All Graphics Device Error Codes and Solutions

Graphics units in modern-day PCs are an integral part of the entire system. A plan’s ability to generate complex specific frames or images on a computer screen is governed by its graphics unit. And there are graphics units from different OEMs, primarily NVIDIA, AMD, and even Intel. But what good is a graphics unit not working with your system?

Absolutely nothing! Over the years, Windows users have experienced different graphics-related issues on their system, and every time, they see an error message with a specific code. This is an article that will address them all. Yes, this is an all-in-one post to discuss all graphics-related issues we see on our Windows machine and how we can fix it. So if you are struggling with a graphics-related error, this article will help you. So without any further ado, let’s get into it.

All Graphics Device Error Codes and Solutions

The solutions mentioned for each of these issues should also work out for you. Just follow the guide per the error code you see on your screen.

Error code 31 and its solutions:

The error code 31 could show up if you are on an older build of Windows. Or the display driver installed on your device is out of date. This error code shows up when Microsoft fails to load the driver on the system. And simply reinstalling the driver should fix the problem.

Update Windows:

Microsoft pushes out updates to Windows regularly to fix its issues. It would be best to update your Windows 11 to the latest version to improve your error.

• Press Windows Key + I to open up Windows Settings.
• Click on “Update & Security.”
• Now, click on the Windows Update tab to see the Windows update option in the right pane.
• If you see a pending Windows update, install it on your computer.

This could fix the error code 31 for you. If it does not work, try the next fix.

Update the graphics driver:

Often a faulty driver is a cause behind a device not functioning properly. Even with your graphics unit, that could be the issue. So you need to reinstall or update the graphics drivers on your computer. There are three ways to do it. You can do it manually, automatically, or using a third-party utility tool.

First, let’s see how you can do it automatically.

• Click on the Windows key and search for Device Manager.
• Go to the Display Adapter and double-click on it to expand the driver list.
• Right-click on your graphics driver here and choose Update driver.
• Now, select Search automatically for drivers and let Windows look for the latest drivers for your device. Once it finds it online, it will install it for you.

For the manual process, visit your laptop or mouse manufacturer’s website and look for the driver setup file. It will be like any other software installation file. Once you find the setup file, install it on your computer as with any other application.

Besides these two methods, you also have a third option. You can install a third-party driver utility tool on your computer, which will automatically scan your computer for outdated or missing drivers. It will also install the latest drivers on your computer with a simple click. However, these utility software tools usually have a price tag. But the price is well worth it as you don’t need to worry about drivers on your computer even again.

If updating the drivers also does not help, try the next fix.

Run the troubleshooter:

There is a utility feature called troubleshooter built into the Windows operating system. Windows is aware that its users might face some issues while using the system, so they have included this specific feature that scans the system for any possible problems and then tries to fix them. Even with the camera not showing up, one can use the troubleshooter to try and fix it.

• Press Windows Key + X and choose “Settings” from the list of options.
• Click on “Update & Security.”
• Then in the Update & Security settings Window, click on the Troubleshoot tab in the left pane.
• You will find the “Hardware and Sound” option in the right pane. Click on it and then click on “Run the troubleshooter.”
• Now let Windows scan the entire system for any possible issue behind this. If it detects a problem, it will appear on the screen, and the troubleshooter will try to fix it. If it can’t find the fix, it will at least show the issue behind the problem, and then you can fix it on your own.
• When the solution is provided, click the “Apply this fix” option, and the troubleshooter will take care of the rest.
• Restart the computer.

This should address the error code 31 we witnessed with graphics-related issues. Let’s now move on to the following error code.

Error code 43 and its solutions:

Error 43 occurs with a graphics unit when hardware problems with the device or driver may be outdated, corrupted, or faulty. Apart from this, GPU overheating and GPU not appropriately being connected can also lead to this error code.

There are a few additional reasons behind their error code as well which are:

• Faulty Graphics Card Slot
• Incompatible Graphic Card installed

So when you face this error, the problem could be with the graphics card or the driver itself. There are a few solutions you can try to fix this problem. It is not possible to determine which solution would work for you. So it would be best if you tried all these solutions mentioned below until you find one that works for you.

Update the graphics driver:

Often a faulty driver is a cause behind a device not functioning properly. Even with your graphics unit, that could be the issue. So you need to reinstall or update the graphics drivers on your computer. There are three ways to do it. You can do it manually, automatically, or using a third-party utility tool.

First, let’s see how you can do it automatically.

• Click on the Windows key and search for Device Manager.
• Go to the Display Adapter and double-click on it to expand the driver list.
• Right-click on your graphics driver here and choose Update driver.
• Now, select Search automatically for drivers and let Windows look for the latest drivers for your device. Once it finds it online, it will install it for you.

For the manual process, visit your laptop or mouse manufacturer’s website and look for the driver setup file. It will be like any other software installation file. Once you find the setup file, install it on your computer as with any other application.

Besides these two methods, you also have a third option. You can install a third-party driver utility tool on your computer, which will automatically scan your computer for outdated or missing drivers. It will also install the latest drivers on your computer with a simple click. However, these utility software tools usually have a price tag. But the price is well worth it as you don’t need to worry about drivers on your computer even again.

If updating the drivers also does not help, try the next fix.

Roll back the device driver:

Sometimes rolling back your device driver to an older version can also do the trick.

• Open the device manager by searching for it in the search box.
• Once you open it, head to the Display Adapters section.
• Right-click on your graphics driver here and choose Properties.
• Click on the Driver tab here and choose Roll Back Driver.

Follow the on-screen instructions after this to complete the rollback process.

Uninstall and reinstall the device driver:

Freshly installing a driver all over again can sometimes be the solution as well.

• Open the device manager by searching for it in the search box.
• Once you open it, head to the Display Adapters section.
• Right-click on your graphics driver here and choose Uninstall.
• Once the uninstallation is complete, you must install the latest version again.

To install the drivers, follow one of the two ways mentioned below

Firstly, you must visit your laptop or mouse manufacturer’s website and look for the driver setup file. It will be like any other software installation file. Once you find the setup file, install it on your computer as with any other application.

Secondly, you can install a third-party driver utility tool on your computer, which will automatically scan your computer for outdated or missing drivers. It will also install the latest drivers on your computer with a simple click. However, these utility software tools usually have a price tag. But the price is well worth it as you don’t need to worry about drivers on your computer even again.

Once the installation is complete, restart your computer and check whether you see the same error again or not. If you still see it, try the next fix.

Run Hardware and Devices troubleshooter.

There is a utility feature called troubleshooter built into the Windows operating system. Windows is aware that its users might face some issues while using the system, so they have included this specific feature that scans the system for any possible problems and then tries to fix them. Even with the camera not showing up, one can use the troubleshooter to try and fix it.

• Press Windows Key + X and choose “Settings” from the list of options.
• Click on “Update & Security.”
• Then in the Update & Security settings Window, click on the Troubleshoot tab in the left pane.
• You will find the “Hardware and Device” option in the right pane. Click on it and then click on “Run the troubleshooter.”
• Now let Windows scan the entire system for any possible issue behind this. If it detects a problem, it will appear on the screen, and the troubleshooter will try to fix it. If it can’t find the fix, it will at least show the issue behind the problem, and then you can fix it on your own.
• When the solution is provided, click the “Apply this fix” option, and the troubleshooter will take care of the rest.
• Restart the computer.

This should address the error code 43 we witnessed with graphics-related issues.

Perform System Restore:

System restore a built-in Windows tool that lets users convert the system to a previous point. So even with this error, you can use system restore to take your machine back to an end when it was functioning well without the White Screen of Death error page showing up.

• Press Windows Key + R to open up the Run dialog box.
• Enter “sysdm.cpl” in the dialog box and click Ok.
• Click on the System Protection tab in the System Properties window.
• Click on the “System Restore” button to open the System Restore window. Click on Next here.
• Then you will see a list of your computer’s restore points. Pick the one that suits your need and proceed with the system restore.
• Once the system restore is complete, restart your computer.

If the system restores also does not solve the error, try the next solution mentioned below.

Check GPU Temperature:

Several applications can measure and display the CPU temperature for you. You need to use one such application to determine the temperature of your GPU. If it is on the higher side, you should open up your PC and consider checking the cooling process present in the system.

Once you get the GPU temperature back to normal again, the error should go away.

Check the Device Connection:

If the device’s cooling seems on point, then you should check the connection of your GPU device. If the link is faulty or loose, that could also cause the error code.

If you have ensured that is not the issue, move to the next fix.

Check and swap the graphics card slot:

The graphics slot where you have your GPU could also be faulty. So get a replacement space and fit it to your machine with the same graphics card. That could solve your problem instantly.

If the error code still appears, try changing the graphics card entirely.

Test another graphics card:

Most laptops do not come with the feature to change the GPU. But if your system allows it, you should perform a replacement. Just buy a new graphics unit from the nearest store and get the GPU replaced at the nearest service center.

Changing the GPU should get rid of the error code 43 for you.

Now let’s move on to the following error code.

Error code 45 and its solutions:

Error code 45 means the device, once connected to the computer, is now disconnected. Furthermore, it could also show up due to corrupted system files or hardware errors. The ideal solution would be to reconnect the graphics unit. But there are some other solutions you can try as well.

Run Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter

There is a utility feature called troubleshooter built into the Windows operating system. Windows is aware that its users might face some issues while using the system, so they have included this specific feature that scans the system for any possible problems and then tries to fix them. Even with the camera not showing up, one can use the troubleshooter to try and fix it.

• Press Windows Key + X and choose “Settings” from the list of options.
• Click on “Update & Security.”
• Then in the Update & Security settings Window, click on the Troubleshoot tab in the left pane.
• You will find the “Hardware and Device” option in the right pane. Click on it and then click on “Run the troubleshooter.”
• Now let Windows scan the entire system for any possible issue behind this. If it detects a problem, it will appear on the screen, and the troubleshooter will try to fix it. If it can’t find the fix, it will at least show the issue behind the problem, and then you can fix it on your own.
• When the solution is provided, click the “Apply this fix” option, and the troubleshooter will take care of the rest.
• Restart the computer.

This should take care of the error code 45. If it is not resolved, try the next fix.

Update Graphics Drivers:

Outdated drivers are often a cause of most hardware-related errors. So if you have outdated or faulty drivers on your computer, you should update them immediately. There are three ways to update drivers on a Windows 10/11 PC. You can do it automatically, manually, or using a third-party application.

To update your drivers automatically,

• Press the Windows Key + R to open up the Run dialog box.
• Enter “devmgmt.msc” in the Run dialog box and press the Ctrl+Shift+Enter keys.
• The device manager will open up.
• Once you open it, head to the Display adapters section.
• Right-click on them and choose “Update Driver.”
• Then follow the on-screen instructions to let Windows automatically search for and install the latest drivers.

To update your drivers manually, you need to download the setup file for the drivers manually. You will find the option to download the latest driver setup on the manufacturer’s website. To update your GPU, go to your GPU manufacturer’s website and download the latest drivers based on your model number and system configuration. Do the same for every other device that needs a driver update. Once you download the required setup files for drivers, install all these files on your system.

Finally, you can also use a third-party application to update all your outdated or faulty drivers. Several programs have the feature to scan and detect obsolete and wrong drivers. Just install one such program on your system and let it scan your computer. If it finds outdated drivers, it will automatically install all the latest ones with just a single click. Yes, these programs charge a bit for their service, but the price is well worth it since you never need to worry about outdated drivers on your system again.

If updating does not help, try the next solution.

Restart NVIDIA Services:

• Click on the Start button.
• Search for services, and once it shows up, choose Open.
• Scroll down and search for services related to NVIDIA.
• Right-click on each of the services here and select Restart.

If even this does not help with the error code 45, try the next fix.

System Restore:

System restore a built-in Windows tool that lets users convert the system to a previous point. So even with this error, you can use system restore to take your machine back to an end when it was functioning well without the White Screen of Death error page showing up.

• Press Windows Key + R to open up the Run dialog box.
• Enter “sysdm.cpl” in the dialog box and click Ok.
• Click on the System Protection tab in the System Properties window.
• Click on the “System Restore” button to open the System Restore window. Click on Next here.
• Then you will see a list of your computer’s restore points. Pick the one that suits your need and proceed with the system restore.
• Once the system restore is complete, restart your computer.

If the system restores also does not solve the error, try the next solution mentioned below.

Check for physical damage on your GPU:

Take your computer to your nearest repair shop and ask the expert to check your GPU. If there is any physical damage to the GPU, get it replaced or repaired in the shop itself.

This should take care of the error code 45 for you.

Now let’s move to the following error code.

Error code 48 and its solutions:

This error occurs when the graphics device driver is not installed correctly or is missing essential files. Installing the latest drivers or resetting any new file changes should be enough to fix this.

System Restore:

System restore a built-in Windows tool that lets users convert the system to a previous point. So even with this error, you can use system restore to take your machine back to an end when it was functioning well without the White Screen of Death error page showing up.

• Press Windows Key + R to open up the Run dialog box.
• Enter “sysdm.cpl” in the dialog box and click Ok.
• Click on the System Protection tab in the System Properties window.
• Click on the “System Restore” button to open the System Restore window. Click on Next here.
• Then you will see a list of your computer’s restore points. Pick the one that suits your need and proceed with the system restore.
• Once the system restore is complete, restart your computer.

If the system restores also does not solve the error, try the next solution mentioned below.

Roll back the device driver:

Sometimes rolling back your device driver to an older version can also do the trick.

• Open the device manager by searching for it in the search box.
• Once you open it, head to the Display adapters section.
• Right-click on your graphics driver here and choose Properties.
• Click on the Driver tab here and choose Roll Back Driver.

Follow the on-screen instructions after this to complete the rollback process.

Reinstall graphics drivers:

Freshly installing a driver all over again can sometimes be the solution as well.

• Open the device manager by searching for it in the search box.
• Once you open it, head to the Display adapters section.
• Right-click on your graphics driver here and choose Uninstall.
• Once the uninstallation is complete, you must install the latest version again.

To install the drivers, follow one of the two ways mentioned below

Firstly, you must visit your laptop or mouse manufacturer’s website and look for the driver setup file. It will be like any other software installation file. Once you find the setup file, install it on your computer as with any other application.

Secondly, you can install a third-party driver utility tool on your computer, which will automatically scan your computer for outdated or missing drivers. It will also install the latest drivers on your computer with a simple click. However, these utility software tools usually have a price tag. But the price is well worth it as you don’t need to worry about drivers on your computer even again.

Once the installation is complete, restart your computer and check whether you see the same error again or not. If you still see it, try the next fix.

Error code 52 and its solutions:

The driver error code 52 shows up when Windows cannot verify the digital signature for the drivers required for this device. This is when the driver installed on your computer is missing some files, or the drivers are not installed correctly. Let’s see how we can fix this.

Update the graphics driver:

Often a faulty driver is a cause behind a device not functioning properly. Even with your graphics unit, that could be the issue. So you need to reinstall or update the graphics drivers on your computer. There are three ways to do it. You can do it manually, automatically, or using a third-party utility tool.

First, let’s see how you can do it automatically.

• Click on the Windows key and search for Device Manager.
• Go to the Display Adapter and double-click on it to expand the driver list.
• Right-click on your graphics driver here and choose Update driver.
• Now, select Search automatically for drivers and let Windows look for the latest drivers for your device. Once it finds it online, it will install it for you.

For the manual process, visit your laptop or mouse manufacturer’s website and look for the driver setup file. It will be like any other software installation file. Once you find the setup file, install it on your computer as with any other application.

Besides these two methods, you also have a third option. You can install a third-party driver utility tool on your computer, which will automatically scan your computer for outdated or missing drivers. It will also install the latest drivers on your computer with a simple click. However, these utility software tools usually have a price tag. But the price is well worth it as you don’t need to worry about drivers on your computer even again.

If updating the drivers also does not help, try the next fix.

Delete both the UpperFilters and LowerFilters Registry values:

UpperFilters and LowerFilters registry values can also sometimes cause the error code 52. You can delete them to try and fix your error code issue.

• Press Windows Key + R to open up the Run dialog box.
• Enter “regedit” in the dialog box and click on Ok.
• Click Yes if the User Account Control pop-up prompts you.
• Navigate to Computer > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > Control > Class.
• In the Class section, Click on {36FC9E60-C465-11CF-8056-444553540000}.
• On the right pane, you will find the option to edit. Here, right-click on UpperFilters and select Delete.
• To confirm your action click on Ok.

Now restart your computer and check whether the issue is resolved or not. If it is still there, try the final fix mentioned below.

Enable the ‘Disable driver signature enforcement’ feature

For this method, you need a Windows 8 or above PC. If your PC is not running on an older version of Windows, you can also try this fix.

• Click on the start menu.
• Press the Shift key on your keyboard and go to the Power option.
• Choose restart while pressing the Shift key.
• Your Windows system will restart with the Boot menu.
• Choose Troubleshoot and go to Advanced options.
• Click Startup Settings and choose Restart.
• Press F7 once you see the startup settings menu.

Now your PC will restart. After the restart, check whether the display driver is installed or not. Install it from your GPU manufacturer’s website if it is not installed. That should fix the error for you.

Error code 81 and its solutions:

This error code shows up with your GPU if it does not receive the necessary power to function correctly.

To fix this, firstly, check the power requirements of your GPU. Depending on that, choose an appropriate power cable with an ample wattage supply.

Secondly, check the power source from where your system draws its power. Connect the power cable to different sources and check whether that solves your problem.

Finally, check the power cables connected to the graphics device as well. If the Power Supply Unit or PSU is not configured securely, you need to fix that by taking it to the nearest repair shop.

One of these three solutions should fix the error code 81 for you.

So these are the standard graphics error codes that Windows users often encounter, along with their possible solutions. There is a possibility that we might have missed some error code. If that is the case, inform us via comments on this article. We will update the article accordingly.

If you have any questions or queries about this article, comment below, and we will reply. Also, check out our other articles on iPhone tips and tricks, Android tips and tricks, PC tips and tricks, and much more for more helpful information.