6 Ways to Fix NVIDIA’s ‘Unable to Change Display Mode’ Error on Windows 11

Abhishek stuck to the Windows operating system ever since he bought the Lenovo G570. As obvious as it is, he loves to write about Windows and Android, the two most common yet fascinating operating systems available to mankind. When he is not drafting a post, he loves to binge OnePiece and whatever Netflix has to offer.

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Method 1: Terminate and Restart the NVIDIA Control Panel

It is common for apps and their associated processes to encounter glitches and stop working properly. Completely closing the NVIDIA Control Panel application and restarting it can fix the issue.

Step 1:Press theCtrl + Shift + Esckeyboard shortcut to open Task Manager.

Step 2:Click on thesearch bar, typeNvidia,and pressEnter. It will list all the active NVIDIA processes.

Step 3: Right-clickon one such active NVIDIA process and click onEnd task.

Repeat the above step for all NVIDIA processes and terminate them. Close the Task Manager and re-open the NVIDIA control panel.

Also Read:How to open Task Manager on Windows

Fix 2: Close Problematic Background Apps

Apps that minimize and continue to run in the background, like Discord, PowerToys, and the ones with an overlay option, can cause NVIDIA’s ‘Unable to change display mode’ error while launching a game.

Step 1:Go to theright sideof the Taskbar > click on theupward arrowicon.

Step 2: Right-clickon an active app icon > click onExit.

Step 3:Repeat this step for all applications you don’t need while playing the game. Don’t close the NVIDIA Control Panel from the system tray.

Fix 3: Configure NVIDIA Services

NVIDIA Control Panel needs the NVIDIA Display Container LS Service to work properly. If this service encounters a glitch, you will face issues while launching GPU-bound tasks. So, check and restart it using theServicesprogram.

Step 1:Press theWindows keyto open the Start menu, typeservicesin the search bar, and pressEnter.

Step 2:In the Services window, locate and right-click onNVIDIA Display Container LS> selectRestart.

Step 3:Close theServices utility.

Fix 4: Manually Switch to the NVIDIA GPU

The processor offers an inbuilt GPU to handle basic GPU-bound tasks. Modern laptops automatically switch to the discrete NVIDIA or AMD GPU for heavy tasks like games. But if it fails to do so, you will have to manually switch to the GPU.

Step 1:Go to thesystem tray iconsarea on the Taskbar >right-clickon the NVIDIA icon > selectNVIDIA Control Panel.

Step 2:NVIDIA Control Panel will launch. Go to the left-hand side menu and click onManage 3D Settings.

Step 3:Go toPreferred Graphics Processorand click on thearrow buttonto expand the drop-down list. SelectHigh-performance NVIDIA processor.

Step 4:Click onApply. Close the NVIDIA Control Panel app.

Fix 5: Perform a Clean Boot

Often, another third-party app can conflict with the NVIDIA Control Panel app and produce the error. To fix the “Unable to change display mode” error notification, narrow down the troublesome application using a clean boot. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1:Press theWindows keyto open the Start menu > typemsconfigin the search bar > pressEnterto launch the System Configuration utility.

Step 2:Switch to theServicestab.

Step 3:Check theHide all Microsoft servicesbox > click onDisable all.

Step 4:Locate theNVIDIA Display Container LSservice and click on the checkbox toenableit.

Step 5:Click on theStartuptab >Open Task Manager.

Step 6: Right-clickon a program from the list and selectDisable. This program will not run when you boot Windows the next time.

Step 7: Repeatthe same process for all third-party apps anddisablethem. Close Task Manager.

Step 8:Return to theSystem Configurationtool window. Click onApply>OK.

Step 9:A pop-up window will open. Click onRestart. Windows will boot with essential Microsoft drivers and NVIDIA Display Container LS service only.

If you don’t see any error while launching a game, an existing application conflicts with the service. Enable services related to one application and perform a clean boot again. Repeat this process until you identify the culprit program and disable or remove it from your computer.

Fix 6: Rollback NVIDIA Drivers

NVIDIA releases new drivers regularly to extend compatibility with new games and applications. However, the new drivers often cause errors and game launch issues. If you notice an error after recently updating the NVIDIA driver, roll back to the previous version.

Step 1:Right-click on theStart buttonto open the Power User menu. Click onDevice Manager.

Step 2:Expand theDisplay adapterssection > double-click onNVIDIA GPUto open itsProperties.

Step 3:Switch to theDrivertab > click onRoll Back Driver.

Step 4:Wait for the utility to roll back the GPU drivers. Close Device Manager andrestartyour system.

Additionally, ensure youupdate your Windows PCto the latest OS version for a bug-free experience.

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Last updated on 27 August, 2024

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