How to Fix VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE on Windows 11/10

Clean-install the graphics driver

Microsoft’s first advice for this stop code is the latest display driver. A clean install removes leftovers from older versions, which a normal update leaves behind.

• Download the driver for your exact graphics card from NVIDIA or AMD, or from Intel. On a laptop, start with the laptop maker’s support page.
• Run the installer and choose the clean option: NVIDIA calls it Perform a clean installation (under Custom), AMD calls it Factory Reset.
• Crashes began right after a driver update? Roll back instead: in Device Manager, open Display adapters, right-click your graphics card, choose Properties > Driver > Roll Back Driver. The video below shows this. Or install the previous version from the maker’s site.

Remove every overclock

Microsoft lists overclocked components and memory settings among the causes. A graphics card that runs fine for months can become unstable after a driver update, a hot summer or simply age.

• Graphics card: reset MSI Afterburner, AMD Adrenalin tuning, or whatever tool you used, to default. Factory-overclocked cards can be turned down a little in the same tools.
• CPU and RAM: enter the BIOS and load the default settings, or turn off XMP or EXPO.
• Test for a few days. If the crashes stop, bring back one change at a time, smaller than before.

Check temperatures and clean out the dust

Insufficient cooling is another cause Microsoft names. A hot graphics card slows down and stalls, which is exactly what trips the 2-second timer.

• Watch the temperature: open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), go to Performance and select your GPU. Dedicated graphics cards show their temperature there. Play the game in a window and keep an eye on it.
• Clean the dust: shut down, unplug, and blow out the graphics card, case fans and filters with compressed air. Hold the fans still while you do it.
• Give it air: make sure the case fans spin, nothing blocks the vents, and a laptop sits on a hard surface, not a bed or a lap.

Check power and reseat the graphics card

Insufficient system power is on Microsoft’s list too. A graphics card that briefly does not get enough power stalls in the middle of a frame.

• Check the power supply’s wattage against the graphics card maker’s recommended power supply size, listed on the card’s spec page.
• Use separate cables: if the card has two or three power sockets, connect each one with its own cable from the power supply rather than one split cable, where possible.
• Reseat the card: shut down, unplug, remove the card, then push it back into its slot until it clicks and reconnect the power cables firmly.

Turn off PCI Express power saving

Windows can lower the power to the graphics card’s connection when it thinks the card is idle. On some PCs the card does not wake up fast enough. Turning this saving off is a commonly reported fix, and it is the second part of the video below.

• Open Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options, then Change plan settings next to your plan, and Change advanced power settings.
• Expand PCI Express > Link State Power Management and set it to Off (on a laptop, for both On battery and Plugged in). Select OK.

Update the game, close overlays and background apps

Microsoft also mentions games that need patches, and too many programs running in the background. If only one game crashes, start there.

• Update the game and verify its files in Steam, the Epic Games launcher or the Xbox app.
• Turn off overlays: Discord, Steam, NVIDIA and Xbox Game Bar overlays, plus FPS counters and screen recorders. Turn them back on one at a time later.
• Close background apps you do not need, especially browser tabs playing video and RGB or monitoring tools.

Test your memory

Microsoft lists memory problems and wrong memory timings among the causes, and suggests the Windows Memory Diagnostic.

• Press Windows + R, type mdsched and press Enter, then choose Restart now and check for problems.
• Errors found? Reset XMP or EXPO, then test one memory stick at a time to find the faulty one.

Test the graphics card, or reinstall Windows

If nothing above helps, find out whether the card itself is failing. Microsoft suggests running the maker’s hardware diagnostics.

• Run your PC maker’s diagnostics (Dell SupportAssist, HP PC Hardware Diagnostics, Lenovo Vantage and similar) and test the graphics.
• Desktop with built-in graphics? Remove the graphics card and plug the monitor into the motherboard. If the crashes stop, the card is the likely cause. Testing the card in another PC confirms it.
• Rule out Windows: on Windows 11, Settings > System > Recovery > Fix problems using Windows Update > Reinstall now replaces Windows files but keeps your apps and files. Reset this PC with Keep my files is the last software step.

Clean-install new drivers

Use the clean or factory reset option every time you update the graphics driver, and wait a few days before installing a brand new release on a PC you rely on.

Clean the dust twice a year

Graphics card fans clog faster than you think, and heat is one of the main causes of this crash.

Overclock gently, or not at all

If you tune your graphics card, leave a margin. A setting that passes a 10 minute test can still crash after two hours of gaming.

Size the power supply for upgrades

When you buy a bigger graphics card, check that the power supply matches the maker’s recommendation.