DXGI_ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED

What is DXGI_ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED?

DXGI_ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED (0x887A002B) occurs when an application attempts to acquire exclusive fullscreen mode on a monitor that another application is already controlling, or when the OS denies GPU resource access for security reasons. Common in gaming environments with overlays, screen capture software, or virtual display drivers active.

Common Causes

• Multiple fullscreen applications competing for display
• Screen capture software holding display lock
• Virtual display driver conflict

Step-by-Step Fix Guide

• 1
  Close all overlays before launching game (Discord, RTSS, GeForce Experience)

  Borderless windowed mode avoids exclusive display ownership and eliminates most DXGI_ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED occurrences in gaming.

• 2
  Switch game from fullscreen exclusive to borderless windowed

  Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS) can cause access conflicts on some GPU/driver combinations — try disabling in Windows display settings.

• 3
  Disable hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling if enabled

Commands & Diagnostics