LDDM Graphics Subsystem (DXGKrnl) Service Defaults in Windows 10

Controls the underlying video driver stacks to provide fully-featured display capabilities.

Default Settings

Startup type:

Windows 10 Home 1507	Manual
Windows 10 Pro 1507	Manual
Windows 10 Education 1507	Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 1507	Manual
Windows 10 Home 1511	Manual
Windows 10 Pro 1511	Manual
Windows 10 Education 1511	Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 1511	Manual
Windows 10 Home 1607	Manual
Windows 10 Pro 1607	Manual
Windows 10 Education 1607	Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 1607	Manual
Windows 10 Home 1703	Manual
Windows 10 Pro 1703	Manual
Windows 10 Education 1703	Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 1703	Manual
Windows 10 Home 1709	Manual
Windows 10 Pro 1709	Manual
Windows 10 Education 1709	Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 1709	Manual
Windows 10 Home 1803	System
Windows 10 Pro 1803	System
Windows 10 Education 1803	System
Windows 10 Enterprise 1803	System
Windows 10 Home 1809	System
Windows 10 Pro 1809	System
Windows 10 Education 1809	System
Windows 10 Enterprise 1809	System
Windows 10 Home 1903	System
Windows 10 Pro 1903	System
Windows 10 Education 1903	System
Windows 10 Enterprise 1903	System
Windows 10 Home 2004	System
Windows 10 Pro 2004	System
Windows 10 Education 2004	System
Windows 10 Enterprise 2004	System
Windows 10 Home 20H2	System
Windows 10 Pro 20H2	System
Windows 10 Education 20H2	System
Windows 10 Enterprise 20H2	System
Windows 10 Home 21H1	System
Windows 10 Pro 21H1	System
Windows 10 Education 21H1	System
Windows 10 Enterprise 21H1	System
Windows 10 Home 21H2	System
Windows 10 Pro 21H2	System
Windows 10 Education 21H2	System
Windows 10 Enterprise 21H2	System
Windows 10 Home 22H2	System
Windows 10 Pro 22H2	System
Windows 10 Education 22H2	System
Windows 10 Enterprise 22H2	System

Display name:

LDDM Graphics Subsystem

Service name:

DXGKrnl

Service type:

kernel

Error control:

ignore

Group:

Video Init

Path:

%SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\dxgkrnl.sys

Registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DXGKrnl

Default Behavior

LDDM Graphics Subsystem is a kernel device driver. It is starting only if the user, an application or another service starts it in all editions of Windows 10 1507, Windows 10 1511, Windows 10 1607, Windows 10 1703, Windows 10 1709. This service is starting at Kernel initialization in all editions of Windows 10 1803, Windows 10 1809, Windows 10 1903, Windows 10 2004, Windows 10 20H2, Windows 10 21H1, Windows 10 21H2, Windows 10 22H2.

If LDDM Graphics Subsystem fails to load or initialize, Windows 10 start up proceeds without warnings. However the error details are being logged.

Restore Default Startup Configuration of LDDM Graphics Subsystem

1. Run the Command Prompt as an administrator.

2. Depending on the version of your operating system, copy the commands below, paste them into the command window and press ENTER.

For Windows 10 1507 Home, Windows 10 1507 Pro, Windows 10 1507 Education, Windows 10 1507 Enterprise, Windows 10 1511 Home, Windows 10 1511 Pro, Windows 10 1511 Education, Windows 10 1511 Enterprise, Windows 10 1607 Home, Windows 10 1607 Pro, Windows 10 1607 Education, Windows 10 1607 Enterprise, Windows 10 1703 Home, Windows 10 1703 Pro, Windows 10 1703 Education, Windows 10 1703 Enterprise, Windows 10 1709 Home, Windows 10 1709 Pro, Windows 10 1709 Education, Windows 10 1709 Enterprise:
sc config DXGKrnl start= demand

For Windows 10 1803 Home, Windows 10 1803 Pro, Windows 10 1803 Education, Windows 10 1803 Enterprise, Windows 10 1809 Home, Windows 10 1809 Pro, Windows 10 1809 Education, Windows 10 1809 Enterprise, Windows 10 1903 Home, Windows 10 1903 Pro, Windows 10 1903 Education, Windows 10 1903 Enterprise, Windows 10 1909 Home, Windows 10 1909 Pro, Windows 10 1909 Education, Windows 10 1909 Enterprise, Windows 10 2004 Home, Windows 10 2004 Pro, Windows 10 2004 Education, Windows 10 2004 Enterprise, Windows 10 20H2 Home, Windows 10 20H2 Pro, Windows 10 20H2 Education, Windows 10 20H2 Enterprise, Windows 10 21H1 Home, Windows 10 21H1 Pro, Windows 10 21H1 Education, Windows 10 21H1 Enterprise, Windows 10 21H2 Home, Windows 10 21H2 Pro, Windows 10 21H2 Education, Windows 10 21H2 Enterprise, Windows 10 22H2 Home, Windows 10 22H2 Pro, Windows 10 22H2 Education, Windows 10 22H2 Enterprise:
sc config DXGKrnl start= system
sc start DXGKrnl

3. Close the command window and restart the computer.

The DXGKrnl service is using the dxgkrnl.sys file that is located in the C:\Windows\System32\drivers directory. If the file is removed or corrupted, read this article to restore its original version from Windows 10 installation media.