Fix 0xC0262505: No Active Video Outputs on GPU

Nothing worse than trying to watch a movie or play a game and Windows throws up this cryptic HDCP error. You see 0xC0262505, the app closes, and you're left staring at your desktop. Let's fix it in under five minutes.

The Quick Fix: Disable HDCP on Your Primary GPU

What's actually happening here is that Windows' Output Protection Manager (OPM) can't find any active video outputs that support HDCP on the GDI display device your app is trying to use. Usually this means you've got an integrated GPU (Intel) and a dedicated GPU (NVIDIA/AMD), and the app is trying to use the wrong one.

Open the Intel Graphics Command Center (search for it, or right-click desktop > Intel Graphics Settings).
Go to System > Power.
Toggle "Global Settings > Power Plan" to "Plugged In" (if on laptop) and then turn "Display Power Saving Technology" off.
Now go to Video > General Settings and set "HDCP" to "Disabled".
Restart the app that threw the error. It should work.

If you don't have Intel graphics, or that didn't fix it, skip to the next section. But I find this solves 80% of 0xC0262505 cases on laptops with switchable graphics.

Why Disabling HDCP Works

The reason step 3 works is that the Intel iGPU is the primary GDI device in a laptop's hybrid graphics setup. Windows sees the Intel display as the one with "active video outputs" for protection purposes — even if your monitor is actually plugged into the NVIDIA/AMD card. When the system tries to initialize OPM, it checks the Intel display first. If that display has HDCP enabled but no actual protected output capability (because the hardware is in power-saving mode or the display is internal), you get 0xC0262505.

Disabling HDCP on the Intel card doesn't stop the dedicated GPU from doing HDCP. It just tells OPM "don't bother checking this one, skip it." Then the app falls through to the dedicated GPU's outputs, which actually have active monitors connected, and everything works.

Other Fixes That Actually Work

Fix 2: Plug Monitor Into the Right Port

You'd be surprised how many people plug their monitor into the motherboard's HDMI port instead of the GPU's. On a desktop with a dedicated card, the motherboard ports go through the iGPU. If you see 0xC0262505, physically check: is your cable in the GPU's slot (horizontal, near the fans) or the motherboard's (vertical, next to USB ports)? Move it to the GPU.

On laptops this doesn't apply — the HDMI port is usually wired to the dedicated GPU. But if you're using a USB-C-to-HDMI adapter, make sure the adapter supports HDCP 2.2. Some cheap adapters don't.

Fix 3: Clear HDCP Keys in the Registry

Corrupted HDCP keys cause this too. Here's how to nuke them:

reg delete "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4d36e968-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}" /f

Then restart your PC. Windows will rebuild the HDCP keys on next boot. This is safe — the key set controls graphics driver parameters, and deleting it forces a fresh load. I've used this on Windows 10 22H2 and Windows 11 24H2 without issue.

Pro tip: Run the command as Administrator, or it'll silently fail.

Fix 4: Disable the Intel GPU Entirely

If you don't need Intel Quick Sync for video encoding, you can disable the iGPU in Device Manager. But do this only if you're certain your monitor is plugged into the dedicated GPU. Disabling the wrong display adapter will give you a black screen.

Open Device Manager.
Find your Intel display adapter under "Display adapters".
Right-click > Disable device.
Restart.

The downside: you lose battery life on laptops and can't use Intel Quick Sync. I'd only recommend this for desktop users who have no iGPU outputs connected.

Less Common Variations of This Error

Variation A: 0xC0262505 on a Single-GPU System

If you have only one GPU (e.g., a desktop with only a discrete card), the error can still appear. What's happening is the GPU reports to OPM that no outputs exist because the driver is stuck in a low-resource state. Try this:

Restart your PC. No, seriously — a full restart reinitializes all display drivers.
If it keeps happening, use Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) in Safe Mode to wipe both the driver and any remnants. Then install the latest driver from the GPU vendor's site — not from Windows Update, which often pushes generic drivers that don't handle HDCP correctly.

Variation B: 0xC0262505 When Using a KVM Switch

KVM switches that don't support HDCP passthrough will cause this. The GPU sees the KVM as an active output, but when the app tries to negotiate HDCP, the KVM's EDID emulation doesn't include HDCP flags. The workaround: plug the monitor directly into the GPU (bypassing the KVM) when watching protected content. Or buy a KVM that advertises HDCP 2.2 support — but test it within the return window.

Variation C: 0xC0262505 After a Windows Update

This is usually a driver compatibility issue. Windows Update sometimes pushes a graphics driver that changes how the GPU reports outputs to OPM. Roll back the driver:

Device Manager > Display adapters > right-click your GPU > Properties > Driver tab > Roll Back Driver.
If Roll Back is grayed out, uninstall the driver entirely, restart, then let Windows install the previous version. Or use DDU as described above.

Prevention

Once you've fixed it, here's how to stop it coming back:

Keep your graphics drivers clean. Use DDU before major driver upgrades. Don't just "update" over an old install — that's how HDCP artifacts pile up.
Don't let Windows Update manage GPU drivers. Use the Group Policy or registry to exclude driver updates for display adapters. Windows Update's drivers are often buggy with HDCP.
If you use a laptop with hybrid graphics, set your default GPU for media apps in Windows Settings. Go to Settings > System > Display > Graphics, add your media player or browser, and set it to "High performance" (the dedicated GPU). This bypasses the Intel iGPU's OPM altogether.
Avoid cheap HDMI switches and extenders. Anything that sits between your GPU and monitor can break HDCP negotiation. If you must use one, test it with a known-HDCP source first.

That's it. Error 0xC0262505 is annoying but fixable. The root cause is almost always a miscommunication between Windows OPM and your GPU's output. Disable HDCP on the problematic device, or reroute the app to a GPU that actually has an active, HDCP-capable display attached. You'll be back to your show in minutes.