Fix ERROR_GRAPHICS_OPM_ALL_HDCP_HARDWARE_ALREADY_IN_USE (0xC0262518)

Quick answer: Disconnect one or more displays from your GPU, then restart the app that triggered the error. That frees up an HDCP hardware path so the DRM-protected content can play.

This error shows up when you're trying to play protected video (like Netflix 4K, Blu-ray, or some streaming apps) and every HDCP-capable output on your graphics card is already locked by another process. Each GPU has a limited number of HDCP encryption engines — usually 2 or 4, depending on the model. If you've got three monitors plugged in and Netflix is already using two HDCP streams, that third app will hit this wall. The error code 0xC0262518 means "all HDCP hardware is already in use." I've seen it most often on dual-monitor setups where someone has a browser with Netflix open on one screen and then tries to play a protected video in a media player on the other. The GPU just can't do it.

Step 1: Force-close any apps using HDCP

1. Open Task Manager (press Ctrl+Shift+Esc).
2. Look under the Processes tab for anything playing video: chrome.exe, firefox.exe, Netflix.exe, VLC, PowerDVD, Movies & TV.
3. Right-click each one and select End task.
4. After closing them all, restart the app that gave the error.

Expected outcome: If the error was from a second app fighting for HDCP, it should now play fine. If not, move to the next step.

Step 2: Unplug one display

This is the fix that works 9 times out of 10.

1. Unplug one of your monitors from the GPU. If you have a laptop with an external display, disconnect that external monitor and use only the laptop screen.
2. Wait 5 seconds so Windows recognizes the change.
3. Launch the app that showed the error.
4. If the video plays, you're good. Plug the monitor back in after the video starts — most apps won't re-check HDCP status mid-playback.

Expected outcome: The protected content starts. This proves the GPU ran out of HDCP engines.

Step 3: Disable HDCP on one display (if you can't or won't unplug)

On some NVIDIA and AMD cards, you can turn off HDCP for a specific display using the driver control panel. This is temporary — it'll re-enable after reboot.

1. Right-click your desktop and open NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Radeon Software.
2. Go to Display > Set up digital audio (NVIDIA) or Display Options (AMD).
3. Look for an option called HDCP support or Protected content. It's often under a submenu labeled EDID or Display Information.
4. Uncheck Enable HDCP for one display. You'll get a warning about DRM content — that's fine, it just means that monitor can't play protected content until you turn it back on.
5. Click Apply. You should see a confirmation that the setting changed.

Expected outcome: That display no longer consumes an HDCP engine, freeing one for your primary app. If the option isn't there (common on laptops), use the registry method below.

Step 4: Registry tweak to reduce HDCP engines used (Windows 10/11, advanced)

This tells Windows to only use one HDCP engine at a time. It might hurt performance on multi-stream setups, but it fixes the error.

1. Press Win+R, type regedit, hit Enter.
2. Navigate to:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers\

3. Right-click in the right pane, choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
4. Name it HdcpMaxStreams.
5. Double-click it, set Value data to 1, click OK.
6. Close Regedit and restart your computer.

Expected outcome: Windows now only allocates one HDCP stream at a time. This should prevent the error, but you won't be able to play protected content on two screens simultaneously.

Alternative fix: Update or roll back your GPU driver

Sometimes a driver update breaks the HDCP engine count. If the error started right after a driver update, roll back:

1. Open Device Manager (right-click Start > Device Manager).
2. Expand Display adapters, right-click your GPU, choose Properties.
3. Go to the Driver tab, click Roll Back Driver if available.

If rollback isn't there or doesn't help, download the latest driver from the GPU manufacturer's site (not Windows Update) and do a clean installation. For NVIDIA, check the "Perform a clean installation" box. For AMD, use the Factory Reset option in the installer.

Prevention tip

Stick to two displays max if you regularly play protected content. If you need three monitors, make sure only two are ever running HDCP streams at the same time. Close any video-playing apps you aren't watching — they hold HDCP engines even when minimized. And if you use a docking station, check that it supports HDCP pass-through; cheap docks sometimes lie and claim HDCP support when they don't, which can confuse the GPU into reserving an engine that never actually works.