Apex Legends DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED: how to fix the crash

Published By helps.wiki editorial team

DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED means Windows lost contact with your graphics card while Apex Legends was using it, usually because the GPU stopped responding and the driver was reset. Updating Windows and the graphics driver is the first thing to try, and a clean driver reinstall or a rollback often helps. No single fix works for everyone.

Applies to:WindowsPC with NVIDIA, AMD or Intel graphicsApex LegendsPC (DirectX 11 and 12)
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What it means

This is not really an Apex Legends bug. It is a general Windows and DirectX error. Microsoft describes DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED (0x887A0005) as the video card having been physically removed, or a driver upgrade having happened, so the program must destroy its graphics device and create a new one. Apex does not recover, so it closes.

In practice the card is rarely unplugged. More often the GPU stopped answering for too long and Windows reset it through a feature called timeout detection and recovery (TDR). By default Windows waits about 2 seconds. The related DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG (0x887A0006) is what many Apex players see, and the fixes overlap. There is a separate page for it: DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG (0x887A0006).

I found no official EA or Respawn help article for this exact error, so the steps below rest on Microsoft and Intel documentation plus community advice. Treat them as things to try in order, not a guaranteed cure.

Symptoms and causes

You are likely dealing with this problem if:

  • Apex Legends crashes to the desktop, often in the middle of a match, with a message naming DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED, 0x887A0005 or 0x887A0006.
  • The screen may flicker or go black just before the crash.
  • Event Viewer may log "Display driver stopped responding and has recovered", which is the TDR message.

The usual causes, most common first:

Graphics driver crash or hang (TDR)
Windows resets the GPU when it cannot finish a task in about 2 seconds. A buggy or mismatched driver is the usual trigger. Intel ties one Apex crash on Iris Xe graphics to driver and Windows update problems.
Driver changed while the game runs
Microsoft lists a driver upgrade as one reason for this error.
Unstable GPU or memory settings
Overclocks, undervolts and factory-overclocked cards can become unstable under load. This comes from community advice, not a vendor document.
Overlays and capture tools
Software that hooks into the game, such as Discord, GeForce Experience or Steam overlays, is commonly blamed by players.
Power, heat or a failing card
An insufficient power supply, overheating or a dying GPU are reported by the community.
DirectX 12 mode or damaged game files
Both are community suggestions with lower confidence.

How to fix it

Work through these in order. They start with the quickest, safest checks and move to deeper repairs; stop as soon as the problem is gone.

1.Update Windows and the graphics driver

Easy

Intel says the Iris Xe version of this crash is addressed by the latest Intel Graphics Windows DCH driver plus the latest Windows Update (KB5010414). Current drivers are also the standard first step for NVIDIA and AMD.

  1. Open Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates. Install everything offered, then restart.
  2. Download the latest driver for your card from the NVIDIA, AMD or Intel website and install it. Restart the PC.
  3. Launch Apex Legends and play a few matches.

2.Return the GPU to stock and turn off overlays

Easy

Unstable clocks and injected overlays are common reported triggers, and both are quick to rule out.

  1. Reset any overclock or undervolt in your tuning software to default, and close the tool.
  2. Turn off overlays such as Discord, GeForce Experience and Steam while testing.
  3. Play again. If the crash is gone, re-enable things one at a time to find the culprit.

3.Roll back the graphics driver

Easy

If the crashes started right after a driver update, an older driver is a reasonable test. In 2019 Respawn recommended this for NVIDIA, though that advice was version-specific and old.

  1. Right-click Start and open Device Manager.
  2. Expand Display adapters, right-click your GPU and choose Properties.
  3. Open the Driver tab and click Roll Back Driver. If the button is greyed out, no earlier driver is stored, so skip to the clean reinstall.
  4. Restart and test Apex.

4.Clean-reinstall the graphics driver

ModerateChanges settings

A leftover or damaged driver install can keep causing resets even after updating. Community advice is to use Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) in Safe Mode, then install a fresh driver.

Before you start: Download the new driver installer first, because you will have no vendor driver during the process. Create a restore point before you start. Get DDU only from its official developer page.

  1. Download the newest driver for your GPU from the vendor and save it locally.
  2. Boot into Safe Mode and run DDU to remove the current display driver.
  3. Restart normally and run the installer you saved. Restart again and test Apex.

5.Repair game files and try DirectX 11

Easy

Damaged files and DirectX 12 mode are community-reported factors. Neither is confirmed by EA documentation.

  1. In the EA app, open Apex Legends and use the repair option. In Steam, right-click the game, open Properties > Installed Files and choose Verify integrity of game files.
  2. If you launch Apex with a DirectX 12 option in Steam or the EA app, remove it so the game starts in DirectX 11. Check the exact option name in your launcher, since I could not confirm the steps from a vendor page.

6.Check temperatures and power

Moderate

Overheating, a weak power supply or a failing GPU can all make the card stop responding.

  1. Watch GPU temperature while playing and clean dust from the case and cooler if it runs very hot.
  2. Confirm your power supply meets the GPU maker's recommended wattage.
  3. Lower in-game graphics settings and see whether the crashes stop. If they do, hardware is a likely cause.

Check that it worked

  • Apex Legends runs through several full matches without the DXGI message.
  • Event Viewer shows no new "Display driver stopped responding and has recovered" entries after playing.

If it still fails

  • Write down which driver version you have and whether the crash began after an update, then test a different driver version on purpose.
  • Test another demanding game. If it also crashes with a device error, the problem is the GPU, power or cooling rather than Apex.
  • Contact EA Help or the GPU maker's support with the driver version and the error code. Some users report that repeated clean AMD installs did not help, so support may be needed.
  • Windows documents TDR registry keys such as TdrDelay, but Microsoft says they are for driver development and testing and that end users should not change them. This article does not recommend editing them.

Questions

Does this mean my graphics card is dead?

Not necessarily. Most cases are driver resets. Hardware failure is possible but is one of the less common causes in the reports I found.

What happens if the GPU keeps resetting?

Microsoft's defaults allow 5 TDR events within 60 seconds. Beyond that Windows stops with a bug check (0x117), which appears as a blue screen.

Sources

  1. DXGI_ERROR (Winerror.h) - Win32 appsOfficial · Microsoft Learn
  2. WDDM Support for Timeout Detection and Recovery (TDR)Official · Microsoft Learn
  3. Testing and Debugging TDR During Driver DevelopmentOfficial · Microsoft Learn
  4. Apex Legends crash on Intel Iris Xe (0x887A0006 DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG)Official · Intel
  5. Apex Legends: How to fix DXGI error on PC · Dexerto

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