Zenless Zone Zero Pc Slow Loading Troubleshooting Guide

Players of Zenless Zone Zero have reported frustratingly long load times on PC, especially during initial startup, mission transitions, or after updates. While the game’s vibrant aesthetic and fast-paced combat are appealing, sluggish performance can disrupt immersion and gameplay flow. The good news is that most slow loading issues stem from fixable hardware, software, or configuration problems. This guide provides a detailed, step-by-step approach to diagnosing and resolving slow loading in Zenless Zone Zero on PC—helping you get back into the action faster.

Understanding the Causes of Slow Loading

Slow loading in Zenless Zone Zero isn’t always due to a single factor. It often results from a combination of system limitations, background processes, storage inefficiencies, or misconfigured settings. Common culprits include:

• Inadequate SSD or HDD read speeds
• Insufficient RAM or memory bottlenecks
• Outdated graphics drivers or firmware
• Background applications consuming resources
• Game files stored on fragmented or overloaded drives
• Launcher or update cache corruption

Identifying which component is contributing most to the delay allows for targeted fixes rather than guesswork.

Tip: Monitor your disk usage via Task Manager while launching the game. If it stays at 100%, your storage drive may be the bottleneck.

Step-by-Step Performance Optimization

Follow this structured sequence to systematically eliminate causes of slow loading. Start with quick checks before moving to deeper system adjustments.

1. Verify Game Files
   Corrupted or missing files can force the game to reprocess data, increasing load time. In the HoYoverse launcher, navigate to Settings > Zenless Zone Zero > Repair. This scans and replaces damaged files automatically.
2. Update Graphics Drivers
   Outdated GPU drivers hinder asset streaming and texture loading. Visit NVIDIA GeForce Experience, AMD Radeon Software, or Intel Arc Control to ensure you’re running the latest stable version optimized for gaming.
3. Close Background Applications
   Applications like Discord, Chrome, or cloud sync tools (OneDrive, Dropbox) consume memory and CPU cycles. Use Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) to end non-essential tasks before launching the game.
4. Adjust Power Settings
   Windows power plans can throttle CPU performance. Set your plan to “High Performance” or “Balanced” under Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options.
5. Defragment or Trim Your Drive
   If using an HDD, defragmentation helps. For SSDs, ensure TRIM is enabled (run fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify in Command Prompt; value should be 0).

Storage and Installation Best Practices

Where and how you install Zenless Zone Zero significantly affects loading speed. The game relies heavily on sequential and random read performance, particularly during scene transitions.

Storage Type	Impact on Load Time	Recommendation
SATA SSD	Moderate improvement over HDD	Adequate for casual play; expect 30–45 second loads
NVMe SSD (Gen 3/4)	Significant reduction in load times	Ideal; reduces average load to 10–15 seconds
HDD (7200 RPM)	Poor performance; frequent stutters	Avoid if possible; not recommended for modern games

If your current drive isn’t NVMe, consider relocating the game installation. Most launchers allow you to uninstall and reinstall to a different directory without losing account progress.

Tip: Install the game on a dedicated SSD partition with at least 20% free space to maintain optimal read/write speeds.

Advanced Fixes for Persistent Delays

When basic optimizations don’t resolve the issue, deeper technical steps may be necessary.

Clear Launcher and System Cache

The HoYoverse launcher caches data that can become bloated or corrupted. Navigate to:

C:\\Users\\[YourUsername]\\AppData\\Local\\HoYoPlay\\launcher_cache

Delete all files in this folder (not the folder itself). Restart the launcher—it will rebuild the cache cleanly.

Modify In-Game Graphics Settings

While not directly related to loading screens, high texture quality forces larger assets to load into memory. Reduce these settings:

• Texture Quality → High or Medium
• Shadow Resolution → Medium
• View Distance → Balanced

This reduces strain on VRAM and improves asset streaming speed between zones.

Disable Fullscreen Optimizations

Windows fullscreen optimizations can interfere with game rendering pipelines. Right-click on ZenlessZoneZero.exe > Properties > Compatibility > Check “Disable fullscreen optimizations.” Apply and test.

“Modern games like Zenless Zone Zero benefit most from fast storage and clean driver stacks. Even a mid-tier GPU can outperform a high-end one if the data pipeline is efficient.” — Adrian Lin, PC Performance Engineer at TechFrame Labs

Troubleshooting Checklist

Use this checklist to methodically address slow loading. Mark each item as completed once applied.

• ✅ Run game repair through the HoYoverse launcher
• ✅ Update GPU drivers to latest version
• ✅ Close unnecessary background apps
• ✅ Install the game on an NVMe SSD if available
• ✅ Free up at least 50GB of storage space
• ✅ Clear launcher cache manually
• ✅ Disable fullscreen optimizations
• ✅ Set Windows power plan to High Performance
• ✅ Verify RAM is running at correct speed (check BIOS/XMP)
• ✅ Test with in-game settings reset to default

Real-World Example: Reducing Load Times by 70%

Jessica, a player from Toronto, experienced 2-minute load times when entering missions despite having a Ryzen 5 5600X and RTX 3060. Her game was installed on a secondary SATA SSD, which was 90% full. After moving the installation to her primary NVMe drive and updating her NVIDIA drivers, initial load dropped to 28 seconds. She further reduced it to 17 seconds by disabling overlay apps (Discord and GeForce Experience) and enabling XMP in her BIOS for full RAM speed utilization.

This case illustrates that even capable hardware can underperform due to suboptimal setup—highlighting the importance of holistic optimization.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Zenless Zone Zero support M.2 NVMe drives?

Yes, the game fully supports NVMe drives. In fact, players with Gen 3 or Gen 4 NVMe SSDs report the fastest load times, especially during city transitions and boss encounters.

Can RAM size affect loading speed?

Absolutely. The game recommends 16GB of RAM. Systems with only 8GB may experience extended loading as the OS swaps data to the page file, creating disk bottlenecks. Upgrading to 16GB DDR4 or DDR5 at 3200MHz+ can noticeably improve responsiveness.

Why does the game load slowly after an update?

After major updates, the game must decompress and index new assets. The first launch post-update is typically slower. Subsequent launches should normalize. If delays persist, run a repair scan to ensure no files were improperly patched.

Conclusion: Take Control of Your Gaming Experience

Slow loading in Zenless Zone Zero isn’t something you have to accept. With the right adjustments—from storage management to system tuning—you can dramatically reduce wait times and enjoy smoother gameplay. The key is systematic diagnosis: isolate the bottleneck, apply targeted fixes, and verify results. Whether you're battling in New Eridu or exploring its neon-lit districts, every second saved on loading is a second gained in action.

🚀 Ready to optimize your setup? Start with the checklist today, and share your before-and-after load times in the comments to help fellow agents speed up their runs!