WD-L014 and WD-L018 are WARDOGS launch errors thrown by Elytra, the game's anti-cheat, and Team17 support acknowledged both on September 30 with the note that fixes are in development. No cause has been published, and by mid-October no fix for either code had shipped. WD-L009 has been around since launch, sometimes together with a "Certificate signature cannot be verified" message. For WD-L004, 006, 007 and 010 the cause has not been published at all. Until patches arrive, what you can do is a short list of official steps plus a few fixes that players report working for specific codes.
If your error is WD-L020 or the number 1628505086, you are in the wrong article: both are covered in detail in our guide to WARDOGS anti-cheat connection errors, including the Windows update behind WD-L020. Everything below is about the other WD-L codes. And if you got here while looking for software for the game, the WARDOGS cheats page has the catalog, but a cheat will not fix any of these errors, which we come back to at the end.
Read only the first part of the code
The error window shows something like WD-L014-1537664d8c04. The part after the second dash is generated per machine and changes from one attempt to the next, so searching for it or comparing it with someone else's is pointless. Only the prefix matters: WD-L014, WD-L018, WD-L009 and so on. That is also the part Team17 asks for when you send a report.
What is known about each WD-L code
| Code | What is known | Official status |
|---|---|---|
| WD-L014 | Launch failure, cause not published. Some players fixed it by removing an old WARDOGS Playtest install. | Acknowledged by Team17 on September 30, fix in development |
| WD-L018 | Launch failure, cause not published. Players with Kaspersky report it going away after adding the game as an exception. | Acknowledged by Team17 on September 30, fix in development |
| WD-L009 | Seen since release, sometimes with "Certificate signature cannot be verified", meaning Windows did not accept a file's signature. | No cause announced |
| WD-L004, WD-L006, WD-L007, WD-L010 | Reported by players, no pattern confirmed. | Cause not published |
| WD-L020 and 1628505086 | Covered separately. | See our earlier guide |
That is less information than anyone would like. Team17 has confirmed the problem exists for 014 and 018 but has not said why it happens, so every fix below is either a general check from support or something individual players found. We mark which is which.
Official steps from Team17
Support gives the same advice for every WD-L code, and it is worth doing in order before trying anything from forums:
- Update the game. Let Steam finish any pending WARDOGS update. Elytra changes ship with game patches, and an outdated install is the simplest cause to rule out.
- Check your antivirus, firewall and Windows Security. Make sure none of them is blocking WARDOGS or Elytra. Look in the quarantine or protection history, not just the main screen.
- Try a mobile hotspot. Connecting through your phone for one launch rules the home network in or out in a couple of minutes.
- Report it properly. Send Team17 the code prefix (WD-L014, not the full string) together with a DxDiag report. That is what they asked for when acknowledging the issue.
If the hotspot launch works and your normal connection doesn't, the problem is on the network side rather than in Windows. Our article on the 175 ms ping cap and region lock covers the other network limits WARDOGS enforces once you are in.
Fixes players report, code by code
None of these are confirmed by the developer. They come from players who hit a specific code and got past it, so treat them as things to try in a sensible order, not as guarantees.
Repair Elytra and verify files
The game folder contains an Elytra repair tool. Running it, then verifying the game files in Steam (Properties, Installed Files, Verify integrity), then restarting the PC is the step players mention most often across codes. It takes a few minutes and touches nothing outside the game.
WD-L014: remove the old playtest
If you took part in the WARDOGS Playtest and never uninstalled it, players report that removing the playtest app cleared WD-L014.
WD-L018: Kaspersky exclusion
Several reports tie WD-L018 to Kaspersky. Adding the WARDOGS folder as an exclusion in Kaspersky fixed it for those players. Other antivirus products may behave the same way, but Kaspersky is the one that keeps coming up by name.
WD-L009 and Windows-side checks
Because WD-L009 sometimes shows up with a certificate signature message, the Windows-side checks matter more here:
- Leave Windows Insider. Players on preview builds report launch problems going away after switching back to a regular release.
- Update your graphics driver to the current release from your GPU vendor.
- Run sfc /scannow in an administrator command prompt to repair damaged system files.
- Reinstall Visual C++ and DirectX runtimes. Suggested for WD-L009, but not confirmed to help.
Memory Integrity, with a warning
Some players got past launch errors by temporarily turning off Memory Integrity (Windows Security, Device security, Core isolation). Be aware that this lowers Windows' own protection against malicious drivers. If you try it, turn it back on afterwards, and definitely turn it back on if it did not help.
WD-L010 and Secure Boot: be careful
On Windows 10, enabling Secure Boot has been suggested for WD-L010. This is unconfirmed, and it may require converting your system disk to GPT, which can put your data at risk if done wrong. Back up first, or wait for an official fix.
Steam Deck, Linux and hard crashes
If you are on Linux or a Steam Deck, the error is expected. GamingOnLinux lists WARDOGS as Broken because of Elytra, which runs at kernel level. None of the steps above will change that until the developer does.
A separate group of reports describes hard crashes and BSOD-like freezes linked to the Elytra kernel driver after the game is already running. That is a different problem from a WD-L code at launch, but the reporting route is the same: prefix if there is one, DxDiag, and a description of when it happens. For background on what Elytra is and why it sits that deep in Windows, see our Elytra explainer.
A sensible order if you just want to play tonight
When an error blocks the game, it is tempting to try everything at once. That makes it impossible to tell what actually helped, and it leaves you with Memory Integrity off or an antivirus exclusion you forgot about. A calmer sequence works better.
Start with what costs nothing: update the game, run the Elytra repair, verify files and restart. Then check your security software and Windows Security for anything blocked, and try one launch through a phone hotspot. If the code is WD-L014 or WD-L018, try the matching player fix (playtest removal or the Kaspersky exclusion) next. Only after that move on to driver updates, sfc /scannow and leaving Insider builds. Keep the Memory Integrity and Secure Boot ideas for last, because both change how Windows protects itself.
Whatever you end up doing, file the report with Team17 anyway. The prefix plus a DxDiag file is exactly what Team17 asked for, and DxDiag carries your hardware and driver details.
Cheats and WD-L errors
A cheat does not fix Elytra errors, and you do not need one to start the game. If WARDOGS refuses to launch with a WD-L code, close everything extra, launch the game clean and get it working first. Running third-party software on top of a game that is already failing its anti-cheat check only adds variables to an error nobody can see inside.
Once the game runs normally, check each build's card for its Windows requirements before buying, since they differ between products. Two options with broad Windows support:
- KRUSH: aim, ESP and Chams, Steam in windowed mode, Windows 10 or Windows 11, from $5 a day, $20 a week or $40 a month.
- NN LITE: ESP and radar with no aim, Steam in windowed or borderless mode, Windows 10 or Windows 11, from $3 a day, $12 a week or $25 a month.
Both are listed as undetected. The rest of the catalog, with status updated after each WARDOGS patch, is on the WARDOGS hacks page. If you are choosing between ESP-only and aim builds, our comparison of BMC LITE, BMC PRO and MONO helps narrow it down.
Stuck on a code that isn't listed here? Ask in our Telegram (300+ members) or Discord (2000+ members). If a new code shows up for several people at once, that is where we usually see it first.
FAQ: WARDOGS won't launch
How do I fix WARDOGS error WD-L014?
Update the game, run the Elytra repair tool, verify files in Steam and restart. If you ever installed the WARDOGS Playtest, remove it; players report that clears WD-L014. Team17 has a fix in development but has not given a date.
What causes WD-L018?
Team17 has not published a cause. Many reports involve Kaspersky, and adding the game folder as an exclusion fixed it for those players. Check any other antivirus and Windows Security for blocks too.
Is WD-L020 the same problem?
No. WD-L020 was tied to a specific Windows 11 update and has its own history, which we cover in the anti-cheat errors guide.
Will the Season 3 update fix these errors?
Unknown. Season 3 is due on November 12 according to the developers, with no separate announcement yet, and nothing has been said about WD-L014 or WD-L018 being part of it. Our Season 3 article tracks what is confirmed.
Does a cheat help get past a WD-L error?
No. ForgeCheats builds for WARDOGS need a game that already launches normally. Fix the error first, then pick a build from the WARDOGS cheat catalog that matches your Windows version.
