NVIDIA driver error: "Display driver stopped responding and has recovered"

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"Display driver stopped responding and has recovered" means Windows reset your NVIDIA driver because the GPU took too long to answer. A fresh driver install, default clock speeds and a check of cooling, power and memory fix most cases.

Applies to:Windows 10Windows 11
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What it means

"NVIDIA driver error occurred" is not one specific error, so first match it to the message you actually see. This article covers the "Display driver stopped responding and has recovered" popup. If Device Manager shows Code 43 instead, see NVIDIA GPU error Code 43. Installer failures such as "NVIDIA Installer failed" are not covered here.

The popup comes from a Windows safety feature called Timeout Detection and Recovery (TDR). Windows expects the GPU to finish or hand back its work within about 2 seconds by default. If it doesn't, Windows resets the driver and the GPU and restores the desktop. That reset is the flicker or black screen you saw, and it is logged in Event Viewer.

One recovery is an annoyance. Many in a short time are a problem: by default, after 5 or more recoveries within a minute, Windows stops with a blue screen on the next hang. Microsoft tracks that hang count under the code 0x117, but the stop code shown on your screen may differ.

Symptoms and causes

You are likely dealing with this problem if:

  • The screen goes black or flickers for a few seconds, usually in a game or other GPU-heavy work.
  • A popup says the display driver stopped responding and has recovered.
  • The game or app crashes or draws a black window afterwards.
  • Repeated recoveries end in a blue screen.

The usual causes, most common first:

Outdated or corrupt display driver
Microsoft lists a driver that is old or damaged, and so doesn't handle TDR properly, as a leading cause.
Hardware stress or faults
Overclocked components, wrong memory configuration or timings, poor cooling, an under-powered supply, or defective parts such as RAM or the motherboard.
System overloaded
Heavy visual effects or many background programs can slow the PC so much that the GPU can't respond in time.

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.Install the latest NVIDIA driver and update Windows

Easy

An outdated or damaged driver is the first thing Microsoft names for TDR events.

  1. Download the latest driver for your exact GPU model from nvidia.com and run the installer.
  2. If the installer offers a custom or clean installation option, choosing it is a common way to replace a damaged driver. This is general guidance, not taken from NVIDIA documentation, so follow the on-screen options for your driver version.
  3. Restart the PC.
  4. Open Settings > Windows Update and install pending updates, then update the game or app that crashes.

2.Check Event Viewer for other errors

Easy

Other entries around the time of the crash can point to the driver or device really at fault.

  1. Press WinR, type eventvwr.msc and press Enter.
  2. Go to Windows Logs > System and look for errors near the time of the flicker, especially entries naming a device or driver.

3.Remove overclocks and check cooling, power and memory

Moderate

Overclocking, heat, weak power and bad RAM are the hardware causes Microsoft lists.

  1. Reset the CPU, RAM and GPU to default speeds and timings (remove any overclock or XMP-style tuning you applied).
  2. Check that fans spin and vents are clear, and that your power supply is rated for the graphics card.
  3. Search the Start menu for Diagnose your computer's memory problems, choose to restart and check now, and let the test finish.
  4. After Windows starts, open Event Viewer and read the MemoryDiagnostics-Results entry. Also run your PC maker's hardware diagnostics if it provides them.

4.Close background programs and reduce visual effects

Easy

A heavily loaded PC can leave the GPU unable to answer within the timeout.

  1. Close programs you don't need while gaming or rendering.
  2. Lower visual effects in Windows and in the affected game's graphics settings.

5.Use Safe Mode to isolate the problem

Moderate

If the PC is stable in Safe Mode, a driver or software conflict is likelier than failing hardware.

  1. Open Settings > System > Recovery and click Restart now next to Advanced startup.
  2. Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
  3. Press 4, 5 or 6 to start Safe Mode, then use the PC and see whether the problem still appears.

Check that it worked

  • Games and GPU-heavy apps run without the black screen or the "stopped responding" popup.
  • No new display driver errors appear in Event Viewer under Windows Logs > System after normal use.

If it still fails

  • If the crashes continue at default speeds with a clean driver, suspect hardware: run the manufacturer's diagnostics and test with another power supply or RAM if you can.
  • Do not edit the TDR registry keys. Microsoft documents them for driver developers and advises end users not to change them.
  • If Device Manager shows Code 43, follow NVIDIA GPU error Code 43.
  • If the crashes happen in one specific game only, see Apex Legends DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED for a related crash type, and contact the game's support.
  • Contact NVIDIA or your PC maker's support with the Event Viewer details.

Questions

Why did I get a blue screen?

By default, after 5 or more recoveries within a minute, Windows stops with a blue screen on the next hang. Microsoft tracks that hang count as 0x117, but the stop code you see may be different.

Sources

  1. WDDM Support for Timeout Detection and Recovery (TDR)Official · Microsoft Learn
  2. Bug Check 0x117 VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTEDOfficial · Microsoft Learn

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