How To Fix Display Driver Failed To Start Issue

The “Display Driver Failed to Start Issue” is a graphics-related issue that is very common across the globe. This error occurs when users try to launch games or high-end software that requires full use of the graphics card. When it occurs, the screen freezes or turns black. The problem-causing app usually automatically terminates, and the display returns to normal. In some cases, reboot helps, but sometimes nothing works. In such situations, you can follow the ways explained in this post to fix the issue. Let’s begin.

How To Fix Display Driver Failed to Start

Whether your PC keeps getting the error that the display driver failed to start, the screen monitor repeatedly flashes on and off, or you left your PC for 30-60 minutes while playing a game just to encounter a frozen display. You’ve tried reinstalling the driver, which fixes the problem temporarily, but there is no permanent fix. You are at the right place. Here, we explain different expert-recommended methods that will help troubleshoot the issue.

Fix 1: Use The Hardware & Devices Troubleshooter

The “display driver failed to start” error can be fixed with the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter, an inbuilt tool. You can access it through Command Prompt by following these steps:

Step 1: Press Win + R to open the RUN box and type “cmd”.

Step 2: Press CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER to launch the Command Prompt in admin mode.

Step 3: Copy and paste the following command followed by the Enter key:

msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic

Step 4: Click on Next and follow the onscreen instructions to fix the error on your PC.

Fix 2: Modify Windows Visual Effect Settings

You can find different visual effects settings on Windows. These impact system performance; therefore, enabling all the settings simultaneously is not recommended. We suggest you enable the “adjust for best performance” setting only. Here is what you need to do:

Step 1: Press the Windows key, type “advanced system settings,” and click on the relevant result under best match.

Step 2: Click on the Settings option under the Performance category.

Step 3: Choose Adjust for best performance and click on Apply and OK.

Fix 3: Make Changes To The Windows Registry

Some experts have suggested changing the GraphicsDriver registry key to fix the “display driver failed to start” error. This adjustment involves adding a new TdrDelay DWORD value to prolong the Timeout Detection Delay. Here’s how you can edit the GraphicsDriver registry key:

Step 1: Press Win + R to open the RUN box.

Step 2: Type “regedit” and press OK.

Step 3: Copy and paste the following path into the address bar of the Registry.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers

Step 4: Right-click on the GraphicsDrivers registry entry to view the context menu.

Step 5: Select New > DWORD (32-bit) value.

Step 6: Rename the new key as TdrDelay and input “5” under value data.

Step 7: Click on OK and restart your computer.

Fix 4: Update Graphics Drivers

The next step to fix the “display driver failed to start the black screen” issue is to fix the graphics driver. There are three ways to update any driver installed on your PC:

Method 1: Use The Manufacturer’s Website

The original equipment manufacturers maintain a website for user convenience. These websites contain user manuals, updated drivers, and other resources related to the hardware. You can identify your graphics cards’ make and model numbers and download the latest driver from these websites.

Method 2: Use The Device Manager Tool

Microsoft provides all Windows users an inbuilt driver updater tool called the Device Manager. This tool helps download and update all the required drivers from the Microsoft Server. Here are the steps to use the tool.

Step 1: Press the Windows + X keys to launch the Windows Power Menu.

Step 2: Choose Device Manager from the list of options.

Step 3: A new window will open. You must locate and click on the Display Drivers category to expand it.

Step 4: Locate your Graphics card and right-click to view the context menu.

Step 5: Choose Update Drivers and follow the onscreen options to download and update the latest Drivers

Method 3: Use Advanced Driver Updater

If the above methods sound too technical for you, we have an easy method that will help you update your graphics card driver with a few mouse clicks.

Step 1: Download and install Advanced Driver Updater.

Step 2: Launch the app and click the Start Scan Now button.

Step 3: A list of driver issues will appear on the screen.

Step 4: Locate the Graphics Driver among the list and click on the update link next to it.

Step 5: The update process will now begin. Restart your computer once the update is completed.

Fix 5: Reset Windows

If none of the previously suggested solutions have proven effective, resetting Windows can be a final measure to resolve stubborn file system errors. Here’s how you can reset Windows 10 and 11:

Step 1. Open the Start menu and search for ‘Reset this PC.’ Then, open the corresponding option.

Step 2. Click on “Reset PC.”

Step 3. Select “Keep my files”.

Step 4. Follow the on-screen instructions to initiate the reset process for your Windows computer.

Have You Fixed the Display Driver Failed To Start Issue?

We hope that you are now able to fix the issue by following the steps mentioned above. In the comments section below, please describe which method worked for you.