You’re sitting there, ready to finally jump into a match, and then it happens. A tiny, annoying box pops up: launch error please close interception. It feels like the game is accusing you of something you didn't even do. Honestly, it's one of those errors that makes you want to put your fist through the monitor because it's so vague. What is "Interception"? Why is it running? And why does Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) hate it so much?
The truth is, this isn't a virus. It’s usually a leftover driver from an old peripheral or a macro tool you forgot you installed. Most players run into this while trying to play Apex Legends, Rust, or Fortnite. The game's anti-cheat software sees a specific driver called interception.sys and immediately pulls the emergency brake. It thinks you’re using a software-based aimbot or a script to gain an unfair advantage. Even if you just wanted to remap a broken key on an old keyboard, EAC doesn't care about your intentions.
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What is the Interception Driver anyway?
Basically, Interception is a legitimate C library used by developers to capture and modify input from keyboards and mice. It's powerful. It operates at the kernel level. Because it sits so deep in your Windows operating system, it has the ability to "intercept" your mouse movements before the game even sees them. That is exactly why anti-cheat systems flag it. If a program can change where your mouse is pointing without you moving your hand, that's the literal definition of an aimbot in the eyes of a developer.
A lot of people actually have this on their system because of a program called Interaccel. This was a popular tool for mouse acceleration back in the day before Windows improved its own settings. Or maybe you used a specific remapping tool for a DIY flight sim cockpit. Somewhere along the line, that interception.sys file got tucked away in your drivers folder, and now it's haunting your gaming sessions.
Why standard uninstallation fails
You can't just go to "Add or Remove Programs" and fix this. It’s not an "app" in the traditional sense. It's a driver. Drivers are like the roots of a tree; you can't just trim the leaves and expect the root to vanish. If you try to just delete the file, Windows might even prevent you from doing it because the system thinks the driver is currently "in use."
The step-by-step fix that actually works
You need to use a command-line uninstaller. It sounds scary if you aren't a tech person, but it’s really just typing a few words into a black box. First, you have to find the original files. If you don't have them anymore, you actually have to download the Interception library again just to use its "uninstall" command. It sounds counterintuitive, I know.
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- Go to the official GitHub repository for Interception (created by Francisco Lopes).
- Download the latest release zip file.
- Extract it to your desktop.
- Open your Command Prompt (CMD) but make sure you right-click it and Run as Administrator. This is the part most people miss. If you don't run as admin, the command will just bounce back with an "Access Denied" error.
Once you have that black window open, you need to navigate to the "command line installer" folder inside the stuff you just extracted. You’ll usually type something like cd desktop/Interception/command line installer. Once you are in that directory, type this exactly: install-interception.exe /uninstall.
Hit enter. If it says "Interception successfully uninstalled," you’re halfway there. You must reboot your computer. Do not skip the reboot. The driver stays loaded in the RAM until the system power cycles. If you try to launch your game immediately after running the command, you’ll likely see the same launch error please close interception message and get even more frustrated.
Dealing with persistent "Access Denied" issues
Sometimes, even with admin rights, Windows gets stubborn. This usually happens if another program is actively using the driver. If the CMD method fails, you might have to go into Safe Mode. To do this, hold Shift while clicking "Restart" from your Start menu. Navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart. Then press 4 or F4. Once you’re in that weird, low-resolution version of Windows, try the CMD uninstaller again. It almost always works there because non-essential drivers aren't loaded.
Searching for the ghost files
If the uninstaller didn't work or you can't find it, you can manually hunt for the file. Open your File Explorer and go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers. Look for a file named interception.sys.
Warning: Be careful in this folder. Deleting the wrong thing can make your keyboard stop working entirely.
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If you see interception.sys, try to delete it. If Windows says it's in use, rename it to interception.sys.old. This "tricks" the anti-cheat because it's no longer looking for a file with that specific extension, and it prevents the driver from loading on the next boot. After you rename it, restart. After the restart, you should be able to delete the .old file without any complaints from the system.
Why Easy Anti-Cheat is so aggressive
You might be wondering why games like The Finals or Apex are so sensitive. In 2024 and 2025, the "cheat war" escalated. Developers started seeing a massive influx of "DMA" (Direct Memory Access) cheats and "external" scripts. Since Interception is a legitimate tool used by some of these external cheat providers to simulate human mouse movement, the anti-cheat providers decided to just blacklist the driver entirely.
It’s a "scorched earth" policy. They’d rather block a few legitimate users who want mouse acceleration than let one cheater through with a sophisticated script. It’s annoying for us, but from a developer's perspective, it's a necessary evil to keep the leaderboards somewhat clean.
Other programs that trigger similar errors
While Interception is the main culprit for this specific error string, other software can cause similar "launch error" headaches. If you’ve cleared out Interception and you're still getting kicked, check for these:
- Vjoy: Often used for controller emulation.
- AutoHotKey (AHK): Some games block this entirely, even if you just use it for volume shortcuts.
- ReWASD: This one became famous recently because Call of Duty and Apex started banning users for having it installed, as it allows for aim assist on mouse and keyboard.
- Old Lighting Controllers: Some very old RGB software uses vulnerable drivers that anti-cheats flag as potential entry points for exploits.
Final checklist for a clean launch
If you've followed the steps and you're still staring at that error, there's a last-resort "clean up" phase. Sometimes the registry keys stay behind even after the driver is gone.
Open regedit (Registry Editor). Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services. Look for a folder named "Interception". If it’s there, delete the entire folder. Again, be extremely cautious. Deleting the wrong registry key is a one-way ticket to a Windows reinstallation.
After cleaning the registry and deleting the .sys file from your drivers folder, run a "Verify Integrity of Game Files" through Steam or the EA App. This ensures the game itself wasn't corrupted while it was trying to fight the "interception" ghost in your machine.
Actionable insights to get back in the game
- Identify the source: Check if you ever installed Interaccel or a custom keyboard remapper.
- Use the official uninstaller: Don't just delete files; use the
/uninstallflag in CMD as an administrator. - The Reboot is Non-Negotiable: The driver is loaded in the kernel; it only leaves when the power cuts.
- Check for ReWASD: If the error persists after deleting Interception, ReWASD is the most likely secondary culprit in the current gaming climate.
- Update your BIOS and Chipset: Occasionally, very old motherboard drivers can mimic the behavior of interceptor drivers, though this is rare on modern builds.
By following the command-line uninstallation method, you effectively remove the kernel-level hook that Easy Anti-Cheat is flagging. Once that hook is gone and the system is rebooted, the launch error please close interception message will disappear, allowing you to get back into the lobby without further issues.