PC users, mostly gamers, may get the error message The NVIDIA OpenGL driver detected a problem with the display driver when attempting to launch a game or open certain apps on their Windows 11 or Windows 10 computer. This post provides the most suitable solutions to this issue.
When you encounter this issue, you’ll receive the following full error message with code;
The NVIDIA OpenGL driver detected a problem with the display driver and is unable to continue. The application must close.
Error code: 3
Would you like to visit http://www.nvidia.com/page/support.html for help?
You are most likely to encounter this error if your display driver is corrupted or missing. The error can also occur if you are using an old/incompatible NVIDIA driver or maybe you have recently received a faulty update for your graphics driver.
The NVIDIA OpenGL driver detected a problem with the display driver
If you have stumbled on The NVIDIA OpenGL driver detected a problem with the display driver issue on your Windows 11/10 PC, you can try our recommended solutions in the order presented below to fix the error on your system.
- Update NVIDIA display driver
- Rollback NVIDIA display driver
- Change Power Management mode in NVIDIA Control Panel
- Reset/Reinstall Game or App
Let’s take a look at the description of the process involved concerning each of the listed solutions.
Before you proceed with the solutions below, we suggest you first restart your PC, then launch the game/app and see if the error reoccurs. Also, we recommend you download and install the OpenGL and OpenCL Compatibility Pack for Windows 11/10 and see if that resolves the issue on your device. Once installed, OpenCL and OpenGL apps can run without the default installation of OpenCL and OpenGL hardware drivers. In addition, if the error started after a recent Windows update (if this is not the case, we suggest you check for updates and install any available bits on your device and see if the error is fixed) you can perform System Restore or uninstall the update – but if you prefer not to do neither, you can then go ahead with the solutions below.
1] Update NVIDIA display driver
This The NVIDIA OpenGL driver detected a problem with the display driver can occur due to a corrupted display driver is installed on your Windows 11/10 computer. In this case, to resolve the issue, you need to update your graphics card driver.
You can manually update the graphics driver via Device Manager if you have already downloaded the .inf or .sys file for the driver. You can also update the driver via Command Prompt. In Windows Update, you can as well get the driver updates on the Optional Updates section or you can download the latest version of the driver from NVIDIA website. Another option available for you is to automatically update your graphics driver using any of the free Driver Update Software for Windows 11/10 PC.
If after updating the display driver, the issue persists, you can clean install NVIDIA display driver and see if that helps. You first need to uninstall the graphics driver via Device Manager or alternatively use the Display Driver Uninstaller tool. Once done, you can then proceed with the clean install of the NVIDIA graphics driver as follows:
- Download the NVIDIA drivers.
- Open the downloaded driver on your computer and follow the on-screen instructions to install it.
- Once you reach the Installation options screen, select the Custom (Advanced) option.
- Click on Next to see a list of installed components.
- Check the option to Perform a clean installation.
- Click Next button to install the driver.
If the issue in hand persists after you have carried out both of the task, you can try the next solution.
Read: NVIDIA drivers not installing.
2] Rollback NVIDIA display driver
This follows if updating or clean installing the NVIDIA display driver didn’t resolve the error in view. This solution requires you to roll back the NVIDIA display driver or download and install an earlier version of the driver.
If rolling back the driver didn’t work, you can uninstall the graphics card driver, and then restart your PC – on boot, Windows will scan for hardware changes and automatically reinstall the generic driver for the video card which in some cases is sufficient enough for the hardware to function without issues – though with possible limited functionality.
3] Change Power Management mode in NVIDIA Control Panel
The error in view can occur if your Power Management mode on your Windows 11/10 computer is set as Optimal Power in NVIDIA Control Panel. In this case, to resolve the issue, you can set the Power Management mode to Prefer maximum performance.
Do the following:
- Open NVIDIA Control Panel (if unable, see fix NVIDIA Control Panel not opening).
- In the NVIDIA Control Panel, click to collapse the 3D Settings node.
- Next, click Manage 3D settings.
- On the right-side in Manage 3D settings window, click Global Settings.
- Next, click the drop-down for Power management mode.
- Select Prefer maximum performance.
- Click Apply to save the changes.
- Restart your computer.
After the PC reboots, check if the error is fixed. If not, proceed with the next solution.
4] Reset/Reinstall Game or App
This solution simply requires you to reset the game via the Settings app on your Windows 11/10 PC. If the reset procedure wasn’t helpful, you can proceed to uninstall the game or app in question (preferably, use a third-party software uninstaller), then clear the problematic game/app AppData folder contents, reboot the PC, and then download and reinstall the latest version of the game or app on your Windows 11/10 PC.
To clear/delete the problematic game or app AppData folder contents, do the following:
- Press Windows key + R to invoke the Run dialog.
- In the Run dialog box, type the environment variable below and hit Enter.
%appdata%
- At the location, find (you may need to show hidden files/folders) the game/app folder in question.
- Right-click the folder and select Delete. Confirm any additional prompts.
Hope this helps!
How do I fix NVIDIA OpenGL driver error code 3?
To fix NVIDIA OpenGL driver error code 3 on your Windows 11/10 system, apply any of the following solutions:
- Update the driver.
- Run a troubleshooter.
- Close some open apps.
- Uninstall and reinstall the driver.
- Install additional RAM.
How do I fix NVIDIA OpenGL errors?
To fix OpenGL Errors in Windows 11/10, you can try any of the following suggestions:
- Run SFC scan.
- Install latest graphics drivers. OpenGL isn’t a driver but it does work with graphics adapters and apps that require high graphic processing.
- Uninstall and reinstall app/game.
How do I know my OpenGL version?
To verify the supported OpenGL versions of the graphics card on your system, do the following:
- Download and install OpenGL Extensions Viewer (free of charge).
- Open OpenGL Extensions Viewer.
- In the Tasks menu, click Summary.
- Check the OpenGL version of the GPU: Example: OpenGL version for the GPU is 4.6 and lower.
Why is my OpenGL not working?
If OpenGL is not working, it could be due to a graphics card issue on your Windows 11/10 system. If the video driver in your computer is missing or out of date, it can result in this problem and stop running the application or game. You can try to update the graphics card driver to fix the error.
