VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE appears when Windows tries to reset a graphics driver that stopped responding, but the reset fails. It often happens during gaming, video playback, browser GPU acceleration, or heavy graphics work.
This guide applies to Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs with NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel graphics hardware.
Does This Affect You?
TDR means Timeout Detection and Recovery. Windows gives the graphics driver a short time to respond, then tries to recover it. If recovery fails, Windows blue-screens to prevent the display driver problem from spreading further.
Clean Reinstall the Graphics Driver
- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, or Apps & features on Windows 10.
- Uninstall NVIDIA Graphics Driver, AMD Software, Intel Graphics Driver, or the related graphics package.
- Restart the PC.
- Download the newest driver directly from NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, or your PC maker for the exact model.
- Run the installer and choose Clean installation or a similar reset option if offered.
- Restart after installation.
Turn Off Hardware Acceleration in the Problem App
- If crashes happen only in Chrome or Edge, open browser settings and go to System and performance.
- Turn off Use graphics acceleration when available.
- For other apps, look under Performance or Advanced settings for hardware acceleration, GPU rendering, or similar wording.
- Restart the app and test again.
Undo Overclocks and Check GPU Temperature
- Reset GPU and CPU overclocks to stock settings in MSI Afterburner, AMD Adrenalin, BIOS, or the tool you used.
- Restart and test the workload that caused the crash.
- If stable, reapply any overclock slowly and test each change.
- Use HWMonitor, MSI Afterburner, or a similar tool to watch GPU temperature during games or heavy workloads.
- If temperatures stay around 85 C or higher, clean dust from fans and vents and verify GPU fans are spinning.
More TDR Checks
TdrDelay Is Only a Workaround
Power users can extend Windows’ graphics timeout with a Registry value named TdrDelay under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlGraphicsDrivers. This can mask a slow driver, but it is not a real fix and bad registry edits can create new problems.
Check Power Supply Capacity
A weak or aging PSU can make a GPU lose stable power under load. If you recently upgraded the graphics card, confirm the PSU meets wattage requirements and reseat GPU power cables.
Consider GPU Hardware Failure
If a fresh driver, stock clocks, good temperatures, and proper power do not help, the graphics card may be failing. Testing with another GPU is the clearest confirmation.
Sources
- Microsoft Learn: Bug Check 0x116 VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE
- NVIDIA Support: Timeout Detection and Recovery issues
- Microsoft Support: Troubleshoot blue screen errors