# Lens not starting properly - Program starts then dies with no errors **URL:** \ **Category:** Lens Support & Troubleshooting\ **Created:** [January 12, 2026, 8:34am UTC](https://forums.k8slens.dev/t/lens-not-starting-properly-program-starts-then-dies-with-no-errors/6756 "2026-01-12T08:34:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![troy.plavec](https://forums.k8slens.dev/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/2acd7d/32.png) [@troy.plavec](https://forums.k8slens.dev/u/troy.plavec)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 8:34am UTC](https://forums.k8slens.dev/t/lens-not-starting-properly-program-starts-then-dies-with-no-errors/6756/1 "2026-01-12T08:34:45Z")
**Lens not starting properly - Program starts then dies with no errors** I have Lens Setup 2025.12.101934-latest.exe on a Win 11 system. |Processor|12th Gen Intel(R) Core™ i7-12850HX (2.10 GHz)| |Installed RAM|64.0 GB (63.7 GB usable)| **I have Installed, uninstalled, rebooted system in between installs, installed as single user, installed for All users. When I Start Lens, I have AWS granted, and it starts in administrator mode. But then falls off. I have looked at forums, and removed the local config from: C:\Users\TROY.xxxxxxAppData\Roaming\Lens** **AWS Granted:** PS C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\> granted sso login --sso-start-url [AWS access portal](https://xylem.awsapps.com/start) --sso-region us-east-1 [i] If the browser does not open automatically, please open this link: [AWS access portal](https://xylem.awsapps.com/start/#/device?user_code=xxxx-xxxxxx) [i] Awaiting AWS authentication in the browser [i] You will be prompted to authenticate with AWS in the browser, then you will be prompted to ‘Allow’ [i] Code: xxxx-xxxx [✔] Successfully logged into Start URL: [AWS access portal](https://xylem.awsapps.com/start) **Error I see when I run this from Terminal:** PS C:\Users\TROY.XXXXXX\AppData\Local\Programs\Lens\> .\Lens.exe PS C:\Users\TROY.XXXXXX\AppData\Local\Programs\Lens\> [17844:0109/081128.645:ERROR:electron\shell\common\node\_bindings.cc:426] Most NODE\_OPTIONs are not supported in packaged apps. See documentation for more details. info: ▪ [RUN-MANY-PERFORMANCE-LOGGING]: Running runnables for “before-electron-is-ready-injection-token” took 136.37 ms. Individual runnables took: - internal-proxy-main:setup-lens-proxy-certificate 124.14 ms - app-paths-setup-main:setup-app-paths 6.62 ms - lens-core-main:enforce-single-application-instance 1.25 ms - electron-main:setup-tracking-of-auto-updating 0.22 ms - lens-core-main:setup-behaviour-on-close-of-last-window 0.13 ms - lens-core-main:setup-cleanup-of-backend-on-quit 0.12 ms - electron-main:setup-runnables-after-window-is-opened 0.07 ms - lens-core-main:setup-hostnames 0.05 ms - lens-core-main:setup-proxy-env 0.05 ms - electron-main:setup-application-name 0.04 ms - electron-main:setup-hardware-acceleration 0.03 ms - lens-core-main:setup-mobx 0.02 ms +0ms info: ▪ Starting v2025.12.101934-latest of Lens… +178ms info: ▪ [LOCAL-STORAGE]: initialized +26ms [17844:0109/081131.331:ERROR:content\browser\gpu\gpu\_process\_host.cc:958] GPU process launch failed: error\_code=18 info: ▪ [BASE-STORE]: saving C:\Users\TROY.PLAVEC\AppData\Roaming\Lens\lens-user-store.json… +26ms info: ▪ [BASE-STORE]: saving C:\Users\TROY.PLAVEC\AppData\Roaming\Lens\lens-cluster-store.json… +11ms [17844:0109/081131.372:ERROR:content\browser\gpu\gpu\_process\_host.cc:958] GPU process launch failed: error\_code=18 warn: ▪ [LENS-CORE-MAIN]: Excluded expired certificate: warn: ▪ [LENS-CORE-MAIN]: Excluded a total of 12 certificates +1ms [17844:0109/081131.400:ERROR:content\browser\gpu\gpu\_process\_host.cc:958] GPU process launch failed: error\_code=18 [17844:0109/081131.421:ERROR:content\browser\gpu\gpu\_process\_host.cc:958] GPU process launch failed: error\_code=18 [17844:0109/081131.441:ERROR:content\browser\gpu\gpu\_process\_host.cc:958] GPU process launch failed: error\_code=18 [17844:0109/081131.466:ERROR:content\browser\gpu\gpu\_process\_host.cc:958] GPU process launch failed: error\_code=18 [17844:0109/081131.482:ERROR:content\browser\gpu\gpu\_process\_host.cc:958] GPU process launch failed: error\_code=18 [17844:0109/081131.506:ERROR:content\browser\gpu\gpu\_process\_host.cc:958] GPU process launch failed: error\_code=18 [17844:0109/081131.530:ERROR:content\browser\gpu\gpu\_process\_host.cc:958] GPU process launch failed: error\_code=18 [17844:0109/081131.530:FATAL:content\browser\gpu\gpu\_data\_manager\_impl\_private.cc:415] GPU process isn’t usable. Goodbye. Please help, as I am unable to use this product, which I need since I cannot see the Logs in and open source alternative. ---
**Author:** ![crothmann](https://forums.k8slens.dev/user_avatar/forums.k8slens.dev/crothmann/32/1544_2.png) [@crothmann](https://forums.k8slens.dev/u/crothmann)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 10:07am UTC](https://forums.k8slens.dev/t/lens-not-starting-properly-program-starts-then-dies-with-no-errors/6756/2 "2026-01-12T10:07:26Z")
Hello @troy.plavec and thanks for the detailed report. The logs show Lens is exiting because the Electron **GPU process can’t start** (GPU process isn’t usable). As a quick workaround, please try launching Lens with GPU disabled: ```auto Lens.exe --disable-gpu --in-process-gpu ``` If Lens starts with this - for me it does -, please let us know (1) whether it opens reliably and (2) your GPU model + driver version, so we can investigate a proper fix.