How to Fix Video TDR Failure on Windows

What Causes This?

A Video TDR Failure usually happens when Windows detects that your graphics driver stopped responding and tries to reset it. TDR stands for Timeout Detection and Recovery, and when that reset fails, Windows can crash with a blue screen.

The most common causes are outdated or corrupted display drivers, GPU overheating, unstable overclocks, damaged system files, or conflicts caused by recent Windows or driver updates. Low free disk space and heavy temporary file buildup can also make the system less stable during updates and driver operations.

Common Symptoms

• Blue screen with the message VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE
• Crashes while gaming, streaming, or using graphics-heavy apps
• Screen freezing, flickering, or going black before a restart
• Problems starting Windows normally after a crash
• Errors pointing to files like nvlddmkm.sys or atikmpag.sys

How to Fix It Manually

1. Restart into Safe Mode if Windows keeps crashing

   1. Hold Shift and click Restart from the Start menu power options.
   2. Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
   3. Press 4 for Safe Mode or 5 for Safe Mode with Networking.

2. Reinstall your graphics driver cleanly

   1. Press Windows + X and click Device Manager.
   2. Expand Display adapters.
   3. Right-click your graphics card and select Uninstall device.
   4. Check Attempt to remove the driver for this device if the option appears, then click Uninstall.
   5. Restart your PC.
   6. Install the latest driver from your GPU maker:
      • NVIDIA: nvidia.com/Download
      • AMD: amd.com/support
      • Intel: intel.com/support/detect

3. Roll back a recent driver update if the problem started after updating

   1. Open Device Manager.
   2. Expand Display adapters and double-click your GPU.
   3. Open the Driver tab.
   4. Click Roll Back Driver if available, then restart your PC.

4. Check for overheating or unstable overclock settings

   1. If you use MSI Afterburner, ASUS GPU Tweak, or similar tools, reset GPU and VRAM clocks to default.
   2. Shut down the PC and make sure vents and fans are not blocked by dust.
   3. On a laptop, use it on a hard surface so airflow is not restricted.

5. Repair Windows system files

   1. Press Windows, type cmd.
   2. Right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
   3. Run these commands one at a time:

      sfc /scannow
      DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

   4. Restart your PC after both scans finish.

6. Install Windows updates

   1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
   2. Go to Windows Update.
   3. Click Check for updates and install everything available, including optional driver-related updates if they are relevant to your GPU.

7. Free up disk space and remove temporary files

   1. Press Windows + I > System > Storage.
   2. Click Temporary files.
   3. Select items you want to remove, then click Remove files.
   4. Make sure your system drive has healthy free space, especially before installing drivers or updates.

Fix It Automatically with Kudu

If you do not want to dig through drivers, temp files, and system cleanup manually, Kudu can help. It scans for junk files, clears temporary clutter, and helps reduce the system instability that can make crashes and failed updates more likely.

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