcedx9\">Force DirectX 9<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#showscreen\">Show Screen Selector (Fix Resolution Errors)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#verify\">Verify Integrity of Game Files<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#reinstall\">Reinstall Universe Sandbox<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#disableoverlay\">Disable Steam Overlay<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#changeversion\">Change Version<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#beta\">Opt Out of Betas<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#previewversion\">Opt Into Preview Version<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#update\">Update Universe Sandbox<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#updatetolatest\">Update Universe Sandbox on Steam<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#updatems\">Update Universe Sandbox on the Microsoft Store<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#updateepic\">Update Universe Sandbox on Epic Game Store<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#updategog\">Update Universe Sandbox on GOG<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#updateitch\">Update Universe Sandbox on itch<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#updateoculus\">Update Universe Sandbox on Oculus<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#updateedu\">Update Universe Sandbox for Education<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#updatetg\">Update Universe Sandbox on TeacherGaming<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#updatedrivers\">Update Your Video Card Drivers on Windows<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#scaling\">Change GPU Scaling (Fix Black Screen on Startup)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#timezone\">Change System Time Zone (Fix Black Screen on Startup)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#aatransparency\">Change Nvidia Antialiasing Transparency (Fix Blocky Graphics on Planets)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#emaillog\">Email Us Your Log File<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#emailcrash\">Email Us Your Crash Dump Files<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#ingamelog\">Send Us Your Log File In-Game<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#emailsim\">Email Us Your Saved Simulation<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>In-Game Notifications &amp; Warnings<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#savefileversions\">Simulation files from older versions &amp; previews<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#rendereffects\">Render textures\/Image effects not supported<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#shader\">Shader Model 3.0 not supported<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#latestversion\">Not running latest version<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#lateststandalone\">Not running latest version (standalone)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#launchoptions\">Launch options are enabled<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#steamrequired\">Steam Required<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#update24requirements\">Update 24 minimum graphics requirements<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#update35requirements\">Update 35 minimum requirements<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#macosaccess\">Can&#8217;t access documents<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#movedata\">Your Settings\/Data Need to be Moved Manually<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Purchase Help<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/universesandbox.com\/faq\/#purchase\">Please see our FAQ<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a name=\"troubleshoot\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Common Solutions<\/h2>\n<p>If you&#8217;re having issues starting up Universe Sandbox, please try the solutions below.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;ve tried the solutions below and you&#8217;re still having issues, please send us your log file and crash files (if crash files were created). Instructions: <a href=\"#emaillog\">Log Files<\/a> | <a href=\"#emailcrash\">Crash Files<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><a name=\"troubleshootwindows\"><\/a>Common Solutions | Windows<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Restart Steam\n<ul>\n<li>In top-left of window click Steam &gt; Exit<\/li>\n<li>Open Steam again<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Restart your computer<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#verify\">Verify integrity of the game<\/a><\/li>\n<li>If you see a black screen on startup but can still hear music&#8230;\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#scaling\">Change GPU Scaling<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#timezone\">Change System Time Zone<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><a name=\"troubleshootmac\"><\/a>Common Solutions | Mac<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Restart Steam\n<ul>\n<li>In menu bar click Steam &gt; Quit Steam<\/li>\n<li>Open Steam again<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Restart your computer<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#verify\">Verify integrity of the game<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#showscreen\">Show screen selector (fix resolution errors)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><a name=\"troubleshootlinux\"><\/a>Common Solutions | Linux<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Restart Steam\n<ul>\n<li>In top-left of window&#8230; Steam \u00a0-&gt; Exit<\/li>\n<li>Open Steam again<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Restart your computer<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#verify\">Verify integrity of the game<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"oldversions\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Access Older Versions of Universe Sandbox<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have older hardware that is unable to use the latest version of Universe Sandbox, you can try to run older versions of Universe Sandbox that have lower requirements.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the following version doesn\u2019t work, you can <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/universesandbox.com\/support\/forcedx9\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">try an even older version<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Steam Version<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exit Universe Sandbox<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Click on <strong>Properties<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Select the <strong>Game Versions &amp; <\/strong><strong>Betas<\/strong>\u00a0tab<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Select the following from the list of options:<\/span>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>*update-21.3-directx9 <\/strong>for the last version that supports DirectX 9 and 32-bit installs of Windows<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>*update-24.1.2-directx10 <\/strong>for the last version that supports DirectX 10<br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>update-34.1.1 <\/strong>for the last version that supports VR, Windows 7 SP1+, 8, older versions of Windows 10, and Intel-based Macs<\/li>\n<li><strong>update-35.3.4-directx11\u00a0<\/strong>for the last version that supports DirectX 11<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Close the Properties window<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Steam will now update Universe Sandbox to the chosen version<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once updated, launch Universe Sandbox<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>GOG Version<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Open the game card for Universe Sandbox\u00a0in GOG Galaxy Library.<\/li>\n<li>Select the <strong>More<\/strong> option then <strong>Settings<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Select <strong>ON<\/strong> from the drop-down menu in the <strong>Beta Channels<\/strong>\u00a0option on the right-hand side.<\/li>\n<li>A <strong>Channel<\/strong> option should now be visible.\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Select the channel<\/span>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>update-24.1.2-directx10 <\/strong>for the last version that supports DirectX 10<br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>update-34.1.1-VR<\/strong> for the last version that supports VR, Windows 7 SP1+, 8, older versions of Windows 10, and Intel-based Macs<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>Click <strong>INSTALL<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>Why?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to continue improving Universe Sandbox, we need to take advantage of ever-improving graphics technology. Unfortunately, this means that sometimes we must drop support for older hardware that can\u2019t handle these new requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Still won\u2019t run?<\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019re still unable to run\u00a0Universe Sandbox, please <a href=\"http:\/\/universesandbox.com\/contact\/\">contact us<\/a> for support or to request a refund.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"forcecpu\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Force CPU-Mode<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library<\/li>\n<li>Select &#8216;Properties&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Select the &#8216;General&#8217; tab<\/li>\n<li>Enter\u00a0\u00a0<strong>-forcecpu<\/strong>\u00a0 into the launch options (note the dash at the beginning)<\/li>\n<li>Close the Properties window<\/li>\n<li>Launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"forceopengl\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Force OpenGL<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library<\/li>\n<li>Select &#8216;Properties&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Select the &#8216;General&#8217; tab<\/li>\n<li>Enter\u00a0\u00a0<strong>-force-opengl<\/strong>\u00a0 into the launch options (note the dash at the beginning)<\/li>\n<li>Close the Properties window<\/li>\n<li>Launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"forcesinglethreading\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Force Single-Threading<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library<\/li>\n<li>Select &#8216;Properties&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Select the &#8216;General&#8217; tab<\/li>\n<li>Enter\u00a0\u00a0<strong>-force-gfx-st<\/strong>\u00a0 into the launch options (note the dash at the beginning)<\/li>\n<li>Close the Properties window<\/li>\n<li>Launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"safemode\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Enable Safe-Mode<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library<\/li>\n<li>Select &#8216;Properties&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Select the &#8216;General&#8217; tab<\/li>\n<li>Enter\u00a0\u00a0<strong>-safemode<\/strong>\u00a0into the launch options (note the dash at the beginning)<\/li>\n<li>Close the Properties window<\/li>\n<li>Launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"resetsettings\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Reset Settings<\/h2>\n<p>You can manually reset Universe Sandbox&#8217;s settings by deleting the settings file.<\/p>\n<p>First, find the folder where the settings file is saved:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>If you can run Universe Sandbox,\u00a0from the home menu, select &#8220;Debug Tools&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Select &#8216;Open Persistent Data Path&#8217;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If you can&#8217;t run Universe Sandbox the file is found here:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>On Windows: <code class=\"mono\">C:\\Users\\[your username]\\AppData\\LocalLow\\Giant Army\\Universe Sandbox<\/code><\/li>\n<li>On Mac:\u00a0<code class=\"mono\">~\/Library\/Application Support\/Giant Army\/Universe Sandbox<\/code><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>After locating the file:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Select the file &#8216;settings&#8217; and either rename or delete it<\/li>\n<li>Launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"forcedx9\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Force DirectX 9<\/h2>\n<p>If you have older hardware that\u00a0is unable to run DirectX 11, we have preserved a DirectX 9 build. To switch to the DirectX 9 compatible build:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library<\/li>\n<li>Click on &#8216;Properties&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Select the &#8216;Game Versions &amp; Betas&#8217; tab<\/li>\n<li>Select &#8216;<strong>*update-21.3-directx9<\/strong>&#8216; from the list of options<\/li>\n<li>Close the Properties window<\/li>\n<li>Steam will now update Universe Sandbox to the last DirectX 9-compatible build<\/li>\n<li>Once updated, launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>After switching to the DirectX 9 build, you must also force Universe Sandbox to run in DirectX 9 mode:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library<\/li>\n<li>Select &#8216;Properties&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Select the &#8216;General&#8217; tab<\/li>\n<li>Enter\u00a0\u00a0<strong>-force-d3d9<\/strong>\u00a0into the launch options (note the dash at the beginning)<\/li>\n<li>Close the Properties window<\/li>\n<li>Launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>Why?<\/h3>\n<p>Universe Sandbox dropped support for DirectX 9 in October 2018. This is because Unity, the development platform used to create Universe Sandbox, <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.unity3d.com\/2017\/07\/10\/deprecating-directx-9\/\">no longer supports DirectX 9<\/a>. Update 21.3 is the last version of Universe Sandbox to support DirectX 9.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"showscreen\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Show Screen Selector (Fix Resolution Errors)<\/h2>\n<p>This launch option is intended for users who have received screen resolution error messages and are no longer able to start Universe Sandbox (caused by Unity registry errors).<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library<\/li>\n<li>Select &#8216;Properties&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Select the &#8216;General&#8217; tab<\/li>\n<li>Enter\u00a0\u00a0<strong>-show-screen-selector<\/strong>\u00a0into the launch options (note the dash at the beginning)<\/li>\n<li>Close the Properties window<\/li>\n<li>Launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"verify\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Verify Integrity of Game Files<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Right click on the game title in your Steam Library<\/li>\n<li>Select &#8216;Properties&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Select the &#8216;Local Files&#8217; tab<\/li>\n<li>Click &#8216;Verify Integrity of Game Files&#8230;&#8217;\u00a0This verifies and re-downloads any files that are incorrect.<\/li>\n<li>Once complete, launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"reinstall\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Reinstall Universe Sandbox<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\">Right click on the game title in your Steam Library<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Select Manage &gt; Uninstall<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>This will remove the installation of the game, but will not remove game files like screenshots, objects, and simulations<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Once uninstalled, right-click Universe Sandbox in your Steam Library (if you can&#8217;t find it, try searching)<\/li>\n<li>Select Install<\/li>\n<li>Once Steam has finished reinstallation, launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"disableoverlay\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Disable Steam Overlay<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\">Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Select &#8216;Properties&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Uncheck &#8216;Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Close the Properties window<\/li>\n<li>Launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"changeversion\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Change Version<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Exit Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<li>Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library<\/li>\n<li>Click on &#8216;Properties&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Select the &#8216;Game Versions &amp; Betas&#8217; tab<\/li>\n<li>Select the version you want to change to from the list of options.<\/li>\n<li>Close the Properties window<\/li>\n<li>Steam will now update Universe Sandbox to the selected version<\/li>\n<li>Once updated, launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"beta\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Opt Out of Betas<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Exit Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<li>Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library<\/li>\n<li>Click on &#8216;Properties&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Select the &#8216;Game Versions &amp; Betas&#8217; tab<\/li>\n<li>Select &#8216;Default Public Version&#8217; from the list of options<\/li>\n<li>Close the Properties window<\/li>\n<li>If you had opted into a beta, Steam will now update Universe Sandbox to the latest version<\/li>\n<li>Once updated, launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"previewversion\"><\/a><a name=\"experimental\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Opt Into Preview Version<\/h2>\n<p>We occasionally offer previews of upcoming releases. These preview versions (formerly called &#8220;Community Tests&#8221;) are works-in-progress and are made available so the community can help us with feedback and testing. These preview features are subject to change, may contain bugs, and may have stability and performance issues.<\/p>\n<p>Any previously saved simulations or objects from officially released versions of Universe Sandbox that are loaded in preview versions may look or behave differently than expected.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, any simulations or objects that are saved in a preview version of Universe Sandbox may look different when they are loaded in other versions of Universe Sandbox.<\/p>\n<p>If a saved simulation or object looks different than expected, you can open the simulation or object in the most recent version of Universe Sandbox and resave it.<\/p>\n<p>Please <a href=\"http:\/\/steamcommunity.com\/app\/230290\/discussions\/0\/\">see our forum<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/discord.gg\/us\">our Discord<\/a> for announcements or to report any bugs or feedback about previews.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Exit Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<li>Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library<\/li>\n<li>Click on &#8216;Properties&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Select the &#8216;Game Versions &amp; Betas&#8217; tab<\/li>\n<li>Select &#8216;!preview-version&#8217; from the list of options<\/li>\n<li>Close the Properties window<\/li>\n<li>Steam will now update Universe Sandbox to the preview version<\/li>\n<li>Once updated, launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"update\"><\/a><a name=\"updatetolatest\"><\/a><a name=\"updatesteam\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Update Universe Sandbox on Steam<\/h2>\n<p>Steam should automatically download the latest version of Universe Sandbox once it is available.<\/p>\n<p>If Steam isn&#8217;t automatically updating Universe Sandbox, follow these steps until Steam begins downloading the update:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Restart Steam<\/li>\n<li>Verify integrity of game-cache\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\">Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\">Select &#8216;Properties&#8217;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\">Select the &#8216;Local Files&#8217; tab<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\">Click &#8216;Verify Integrity of Game Cache&#8217;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>Ensure you are opted out of Betas\n<ol>\n<li>Exit Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<li>Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library<\/li>\n<li>Click on &#8216;Properties&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Select the &#8216;Game Versions &amp; Betas&#8217; tab<\/li>\n<li>Select &#8216;Default Public Version&#8217; from the list of options<\/li>\n<li>Close the Properties window<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>Reinstall Universe Sandbox\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\">Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Select &#8216;Uninstall&#8230;&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Select &#8216;Delete&#8217;\n<ol>\n<li>This will remove the installation of the game, but will not remove user files like screenshots, objects, and simulations<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>Once the process is complete, right-click on Universe Sandbox in your Steam Library<\/li>\n<li>Select &#8216;Install Game&#8230;&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Once Steam has finished reinstallation, launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If you&#8217;re still receiving\u00a0a notification that you aren&#8217;t running the latest version, please <a href=\"http:\/\/universesandbox.com\/contact\/\">contact us<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"updatems\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Update Universe Sandbox on the Microsoft Store<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Please visit <a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/account-billing\/get-updates-for-apps-and-games-in-microsoft-store-a1fe19c0-532d-ec47-7035-d1c5a1dd464f\">Microsoft Support<\/a> for instructions on updating games, including Universe Sandbox, in the Microsoft Store.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a name=\"updateepic\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Update Universe Sandbox on Epic Game Store<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Epic Games Launcher should automatically download the latest version of Universe Sandbox once it is available. For more information please visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epicgames.com\/help\/en-US\/epic-games-store-c73\/trending-topics-c89\">Epic Game Store support<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a name=\"updategog\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Update Universe Sandbox on GOG<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are two ways to update Universe Sandbox on GOG: you can either use their GALAXY client (recommended) or download Universe Sandbox as an offline installer. GOG provides the most up-to-date instructions for both of these methods on their support page \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/support.gog.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/213148105-How-do-I-download-my-purchased-items-?product=gog\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do I download my purchased items?<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a name=\"updateitch\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Update Universe Sandbox on itch.io<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The itch app looks for game updates on start-up, and every 30 minutes. If the app is not automatically updating, try restarting the itch app. For more information please visit itch <a href=\"https:\/\/itch.io\/docs\/itch\/using\/downloading.html\">support<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a name=\"updateoculus\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Update Universe Sandbox on Oculus<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Oculus App should notify you when Universe Sandbox is ready for an update. For more information, please use the Oculus <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/support.oculus.com\/702178720198569\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">support page<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>If you have already emailed us, you should receive emails from us on release days informing you that a new version is available. Please contact us if you believe you\u2019re not receiving these emails or if there is a problem with your download.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"updateedu\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Update Universe Sandbox for Education<\/h2>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teachers and Students<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re using a standalone license provided by your school or institution, please contact the appropriate technical\/administrative staff and let them know the version of Universe Sandbox they have is out of date.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IT and Administrative Staff<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re the administrative staff or our primary contact, you should receive emails from us on release days informing you that a new version is available. Please contact us if you believe you\u2019re not receiving these emails, or if there is a problem with your download.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a name=\"updatetg\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Update Universe Sandbox on TeacherGaming<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you previously bought a license through TeacherGaming, please email us and provide proof of purchase if possible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a name=\"updatedrivers\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Update Your Video Card Drivers on Windows<\/h2>\n<p>First, identify your video card:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Open the Start menu<\/li>\n<li>Type &#8216;Device Manager&#8217; (without quotes) in the Search text box then press Enter<\/li>\n<li>Click the Device Manager shortcut<\/li>\n<li>In Device Manager, expand the &#8216;Display adapters&#8217; section<\/li>\n<li>Note the manufacturer of the video card listed<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Now head to the manufacturer&#8217;s website to update your drivers. The website will likely auto-detect your specific video card model.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nvidia.com\/Download\/index.aspx?lang=en-us\">Nvidia Drivers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\" href=\"http:\/\/support.amd.com\/en-us\/download\">AMD Drivers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\" href=\"https:\/\/downloadcenter.intel.com\/\">Intel Drivers<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For more detailed instructions on updating your drivers, please see this guide from How-To Geek:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/135976\/how-to-update-your-graphics-drivers-for-maximum-gaming-performance\/\">How to Update Your Graphics Drivers for Maximum Gaming Performance<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a name=\"scaling\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Change GPU Scaling<\/h2>\n<p>If you see a black screen when you start Universe Sandbox but can still hear the game&#8217;s music, we recommend trying this solution. If you still see the black screen, try <a href=\"#timezone\">Change System Time Zone below<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If you have an Nvidia graphics card:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Right-click on your desktop<\/li>\n<li>Click &#8220;Nvidia Control Panel&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Click &#8220;Display&#8221; then &#8220;Adjust Desktop Size and Position&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Set scaling mode to &#8220;No scaling&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Apply settings<\/li>\n<li>Launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If you have an AMD card:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Right-click on your desktop<\/li>\n<li>Click &#8220;AMD Radeon Settings&#8221; (or Catalyst)<\/li>\n<li>Click &#8220;Display&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Set scaling mode to &#8220;Full Panel&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Apply settings<\/li>\n<li>Launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If you have Intel graphics (or the above options did not work):<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Right-click on your desktop<\/li>\n<li>Click &#8220;Intel Graphics Settings&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Click &#8220;Display&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Set scaling to &#8220;Maintain Aspect Ratio&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>If you do not see &#8220;Maintain Aspect Ratio&#8221; as an option, try adjusting the resolution<\/li>\n<li>Apply settings<\/li>\n<li>Launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-2946\" src=\"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Intel-Settings-650x483.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"483\" srcset=\"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Intel-Settings-650x483.jpg 650w, https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Intel-Settings-300x223.jpg 300w, https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Intel-Settings-768x570.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>These are user-suggested solutions <a href=\"https:\/\/steamcommunity.com\/discussions\/forum\/1\/1480982971174752598\/#c1483235412209420930\">from this thread on the general Steam forum<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This appears to be an issue related to Unity (the game engine we use) and the Windows 10 Fall Creator Update. We are looking into fixing this for future updates.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"timezone\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Change System Time Zone<\/h2>\n<p>With Update 22 of Universe Sandbox (released November 15, 2018), some users have reported seeing a black screen on startup that is not fixed with the <a href=\"#scaling\">above solution of adjusting GPU scaling<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If adjusting scaling didn&#8217;t work for you, please try manually changing your time zone to another zone, then set it back again.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/winaero.com\/blog\/set-time-zone-windows-10\/\">How to change your time zone on Windows 10<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.di-mgt.com.au\/wclock\/help\/wclo_setsysclock.html\">How to change your time zone on Windows 7<\/a> (click Apply after changing it each time)<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"aatransparency\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Change Nvidia Antialiasing Transparency<\/h2>\n<p>If you see &#8220;blocky&#8221; lines on planets in Universe Sandbox (see image below) and you are using an Nvidia graphics card, then please try disabling Antialiasing Transparency in the Nvidia Control Panel.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Right-click on your desktop<\/li>\n<li>Click &#8220;Nvidia Control Panel&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Under &#8220;3D Settings&#8221; in the left sidebar, select &#8220;Manage 3D Settings&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Set &#8220;Antialiasing &#8211; Transparency&#8221; to Off<\/li>\n<li>Apply settings<\/li>\n<li>Launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-2988\" src=\"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Saturn-AA-Issue-650x406.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"406\" srcset=\"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Saturn-AA-Issue-650x406.jpg 650w, https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Saturn-AA-Issue-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Saturn-AA-Issue-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Saturn-AA-Issue.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-2987\" src=\"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/image-650x562.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"562\" srcset=\"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/image-650x562.png 650w, https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/image-300x259.png 300w, https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/image-768x664.png 768w, https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/image.png 931w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><a name=\"emaillog\"><\/a><a name=\"logs\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Email Us Your Log File<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Make sure Universe Sandbox is closed. If reporting a specific issue or crash, please send us your log after the issue occurs and before running Universe Sandbox again; running it overwrites the log<\/li>\n<li>Find your log file (Instructions: <a href=\"#windowslog\">Windows<\/a> | <a href=\"#maclog\">Mac<\/a> | <a href=\"#linuxlog\">Linux<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>Attach the file to an email<\/li>\n<li>In the subject line, briefly describe your issue<\/li>\n<li>Provide details about your issue in the body of the email<\/li>\n<li><strong>Please include a link to the forum topic\u00a0<\/strong>if you posted on a forum<\/li>\n<li>Send the email to <a href=\"mailto:support@universesandbox.com\">support at universesandbox dot com<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"windowslog\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Log Files | Windows<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Filename(s): <\/span><b>Player.log<\/b> and (optionally) <b>Player-prev.log<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>*<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Windows may hide the .log extension by default, your log file may just appear as a text file with the name \u201cPlayer\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Typically located here:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">%USERPROFILE%\\AppData\\LocalLow\\Giant Army\\Universe Sandbox<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To quickly find this folder, copy and paste the above into the address bar of File Explorer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a name=\"maclog\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Log Files | macOS<\/h3>\n<p>Filename(s):\u00a0<strong>Player.log<\/strong> and (optionally) <strong>Player-prev.log<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Typically located here:<br \/>\n~\/Library\/Logs\/Giant Army\/Universe Sandbox\/Player.log<\/p>\n<p>Due to operating system version differences, sometimes the log file can be found in an alternate location:<br \/>\n~\/Library\/Logs\/Unity\/Player.log<\/p>\n<p>To quickly find this folder:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Open Finder<\/li>\n<li>Click the Go menu in the Menu bar<\/li>\n<li>Select Go to Folder&#8230;<\/li>\n<li>Type ~\/Library\/Logs\/Giant Army\/Universe Sandbox\/Player.log<\/li>\n<li>Click Go<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"linuxlog\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Log Files | Linux<\/h3>\n<p>Universe Sandbox on Linux is <a href=\"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/2023\/07\/future-of-universe-sandbox-on-linux\/\">no longer supported natively<\/a> and can be run using\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/ValveSoftware\/Proton\">Valve\u2019s Proton<\/a>, software built into Steam that allows Windows games to run on Linux.<\/p>\n<p>Filename(s):\u00a0<strong>Player.log<\/strong> and (optionally) <strong>Player-prev.log<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When playing through Valve&#8217;s Proton on Steam, log file are typically located here:<\/p>\n<p>~\/.local\/share\/Steam\/steamapps\/compatdata\/230290\/pfx\/drive_c\/users\/steamuser\/AppData\/LocalLow\/Giant Army\/Universe Sandbox\/<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"emailcrash\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Email Us Your Crash Dump Files<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Find your crash dump files (Instructions:\u00a0<a href=\"#windowscrash\">Windows<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"#maccrash\">Mac<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>Attach the files to an email\n<ol>\n<li><strong>If you are on a Mac, please also attach your <a href=\"#maclog\">log file<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>In the subject line, briefly describe your issue<\/li>\n<li>Provide details about your issue in the body of the email<\/li>\n<li><strong>Please include a link to the forum topic\u00a0<\/strong>if you posted on a forum<\/li>\n<li>Send the email to\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:support@universesandbox.com\">support at universesandbox dot com<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"windowscrash\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Crash Dump Files | Windows<\/h3>\n<p>Filenames: <b>Player.log<\/b>,\u00a0<strong>error.log<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>crash.dmp<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Please include all of these files.\u00a0They are\u00a0<strong>located in a folder named with the date the crash occurred<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Usually located here:<br \/>\n%AppData%\\..\\Local\\Temp\\Giant Army\\Universe Sandbox\\Crashes<\/p>\n<p>If you are able to start Universe Sandbox, you can\u00a0open this folder:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>In Universe Sandbox, click Home button (top-left)<\/li>\n<li>Click &#8216;Debug Tools&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Click &#8216;Open Crash Dump Location&#8217;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Note: This folder will not exist if no crash files have been created.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"maccrash\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Crash Dump Files | Mac<\/h3>\n<p>Filename:\u00a0<strong>Universe Sandbox_[dateofcrash].crash<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This file will be located in ~\/Library\/Logs\/DiagnosticReports.<\/p>\n<p>To quickly find this folder:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Open Finder<\/li>\n<li>Click the &#8216;Go&#8217; menu in the Menu bar<\/li>\n<li>Select &#8216;Go to Folder&#8230;&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Type\u00a0~\/Library\/Logs\/DiagnosticReports<\/li>\n<li>Click &#8216;Go&#8217;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"ingamelog\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Send Us Your Log File In-Game<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<li>Reproduce your issue or bug<\/li>\n<li>Click the &#8216;Home&#8217; icon in the top-left<\/li>\n<li>Click &#8216;Send Feedback&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Enter your email address<\/li>\n<li>Select the &#8216;Bug&#8217; category<\/li>\n<li>Describe your issue in the Comment text box<\/li>\n<li>Please include a link to the forum topic if you posted on a forum<\/li>\n<li>Make sure &#8216;Log File&#8217; is checked<\/li>\n<li>Click &#8216;Send&#8217;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"emailsim\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Email Us Your Saved Simulation<\/h2>\n<p>If there is an issue with a specific simulation that you have created, we may ask you to send us your simulation file so we can look into it.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<li>Click Home icon in the top-left<\/li>\n<li>Click &#8216;Open&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Click &#8216;My Sims&#8217; tab<\/li>\n<li>Click &#8216;Open Simulations Folder&#8217; tile to open your computer&#8217;s file browser<\/li>\n<li>Find the .ubox file for your simulation<\/li>\n<li>Attach the file to an email<\/li>\n<li>Send the email to\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:support@universesandbox.com\">support at\u00a0universesandbox\u00a0dot com<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"savefileversions\"><\/a><a name=\"savefileversions\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Simulation Files From Older Versions &amp; Previews<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Universe Sandbox is in active development, and we regularly add new features to make our simulation even more realistic. We occasionally also make preview versions of these upcoming, unfinished features available. Objects and simulations saved in older versions or early previews may look different than expected when loaded in new versions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best way to keep your simulations and objects up-to-date and simulate them even more realistically is to resave them in the latest version. For simulations, you can do this by<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Opening the simulation in Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<li>Selecting the Home icon in the top-left<\/li>\n<li>Selecting &#8220;Save &amp; Share&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Adjusting the name or description of your simulation as desired, then select &#8220;Save&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>For objects, you can do this by<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Selecting the Home icon in the top-left<\/li>\n<li>Select &#8220;New&#8221; to open a new simulation<\/li>\n<li>Selecting Tools &gt; Add<\/li>\n<li>Selecting the &#8220;My Objects&#8221; tab<\/li>\n<li>Adding the desired object to the simulation<\/li>\n<li>Opening the object&#8217;s properties by selecting it, then selecting the Expand button on the mini properties panel<\/li>\n<li>Selecting the &#8220;Actions&#8221; tab<\/li>\n<li>Selecting &#8220;Save This Object&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Adjusting the name as desired, then select &#8220;Save&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"rendereffects\"><\/a><a name=\"renderwarning\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Render Texture\/Image Effects Not Supported Warning<\/h2>\n<p>To ensure this isn&#8217;t a software-related problem, try updating your video card drivers.<\/p>\n<p>First, identify your video card (on Windows):<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Open the Start menu<\/li>\n<li>Type &#8216;Device Manager&#8217; (without quotes) in the Search text box then press Enter<\/li>\n<li>Click the Device Manager shortcut<\/li>\n<li>In Device Manager, expand the &#8216;Display adapters&#8217; section<\/li>\n<li>Note the manufacturer of the video card listed<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Now head to the manufacturer&#8217;s website to update your drivers. The website will likely auto-detect your specific video card model.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nvidia.com\/Download\/index.aspx?lang=en-us\">Nvidia Drivers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/support.amd.com\/en-us\/download\">AMD Drivers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\" href=\"https:\/\/downloadcenter.intel.com\/\">Intel Drivers<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For more detailed instructions on updating your drivers, please see this guide from How-To Geek:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/135976\/how-to-update-your-graphics-drivers-for-maximum-gaming-performance\/\">How to Update Your Graphics Drivers for Maximum Gaming Performance<\/a><\/p>\n<p>If you are still seeing this warning after updating your drivers, then it&#8217;s likely your hardware does not support these features. In order to run Universe Sandbox,\u00a0please try using another computer or upgrading your hardware.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"shader\"><\/a><a name=\"shaderwarning\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Shader Model 5.0 Not Supported Warning<\/h2>\n<p>Shader Model 5.0 is a hardware specification for video cards.<\/p>\n<p>If your card does not support this feature, then you must try using another computer, or upgrade your hardware, in order to run Universe Sandbox.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"latestversion\"><\/a><a name=\"outdatednotification\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Not Running Latest Version Notification<\/h2>\n<h3>If you&#8217;re not using Steam&#8230;<\/h3>\n<p>If you&#8217;re running an old version of Universe Sandbox and not using Steam, please <a href=\"http:\/\/universesandbox.com\/\">buy Universe Sandbox<\/a>\u00a0to run the latest and best version.<\/p>\n<p>Or <a href=\"http:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/230290\/\">add Universe Sandbox to your Wishlist on Steam<\/a> to be notified when it&#8217;s on sale.<\/p>\n<h3>If you are using Steam&#8230;<\/h3>\n<p>If you received a notification that you&#8217;re not running the latest version of Universe Sandbox, try restarting Steam to force-start the automatic update process.<\/p>\n<p>If that doesn&#8217;t work, please\u00a0follow these steps:\u00a0<a href=\"#updatetolatest\">Update to Latest Version of Universe Sandbox<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a name=\"lateststandalone\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Not Running Latest Version Notification (Standalone)<\/h2>\n<h3>If you&#8217;re using a standalone copy owned by a school or other institution&#8230;<\/h3>\n<p>Please contact the appropriate technical\/administrative staff and let them know the copy is out of date.<\/p>\n<p>As described below, please note that sometimes there is a delay between when we release updates on Steam and when they are available on the TeacherGaming Store. The delay should be no longer than a few business days.<\/p>\n<h3>If you own\/administrate a TeacherGaming copy&#8230;<\/h3>\n<p>Once the update is available on the TeacherGaming Store, you should receive an email from TeacherGaming notifying you of the update and you may follow the directions below to download it.<\/p>\n<p>If you have not received an email from TeacherGaming but you see a notification that your copy is out-of-date, then it is likely not yet available. There is sometimes a small delay between when we release an update on Steam and when it reaches the TeacherGaming Store.<\/p>\n<p>Download the latest version from TeacherGaming Store:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/store.teachergaming.com\/games\">Log into your account<\/a> on the TeacherGaming Store\u00a0using the Login button in the top-right<\/li>\n<li>Click Profile &gt; Downloads in the top-right<\/li>\n<li>Find your Universe Sandbox order and click View<\/li>\n<li>Click Download for the\u00a0version appropriate for your hardware<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If you need additional help, please\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/universesandbox.com\/contact\/\">contact us<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"launchoptions\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Launch Options Notification<\/h2>\n<p>You will see a notification in Universe Sandbox if you have set any launch options.<\/p>\n<p>Launch options are typically used for troubleshooting issues by forcing Universe Sandbox to start with certain options enabled or disabled.<\/p>\n<p>To remove launch options:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Right click on the game title in your Steam Library<\/li>\n<li>Select &#8216;Properties&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Select the General tab<\/li>\n<li>Delete all text to remove launch options<\/li>\n<li>Close the Properties window and launch Universe Sandbox<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/support.steampowered.com\/kb_article.php?ref=1040-JWMT-2947\">Learn more about Steam&#8217;s launch options<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a name=\"steamrequired\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Steam Required<\/h2>\n<p>You may see an error message when starting up that says &#8220;Steam Required: You must be running Steam to use Universe Sandbox.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>This is a Steam error which sometimes appears even if Steam is running. It is a frustrating error, but it is usually fixed once Steam properly syncs again.<\/p>\n<p>If you see this error while Steam is running, try the following in this order:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Make sure you are launching Universe Sandbox from directly within your Steam Library (not via a shortcut)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/support\/reinstall\">Reinstall Universe Sandbox<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Restart Steam<\/li>\n<li>Restart your computer<\/li>\n<li>Check for Steam updates: Steam &gt; Check For Steam Client Updates&#8230;<\/li>\n<li>If steps 1-5 do not fix the issue, manually check your Steam version: Help &gt; About Steam\n<ol>\n<li>Note the &#8220;Built&#8221; date, then <a href=\"https:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/news\/?feed=steam_client\">compare it to the latest post on Steam&#8217;s site<\/a><\/li>\n<li>If your version is older AND step 5 didn&#8217;t work, then follow these instructions to uninstall Steam then reinstall it: <a href=\"https:\/\/support.steampowered.com\/kb_article.php?ref=9609-OBMP-2526\">Windows<\/a>\u00a0| <a href=\"https:\/\/support.steampowered.com\/kb_article.php?ref=3329-WUJN-5636\">Mac<\/a>\u00a0(make sure you read all of the steps and move your game folder first!)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If you are still seeing this error, please <a href=\"http:\/\/universesandbox.com\/contact\/\">contact us<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"update24requirements\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Update 24 Minimum Graphics Requirements<\/h2>\n<p>As of Update 24 in November 2019, Universe Sandbox includes a feature called Surface Grids which vastly improves the surface simulation of planets, moons, and other objects. This feature\u00a0relies on video memory. Some computers with low amounts of video memory or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Shared_graphics_memory\">shared\u00a0video\u00a0memory<\/a>\u00a0may struggle with running Surface Grids.<\/p>\n<p>If Universe Sandbox consistently runs slowly, try lowering Surface Simulation | All Maps Atlas Resolution in Home &gt; Settings &gt; Performance.<\/p>\n<p>If it continues to run slowly after lowering Surface Simulation | All Maps Atlas Resolution, we recommend using the previous version of Universe Sandbox, Update 23.2. <a href=\"http:\/\/universesandbox.com\/support\/changeversion\">Learn how to switch to\u00a0Update 23.2<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/universesandbox.com\/faq\/#system\">See hardware recommendations<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a name=\"update35requirements\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Update 35 Minimum Requirements<\/h2>\n<p>As of Update 35, our major graphics update, on March 3, 2025, we updated the minimum requirements for running Universe Sandbox.<\/p>\n<h3>Check Windows Compatibility Mode<\/h3>\n<p>If you believe your system meets our minimum requirements but are seeing an error message that it does not, it may be because Universe Sandbox or Steam is being launched in compatibility mode with Windows 8, which is no longer supported. You can check this by<\/p>\n<p>1. Opening Steam<br \/>\n2. Right-clicking on Universe Sandbox in your Library and selecting Properties<br \/>\n3. Going to: Installed Files &gt; Browse<br \/>\nThis will open up Universe Sandbox in the File Explorer<br \/>\n4. Right-clicking on &#8220;Universe Sandbox x64.exe&#8221;<br \/>\n5. Selecting Properties<br \/>\n6. Going to the Compatibility Tab<br \/>\n7. Make sure the box that says &#8220;Run the program in compatibility mode for&#8221; is unchecked. If the box is checked, please uncheck it, then click Apply, and then OK.<br \/>\n8. Once the box is unchecked, try running Universe Sandbox<\/p>\n<p>If the box is not checked, you can <a href=\"https:\/\/help.steampowered.com\/en\/faqs\/view\/443B-C1B8-0998-C02A\">check if Steam is running in compatibility mode with Windows 8<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If Universe Sandbox still reports your system does not meet our minimum requirements after making sure both Steam and Universe Sandbox are not running in compatibility mode, please <a href=\"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/support\/emaillog\">email us a copy of your Player.log file<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Simulation Running Slowly<\/h3>\n<p>If Universe Sandbox launches but consistently runs slowly, it may be because your computer has a lower amount of video memory or has <a href=\"_wp_link_placeholder\" data-wplink-edit=\"true\">shared video memory<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If that is the case, try lowering Surface Simulation | All Maps Atlas Resolution in Home &gt; Settings &gt; Performance.<\/p>\n<p>If Universe Sandbox continues to run slowly after lowering the All Maps Atlas Resolution, we suggest using a previous version of Universe Sandbox, Update 34.1.1. <a href=\"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/support\/oldversions\">Learn how to switch to Update 34.1.1<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/universesandbox.com\/faq\/#system\">See system requirements<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"macosaccess\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Can&#8217;t Access Documents<\/h2>\n<p>With macOS Catalina (10.15), security measures in macOS have been greatly increased and users must specifically give permission to applications to access their files. When you start Universe Sandbox for the first time in macOS Catalina, you should see a prompt asking if you want to allow Universe Sandbox to access your Documents folder. Click OK.<\/p>\n<p>If you do not click OK or you do not see this prompt, you will see an error message in Universe Sandbox when attempting to access your saved simulations and objects. To fix this, adjust your Security &amp; Privacy settings:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Click the Apple icon in the menu bar<\/li>\n<li>Click System Preferences<\/li>\n<li>Click Security &amp; Privacy<\/li>\n<li>Click the Privacy tab<\/li>\n<li>Click Files and Folders<\/li>\n<li>Check the box below Universe Sandbox (if required, click the lock icon in the bottom left and enter your password to make changes)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-3970\" src=\"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Permissions-650x571.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"571\" srcset=\"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Permissions-650x571.png 650w, https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Permissions-300x263.png 300w, https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Permissions-768x674.png 768w, https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Permissions.png 1560w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><br \/>\nIf the issue persists, please <a href=\"#reinstall\">reinstall Universe Sandbox<\/a> and follow the steps above again.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"movesettings\"><\/a><a name=\"movedata\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Your Settings\/Data Need to be Moved Manually<\/h2>\n<h3>Why?<\/h3>\n<p>Universe Sandbox removed the 2 from our name as of Update 25 in March 2020. Due to limitations of our game engine our data folders will need to be renamed along with the change to the app name.<\/p>\n<p>Universe Sandbox will attempt to relocate these files automatically. Some system settings or security software such as antivirus or firewall may prevent Universe Sandbox from automatically relocating these files.<\/p>\n<h3>How to move your files:<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>From within Universe Sandbox, click Home<\/li>\n<li>Click the \u201cAction needed to move your Universe Sandbox settings\/data.\u201d banner<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4071\" src=\"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/movesettings-banner.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"323\" height=\"49\" srcset=\"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/movesettings-banner.png 323w, https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/movesettings-banner-300x46.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 323px) 100vw, 323px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Click on \u201cOPEN FOLDERS\u201d.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-4072 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/movesettings-dialog.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"452\" height=\"330\" srcset=\"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/movesettings-dialog.png 452w, https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/movesettings-dialog-300x219.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 452px) 100vw, 452px\" \/><br \/>\nTwo folders will open outside of Universe Sandbox: \u201cUniverse Sandbox \u00b2\u201d and \u201cUniverse Sandbox\u201d.<\/li>\n<li>Click and drag to highlight all files in the \u201cUniverse Sandbox \u00b2\u201d folder (note the 2)<\/li>\n<li>Drag and drop the files into the \u201cUniverse Sandbox\u201d folder<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Contents Common\u00a0Solutions Windows Mac Linux How to&#8230; Access Old Versions Force CPU-Mode Force OpenGL Force Single-Threading Enable Safe-Mode Reset Settings Force DirectX 9 Show Screen Selector (Fix Resolution Errors) Verify Integrity of Game Files Reinstall Universe Sandbox Disable Steam Overlay Change Version Opt Out of Betas Opt Into Preview Version Update Universe Sandbox Update Universe [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1262","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-development"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1262","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1262"}],"version-history":[{"count":190,"href":"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1262\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6491,"href":"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1262\/revisions\/6491"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1262"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1262"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/universesandbox.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}