Windows BSOD 0x00000118 — VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED — What It Means & How to Fix It

What Does This Error Mean?

Windows BSOD 0x00000118 — also called VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED — means your graphics card stopped responding and Windows could not recover it. TDR stands for Timeout Detection and Recovery. Windows waits a set amount of time for the GPU to respond to commands. When the GPU does not respond in time, Windows first tries to reset it. If the reset fails and the GPU remains unresponsive, Windows crashes with this blue screen.

Affected Models

Windows 10 all versions
Windows 11 all versions
Windows 8/8.1
Systems with NVIDIA or AMD discrete graphics cards
Systems with Intel integrated graphics

Common Causes

Graphics driver is corrupted, outdated, or incompatible with the current Windows version
GPU is overheating — thermal throttling and protective shutdown causes TDR failures
Overclocked GPU is unstable under load and crashes during demanding tasks
Failing GPU hardware — aging or damaged graphics card that is beginning to fail
Insufficient power supply — GPU is not receiving stable power under load

How to Fix It

Update your graphics driver. For NVIDIA, download the latest driver from nvidia.com. For AMD, use amd.com. For Intel integrated graphics, use the Intel Driver Support Assistant. A corrupted or outdated driver is the most common cause of TDR failures.

Use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) in safe mode to completely remove the old driver before installing the new one. This prevents driver conflicts.
Check GPU temperature. Download HWMonitor or GPU-Z (both free) and monitor GPU temperature during normal use. Idle temperature should be under 45 degrees Celsius. Under load it should stay under 85 degrees Celsius.

If the GPU reaches 90 degrees Celsius or higher, clean the heatsink and fan with compressed air. Replace the thermal paste if the card is more than 3 to 4 years old.
If the GPU is overclocked, revert to default clock speeds. Overclocking increases GPU instability, especially under sustained heavy loads like gaming or video rendering. Use MSI Afterburner or AMD Wattman to remove any overclock settings.

Even a modest overclock can push a marginally stable GPU over the edge. Stock speeds are safer and still very capable.
Check the power supply unit (PSU). A GPU under load draws significant power. If the PSU is undersized or aging, voltage can drop during peak demand, causing GPU crashes. Look for a PSU with at least the wattage recommended by the GPU manufacturer.

Symptoms of PSU issues include the BSOD happening specifically during gaming or GPU benchmarks — not during idle or light use.
Increase the TDR delay in the Windows Registry as a temporary workaround. Open Registry Editor (regedit), navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers. Create a DWORD (32-bit) value named TdrDelay and set the value to 8 (decimal). Restart.

This gives the GPU more time to recover before Windows crashes. It is a workaround, not a fix. Investigate the root cause — driver or hardware — alongside this.

When to Call a Professional

If updating drivers and checking temperatures does not resolve 0x00000118, the GPU hardware may be failing. A tech shop can test the GPU and confirm whether it needs replacement. If the PC is under warranty, contact the manufacturer. A replacement GPU typically costs $150 to $600 depending on the performance tier.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does TDR mean in Windows?

TDR stands for Timeout Detection and Recovery. It is a Windows feature that monitors the GPU and attempts to reset it if it stops responding. If the reset succeeds, you see a brief screen flicker and a notification that the display driver stopped responding and recovered. If the reset fails, Windows cannot continue and crashes with the 0x00000118 blue screen.

Is 0x00000118 always a GPU problem?

Usually yes, but not always. A corrupted Windows update, bad RAM, or a failing motherboard can also cause this BSOD in some cases. If updating the GPU driver does not help, run Windows Memory Diagnostic (search for it in the Start menu) to test your RAM.

My GPU is less than a year old — can it still cause 0x00000118?

Yes. Even new GPUs can have driver issues, manufacturing defects, or compatibility problems. Start with a clean driver reinstall before assuming the hardware is defective. If a clean driver install does not resolve it, the card may have a defect — check warranty options.