Application Has Been Blocked from Accessing Graphics Hardware Error on Windows – Fixed

Are you trying to launch the game, but suddenly, you get an error that says, “Application has been blocked from accessing graphics hardware.” out of nowhere? What would you do? Several users do not know how to manage the error or why it occurred in the first place. Since the error prompt highlights the graphics hardware, users tend to believe that their physical GPU is no longer working properly. 

That is not always true, as the error generally appears when using incompatible PC drivers. More or less, it can be said that the “Application has been blocked from accessing graphics hardware” issue appears due to a lack of compatibility between the application, GPU, and the drivers in use. 

 In this post, let us look at how to help you fix it. 

How to Get Rid of App Has Been Blocked from Accessing Graphics Hardware

The error directly coincides with your PC’s GPU. The issue will reflect on every heavy GPU-oriented application you run, including all your games, editing apps, and high-rendering applications. You will have to manage many things if you want to get rid of this error.

Here are a few ways that may help you out. 

1. Ensure That Your Dedicated GPU is Being Used

First, you should identify whether the error appears on every other application or any particular app. If it is an issue with a game or editing application specifically, you should check and ensure that it is using the dedicated graphics on your PC.

Step 1 – Press Win+I to open the System Settings.
Step 2 – In the System Settings, click on Display options.

Step 3 – In Display options, scroll to find Related settings and click on Graphics.

Step 4 – Now, spot your application in the list and click on it to find the Options button.

Step 5 – Click on options and select the High-Performance mode with dedicated GPU to fix the error. 

If your application is unavailable on the list, do not worry; you can manually add it. Scroll up and click on the browser button. Navigate through the explorer and add the .exe file for the application to add it to the list.

This method will help you ensure your application uses the correct GPU. If the “Application has been blocked from accessing graphics hardware” appears again, do not worry; the next fix will help.

2. Launch the App Using Admin Rights

Sometimes, permissions become a solid reason behind this error. If you have recently installed an application and are facing the error, you should try launching the application using the administrator right. 

All you have to do is navigate to the launch icon, right-click on it, and click on Run as administrator. This will launch the app with all the permissions. If it works, follow the steps below to ensure it always uses the admin mode. 

Step 1 – Go to the launch icon and right-click to find the Properties option.

Step 2 – In Properties, navigate to the compatibility tab.

Step 3 – Enable the Run as administrator option in the Compatibility options, and you are good to go.

With this option enabled, you can launch the app with a simple double-click, and it will work properly. 

3. Change the Compatibility Mode

The compatibility mode for any application may differ. Especially when you have recently upgraded the OS on your PC and have come across the “Application has been blocked from accessing graphics hardware” error while launching an older app. 

Step 1 – Go to the launch icon and right-click to find the Properties option.
Step 2 – In Properties, navigate to the Compatibility tab.

Step 3 – Enable the Run this program in compatibility mode and use the dropdown to select the last known OS configuration that you have used the app with

After making these changes, save them and try launching the app again. Now, you should be able to bypass the error and use the application as you see fit. 

4. Use the Compatibility Troubleshooter

Another step you can try via the Compatibility tab is using Windows’s troubleshooter. You may use it to identify the gaps in the application’s compatibility. This will answer whether the error lies in the application or with your GPU.

To run this troubleshooter, open the Compatibility tab in properties again. 

Step 1 – Go to the launch icon and right-click to find the Properties option.
Step 2 – In Properties, navigate to the Compatibility tab.

Step 3 – Click on the Run compatibility troubleshooter for the application.
Step 4 – Let it run, and once it is finished, you will get the results

Now, after performing the troubleshooting, try running the application, and the error “Application has been blocked from accessing graphics hardware” will not appear. 

5. Update GPU Drivers

If compatibility is not the issue here, chances are that the GPU on your PC is using outdated drivers. It is a common problem as users do not know how to update drivers on Windows. And even those who know do not know exactly when to check for updates, as nothing is automated. 

We recommend you ditch the traditional method and shift to Advanced Driver Updater to automate the process and update the drivers instantly. It does the processing in just 3 steps. 

Step 1 – Download and install the app on your PC.

Step 2 – Use the Start Scan Now button to start the process.

Step 3 – Finish the process by clicking Update All after the scan. 

Updating the drivers is the last step to ensure 100% compatibility of the GPU with the PC and application. 

Other than these fixes, ensure you are using the latest version of the application/game that keeps showing you the “Application has been blocked from accessing graphics hardware” error prompt. Also, ensure that there are no pending updates on your PC. 

Needless to say, the error will be resolved after trying these fixes and taking care of the compatibility issues. If any of these steps appear complicated, please drop us a line in the comments section. Always keep your drivers updated, which is crucial for running applications on your PC. That will be all for this one. Thanks for reading, good luck!

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