SketchUp 2026 exits with code 1 after Welcome screen on Windows 11 (GT 730)

Technical Problems SketchUp
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1

Hello, I need help diagnosing SketchUp 2026 startup failure.

Environment: Windows 11; SketchUp 26.2.243.76 (official Trimble-signed installer, active trial); NVIDIA GeForce GT 730, driver 388.13; approximately 32 GB RAM. An Oray virtual display adapter is also present.

Symptoms: The Welcome screen opens. Selecting the Simple / Meters template closes the Welcome screen, but no modeling window appears. A diagnostic launch using an original template bundled with SketchUp exits after a few seconds with exit code 1. This is not specific to a project file.

Tests completed, without resolving the problem:

  1. Repair installation using the official installer.
  2. Classic graphics engine; explicit GPU selection; anti-aliasing and Fast Feedback disabled for testing.
  3. Extension enable flags disabled, followed by full temporary isolation of both the user Plugins and installation ShippedExtensions folders. Original folders were restored afterwards.
  4. SU_CEF_DISABLE_GPU=1, including a launch with this variable explicitly supplied to the process.
  5. Backing up and temporarily clearing toolbar layout state so it could rebuild; original state then restored.

Graphics diagnostics identify the GT 730 and OpenGL 4.6.0 NVIDIA 388.13, and report that initial graphics validation completed. This does not rule out a later graphics issue. Visual C++ v14 x64 and x86 runtime installation records show 14.51.36247.

Older failures recorded ucrtbase.dll / 0xc0000409 and a separate SketchUp.exe / 0xc0000005 crash. The later reproducible exit code 1 may be a different failure, so I am not treating these as one confirmed cause.

What safe diagnostic step would help identify why it exits at this stage? Is there a known issue affecting this version after the Welcome screen? I have not attached full logs, crash dumps, account details, or project files. Thank you.

2

To start with, your display driver belongs to a museum. You could download and install the latest available from the Nvidia website.

3

If you do get the software to open, I would expect performance issues The card was released in 2014.

4

Make sure that in the "PrivatePreferences.json" file, located at:
%LocalAppData%/SketchUp/SketchUp 2026/SketchUp/
… that the value for:
"This Computer Only" > "Preferences" > "UseNewRenderer"
… is set to false

If that does not work, try renaming the whole file (with SketchUp closed) and restart SketchUp to rebuild the file. Sometimes this file gets corrupted causing start up crashes.

Well, disable it and try without it.

The Gemini AI says:

Common Issues

  • Conflict with Primary GPU / CAD Software: Virtual Indirect Display Drivers (IDDs) can sometimes hijack OpenGL/DirectX rendering contexts from hardware GPUs (NVIDIA/AMD). Applications requiring direct GPU hardware acceleration (such as CAD software or 3D viewports) may report display adapter errors or performance drop-offs if Windows routes rendering through the virtual driver instead of the physical graphics card.

  • Removal / Disabling: If Sunlogin or Oray tools are installed but not actively needed, the device can be disabled or uninstalled under Device Manager > Display Adapters to force applications back onto the physical GPU.