How to Fix DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED?

5 mins read

Updated on 2026-03-09 12:05:44 to Windows Fix

Have you ever seen an error saying DXGI error device removed while playing Battlefield 6 or using a graphics-heavy app? This usually happens when your graphics card stops responding or Windows can’t communicate with it properly. By following these tips, you can get your game running smoothly again and avoid seeing the DXGI error device removed message in the future.

Let’s get started.

1. What Does DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED Mean?

The DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED error happens when your computer stops communicating properly with your graphics card (GPU). It doesn’t usually mean the GPU was physically removed, it just means Windows or DirectX lost connection with it. This can happen if the GPU stops responding, the driver crashes, or the system forces a reset. When this happens, games like Battlefield 6 may crash, freeze, or show a black screen. Basically, the error is your PC’s way of saying, “I can’t talk to the graphics card right now.”

dxgi error device removed

What Causes DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED?

  • Old or corrupted drivers: Outdated or broken GPU drivers can cause this error.
  • Overheating or stress: If your graphics card gets too hot or is working too hard, it may stop responding.
  • Overclocking or unstable hardware: Overclocked GPUs or RAM can create problems and trigger this error.
  • Driver timeouts: DirectX may reset the GPU if it doesn’t respond fast enough.
  • Power problems: A weak or unstable power supply can make the GPU fail under load.
  • DirectX or software conflicts: Corrupt DirectX files or software like overlays can interfere with your GPU.

In games like Battlefield 6, heavy graphics workloads can sometimes make the GPU “hang,” leading to bf6 DXGI error device removed.

2. How to Fix DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED?

Here are simple, step-by-step fixes for the DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED issue, especially if it happens while playing Battlefield 6.

Fix 1: Lower Mesh Quality in Graphics

High graphics settings can put too much stress on your GPU, especially in demanding games like Battlefield 6. Lowering the mesh quality reduces the load, which can stop the GPU from crashing and prevent the DXGI error.

  • Open Battlefield 6 and go to Settings. Click Graphics > Advanced.

    click advanced in graphics settings
  • Find Mesh Quality and set it to lower. Then, click Apply and restart the game.

Fix 2: Play Battlefield 6 with FPS Limit

Uncapped FPS can overload your GPU and cause DirectX to reset it. Limiting the frame rate keeps the GPU workload stable and reduces the chance of crashes.

  • Open Battlefield 6 > Settings > Graphics >Advanced Settings.

  • Enable Frame Rate Limiter.

    enable frame rate limiter
  • Set a reasonable limit like 60–120 FPS. Click Apply and restart the game.

Fix 3: Add a TdrLevel key in Registry

Sometimes Windows resets the graphics driver too quickly if your GPU takes longer to respond, triggering the DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED error. You can fix this by changing the TDR (Timeout Detection and Recovery) settings in the registry.

  • Press Win + R, type regedit, and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.

  • Now go to the following path by pasting it into the top address bar:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers

  • Right-click in the right-hand pane, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it TdrLevel.

    add new value in registry
  • Double-click TdrLevel and set the value to 0. This disables the GPU timeout detection so Windows won’t reset the driver prematurely.

  • Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer. Your GPU should now have more time to respond, reducing DXGI crashes.

Fix 4: Disable Shadowplay

Graphics card software like NVIDIA’s ShadowPlay or other overlays (e.g., Discord, Steam) inject extra processes into your game. These overlays hook into DirectX and can sometimes conflict with the GPU, causing timeouts or resets that lead to the DXGI error.

Disabling the Shadowplay might help you get rid of the error.

  • Click the Start menu, type GeForce Experience, and press Enter. If you’re using AMD, open Radeon Software instead.

  • In GeForce Experience, locate the Settings icon and click it to open the configuration options.

  • Look for In-Game Overlay. This is the feature that enables ShadowPlay to record or stream your gameplay.

    toggle off in game overlay
  • Toggle the In-Game Overlay option to Off. For AMD users, ensure features like ReLive or overlay recording are disabled.

  • If you also use Discord or Steam, you can follow these guides to disable overlay on Steam and Discord.

  • Close all overlay programs and restart your game. Disabling overlays reduces conflicts with DirectX, which helps prevent the GPU from being reset and avoids DXGI errors.

Fix 5: Delete the DirectX Shader Cache

The DirectX Shader Cache stores precompiled shaders to speed up game loading. However, over time, the cache can become corrupted. When this happens, your GPU may receive incorrect instructions, causing it to crash and triggering DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED. Clearing the shader cache forces DirectX to rebuild fresh files.

  • Press Win + I to open Settings. Go to System > Storage > Temporary files.

    go to temporary files
  • In the Temporary files list, check DirectX Shader Cache and click Remove files. This deletes old or corrupted shader files.

  • Start Battlefield 6 or any other game. DirectX will automatically create a fresh shader cache while the game runs.

  • Close the game completely and reopen it. Your GPU should now run without causing the DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED error.

Fix 6: Disable Fast Boot in BIOS

Fast Boot skips certain hardware checks to make your PC start faster, but this can prevent your GPU from initializing correctly. Disabling it ensures a full hardware startup and avoids device errors.

  • Restart your PC and press the BIOS key (usually F2, Del, or F10).

  • Go to Boot or Advanced Settings. Find Fast Boot and set it to Disabled.

    disable fast boot
  • Save changes and restart your PC.

Bonus: Optimize Disk Space with 4DDiG Partition Manager

Low disk space can slow down game asset loading in Battlefield 6, which sometimes causes GPU timeouts and triggers the DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED error. 4DDiG Partition Manager is a powerful yet easy-to-use tool that helps you safely manage your drives and free up space.

With it, you can resize, move, merge, or create partitions without risking your data. Keeping your disks organized ensures smoother game performance, faster load times, and fewer crashes.

  • Open 4DDiG Partition Manager, select the drive you want to adjust, and click Resize/Move.

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    click resize and move
  • In the pop-up window, drag the edges of the partition to make it larger or smaller. You can also type in the exact size in GB. Click OK to add the operation to the queue.

    click ok to proceed
  • The pending operation will appear in the Task List. Click Execute 1 Task(s) and then OK to start the resizing process.

    click ok to resize
  • The process will begin immediately and may take a few minutes depending on your partition size. When it’s finished, click Done. Your partition is now adjusted, freeing up space for smoother gaming performance.

    resize successfully

More FAQs about DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED

1. How to fix DirectX error BF6?

To fix DirectX errors in Battlefield 6, try updating your GPU drivers, lowering graphics settings, capping your FPS, and disabling hardware acceleration. Ensuring enough free disk space also helps prevent crashes.

2. What causes DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG?

This happens when your GPU stops responding during a task. Common causes include outdated drivers, overheating, overclocking, or heavy workloads in games like Battlefield 6.

3. How to get rid of DirectX error?

Update DirectX and graphics drivers, check your GPU for stability, reduce graphics settings, and optimize disk space.

Conclusion

The DXGI error device removed can be frustrating, but it’s usually fixable with simple steps like lowering graphics settings, limiting FPS, disabling hardware acceleration, or adjusting BIOS settings. Freeing up disk space is another key solution, and 4DDiG Partition Manager makes this easy and safe. By following these fixes, you can enjoy smoother gameplay, prevent crashes, and avoid seeing this DirectX error again in Battlefield 6 or other GPU-intensive applications.

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William Bollson (senior editor)

William Bollson, the editor-in-chief of 4DDiG, devotes to providing the best solutions for Windows and Mac related issues, including data recovery, repair, error fixes.

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