Steps to fix 'Application Has Been Blocked From Accessing Graphics Hardware' error in Windows

You are playing your favorite game on Windows and suddenly get the error "Application has been blocked from accessing graphics hardware". You are probably also facing the same error when running other software programs on your PC. So what is causing this problem and how are you going to solve it?

Usually, you will encounter this error when your device has an incompatible display driver. However, there are several causes of this problem and we will explore them in detail in the following article.

1. Run the application with admin rights

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One of the best ways to solve this problem is to run the problematic application with admin rights. When you do this, the program will have access to a number of features, including graphics hardware.

To run an application with admin rights, right-click the application and select Run as administrator. If not, try different ways to run Windows apps with admin rights.

2. Customize graphics performance options for the affected application

If the problem is limited to a specific game or application, setting the graphics performance preferences can help. These settings are intended to provide better application performance or extend the battery life of your PC.

So here's how you can customize the graphics performance options for the problematic application:

Step 1: Navigate to Start Menu > PC Settings > System > Display and select Graphics settings.

Step 2: Next, search for the application by clicking the Browse button in the Choose an app to set preference option.

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Step 3: Select the application and then press the Add button. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

3. Configure app compatibility mode settings

This error can appear if the application has incorrect compatibility mode settings. In this case, you can configure compatibility settings or run the compatibility troubleshooter.

First let's see how you can configure compatibility mode settings:

Step 1: Click on the Windows search bar and enter the program name.

Step 2: Right-click on the program and select Open target folder.

Step 3: Next, right-click the application's executable (.exe) file and click Properties.

Step 4: Navigate to the Compatibility tab.

Step 5: Check the box Run this program in compatibility mode for.

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Step 6: Next, click on the drop-down menu below this option and select a relevant option. Click Apply > OK when you're done.

If the problem persists, you can now try running the compatibility troubleshooter. Here's how to do it:

Step 1: Navigate to the Compatibility tab following the previous steps.

Step 2: Click the Run the compatibility troubleshooter button.

Step 3: Select Troubleshoot program in the next window.

Step 4: Check the relevant boxes based on the problem you are facing. Click Next when you're done.

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Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

4. Update or reinstall the display driver

You may experience this problem if the device has an incompatible or damaged display driver. So you can solve the problem by updating or reinstalling these drivers.

In case the problem persists after updating the driver, reinstall the Display adapter by following these steps:

Step 1: Open Device Manager and double-click Display adapters.

Step 2: Right-click the Display adapter and select Uninstall device.

Step 3: Finally, navigate to the Action tab and select Scan for hardware changes.

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When the scan is complete, restart your PC to save these changes.

5. Run Hardware and Devices troubleshooter

Windows has a number of troubleshooting tools that can help you with system-related problems. In this case, using the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter can be helpful. Here's how you can run the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter:

Step 1: Navigate to Start Menu > PC Settings > Update & Security and select Troubleshoot in the left pane.

Step 2: Scroll down on the right pane, click the Hardware and Devices option and click Run the troubleshooter. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

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6. Use a system restore point

If this error started appearing recently, a system restore point can help. In this case, System Restore will return your PC to its previous state and eliminate any problems.

7. Configure Settings in Registry Editor

Configuring a few settings in Registry Editor is one of the best ways to deal with this problem. However, be careful not to edit or delete the wrong keys during this process. To avoid any problems, start by backing up the Registry.

Now, to solve this problem, we will configure the TDR (Timeout Detection and Recovery) key. The TDR feature detects feedback issues from the graphics card and resolves them by resetting the card. If there is no response from the graphics card for a specific period of time, the device will automatically reset the graphics card.

Now, use Registry Editor to set the TDR (Timeout Detection and Recovery) value:

Step 1: Press Win + R to launch the Run dialog box.

Step 2: Type Regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.

Step 3: Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > ControlSet001 > Control > GraphicsDrivers

Step 4: Right-click anywhere on the right pane and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.

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Step 5: Name the new value TdrDelay and press Enter. Next, double click on the TdrDelay value and change its Value data to 8.

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Step 6: Restart the PC to save these changes. If the problem is with the graphics card, then the TDR feature will solve the problem by resetting the card.

8. Updating the device

If all else fails, you may have to update your PC. Once the device is updated, you should be able to fix this and any other system problems.

It's really annoying when you randomly get the error 'Application has been blocked from accessing graphics hardware'. However, fixing the problem is pretty easy - just apply whatever fixes the article has suggested.

Jessica Tanner

Update 23 October 2021