Fix ERROR_GRAPHICS_TRY_AGAIN_LATER (0XC0262104) on Windows
This DirectX or GPU error pops up when the graphics driver or OS is busy. Here's how to clear it fast.
When you'll see this error
You're in the middle of a game, remote desktop session, or running a GPU-heavy app like Adobe Premiere. Suddenly the screen freezes for a few seconds, then comes back—but the app you were using throws up ERROR_GRAPHICS_TRY_AGAIN_LATER (0XC0262104). The app won't recover until you restart it, and sometimes you need to reboot.
Had a client last month whose entire print queue died because of this—turns out their CAD software was fighting with the GPU driver over display memory. The error's not just for games. It's the OS telling you the graphics driver is too busy to handle your request right now.
Root cause
The graphics driver or GPU hardware got stuck processing a prior command. Windows enforces a timeout (TDR - Timeout Detection and Recovery). If the GPU doesn't respond within 2 seconds (default), the driver resets. This error code means the reset happened but the resource you wanted is still tied up.
Common triggers:
- Multiple apps fighting for GPU resources (e.g., Chrome with hardware acceleration + a game)
- Remote desktop session with poor network, causing the GPU to wait on frame encoding
- Overclocked GPU that's not stable at current clock speeds
- Outdated or corrupted display driver
The fix
- Restart the GPU driver — Press Win+Ctrl+Shift+B. Screen will flicker black for a second. That forces a driver restart without rebooting. Try your app again.
- Check for driver updates — Go to your GPU maker's site (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel) and grab the latest driver. Use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) in Safe Mode to wipe old drivers first. Skip Windows Update—it often installs stale versions.
- Turn off hardware acceleration in browsers — Chrome: Settings → System → Use hardware acceleration when available → off. Edge: same path. Firefox: Options → General → Performance → uncheck 'Use hardware acceleration when available'. This stops browsers from hogging the GPU.
- Increase TDR timeout — If you can't avoid the error, give the GPU more time. Open regedit, go to
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers. Create DWORDTdrDelay(if not present), set to8(seconds). Reboot. This is a band-aid, not a cure—don't go above 10 unless you like system hangs. - Disable GPU overclocking — Use MSI Afterburner or your BIOS to drop clocks back to stock. Test. If stable, slowly increase until it fails again—then dial back 50MHz.
Still failing?
Check your GPU temperature with HWMonitor. Anything above 85°C under load is trouble—dust out your fans, reapply thermal paste. Also test with a different power supply if you're running a high-end card; unstable power delivery can cause this exact error. If you're on a laptop, make sure the power plan is set to High Performance and the dedicated GPU isn't being throttled by Intel's Optimus or AMD's Switchable Graphics.
One last thing: if this only happens in one app, reinstall that app. Had a client whose AutoCAD kept crashing with this error—the app's DLLs were corrupted from a bad update. Fresh install fixed it.
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