How to resolve the ‘NVIDIA Control Panel Access Denied’ issue on Windows 10?

For people who use their computers for editing videos or playing games, it is crucial that they have access to the NVIDIA Control Panel. It is important for them to have the ability to configure their graphics settings. However, there are instances wherein this utility starts to malfunction, making certain features inaccessible. You probably found this article because of the error message below:

“NVIDIA Control Panel Access Denied.”

Now, you might ask, “Why can’t I access my NVIDIA Control Panel?” There are various reasons why this issue shows up. It is possible that your drivers are outdated. On the other hand, if you’ve recently updated your drivers, then it is possible that the installation is corrupted or damaged. You should also check if you are running the NVIDIA Control Panel as an administrator. Sometimes, the error message appears when the user does not have administrative privileges to perform changes on the NVIDIA Control Panel.

Whatever the root cause of the issue may be, we’ve got you covered. Keep on reading this post, and we will teach you how to fix the ‘Access Denied – Failed to apply selected setting to your system’ error.

Solution 1: Updating your NVIDIA Graphics Driver

You might wonder, “Why has my NVIDIA Control Panel stopped working?” As we’ve mentioned, this is likely a driver-related problem. So, we recommend that you update your NVIDIA graphics card driver. There are three ways to do this:

• Use the Device Manager
• Download the Driver from the Manufacturer’s Website
• Use Auslogics Driver Updater

Use the Device Manager

1. Go to your taskbar, then right-click the Windows icon.
2. Select Device Manager from the options.
3. Once the Device Manager is up, expand the contents of the Display Adapters category.
4. Right-click your NVIDIA graphics card from the list, then select Update Driver from the context menu.

Download the Driver from the Manufacturer’s Website

While using the Device Manager is convenient for updating your drivers, the tool can be unreliable at times. It can miss the latest version for your driver. So, you might still need to download and install the NVIDIA graphics card driver manually. To do this, you need to go to NVIDIA’s website, then search for the latest driver that is compatible with your operating system version and processor type. After downloading the driver, double-click the file and follow the instructions to complete the installation process.

Use Auslogics Driver Updater

As you can see, you’ll need a lot of patience, computer skills, and time to update your NVIDIA graphics card driver manually. Thankfully, there is an easy, reliable, and safe way to do this. You can use Auslogics Driver Updater to update your NVIDIA graphics driver along with other drivers on your PC.

After installing Auslogics Driver Updater, the tool will recognize your operating system and processor type automatically. It will look for the latest driver NVIDIA recommends for your computer. You do not have to worry about downloading and installing an incompatible driver. The best part is, Auslogics Driver Updater will resolve all driver-related issues on your PC. So, once the process is complete, you will enjoy an overall improvement in your computer’s performance.

Solution 2: Reinstalling Your NVIDIA Graphics Driver

If updating your graphics card driver does not get rid of the error message, we recommend that you reinstall the driver completely. It is possible that its installation files have been corrupted. So, you need to remove the residual files before reinstalling the driver. Follow the steps below to proceed:

1. On your keyboard, press Windows Key+X.
2. Select Device Manager from the options.
3. Now, click Display Adapters to expand its contents.
4. Right-click your NVIDIA graphics card, then choose Uninstall Device from the context menu. Once you’ve done this, your graphics driver will be removed from your computer.
5. Restart your PC, then open File Explorer by pressing Windows Key+E on your keyboard.
6. Navigate to the following folder locations:

C:\Program Files (x86)

C:\Program Files

7. Remove all NVIDIA folders from these locations.
8. Use Auslogics Driver Updater to reinstall your NVIDIA graphics card driver.

After reinstalling your graphics card driver, try running the NVIDIA Control Panel again to see if the error message is gone.

Solution 3: Running the NVIDIA Control Panel as an Administrator

You might still wonder, “Why does the NVIDIA Control Panel not open on Windows 10?” It is possible that you are running the program without appropriate permissions. So, we suggest that you launch the NVIDIA Control Panel with administrative privileges to resolve the error. Here are the steps:

1. Launch File Explorer by pressing Windows Key+E on your keyboard.
2. Now, navigate to this path:

C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Control Panel Client

3. Look for the nvcplui.exe file, then right-click it.
4. Select Properties.
5. Go to the Compatibility tab, then make sure you select the ‘Run this program as an administrator’ option.
6. Click OK to save the changes you made.
7. Right-click the nvcplui.exe file, then select Run as Administrator.

Solution 4: Restarting Your NVIDIA Display Driver Service

It is possible that your NVIDIA Display Driver service is not working, which can also be the reason why its Control Panel is not functioning either. So, you need to restart your NVIDIA Display Driver service to get the Control Panel to work properly. Follow the instructions below:

1. Open the Run dialog box by pressing Windows Key+R on your keyboard.
2. Inside the Run dialog box, type “services.msc” (no quotes), then click OK.
3. Look for the NVIDIA Display Driver service, then right-click it.
4. Select Restart from the options.
5. Right-click the NVIDIA Display Driver service once more, then select Properties.
6. Click the drop-down list beside Startup Type, then choose Automatic.
7. Click OK to save the changes you’ve made.
8. Now, try opening your NVIDIA Control Panel and check if you have access to all the features.

Solution 5: Restarting the NVIDIA Control Panel Process

In some cases, all it takes is a simple restart of the NVIDIA Control Panel process to get the tool working properly. Here are the steps:

1. Open the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc on your keyboard.
2. Expand the contents of the NVIDIA Control Panel section.
3. Right-click NVIDIA Control Panel, then click End Task.

Now, try opening your NVIDIA Control Panel and check if the error is gone.

Solution 6: Restoring the Working Version of the Driver

If you are using System Restore or System Protection on your Windows computer, then it is likely that an older, working version of the NVIDIA graphics card driver is still stored on your device. You can try accessing it and restoring it to get rid of the issue. However, keep in mind that this method only works if your files are backed up. Follow the steps below:

1. Press Windows Key+E on your keyboard to launch File Explorer.
2. Click This PC from the options on the left, then navigate to the path below:

C:\ProgramData\NVIDIA Corporation\DRS

3. Note: If you cannot see the ProgramData folder, then you need to reveal the hidden files. You can do this by going to the View tab and selecting Hidden Items in the Show/Hide section.
4. Right-click the DRS folder, then choose Properties from the options.
5. Go to the Previous Versions tab, then look for different folder versions. Select a recent date when the NVIDIA Control Panel issue did not exist yet.
6. Click Reset, then follow the on-screen instructions.

After performing the steps above, try opening your NVIDIA Control Panel again and check if the issue has been resolved.

Solution 7: Disabling Games Bar

A built-in Windows utility, Game Bar is designed to improve a user’s gaming experience. Once you update your operating system, it will be enabled automatically. However, there are times when it interferes with the NVIDIA Control Panel. So, to get rid of the problem, you can try disabling it. Follow the instructions below:

1. Open the Settings app by pressing Windows Key+I on your keyboard.
2. Select Gaming.
3. Go to the left-pane menu, then select Game Bar.
4. Move to the right pane, then toggle the switch to Off.

Try running the NVIDIA Control Panel again and check if the ‘Access Denied’ error is gone.

What other PC gaming issues would you like us to resolve?

Feel free to ask your questions in the comments below!