How to Fix ShadowPlay not recording/not working Issue ?

NVIDIA Shadowplay is an integral part of GeForce Experience which enables you to record the gameplay. The twitch feature of the same will help you to broadcast the Livestream of the game. The features of the Shadowplay are amazing, but sometimes NVIDIA Shadowplay not working issue makes the users annoying and due to this, they failed to record the gameplay. Due to some of the reasons, shadowplay install and shadow play download failed in the Nvidia Geforce experience. In this guide, I will show you How to install shadowplay and the possible solutions to fix the shadowplay download/install and Shadowplay not recording or Shadowplay not working issue. 

What is Nvidia GeForce ShadowPlay?

ShadowPlay is a feature in Geforce experience that is the easiest way to record and share high-quality gameplay screenshots, videos, and live stream with your friends. The ShadowPlay’s DVR-style instant replay mode records your amazing stunts in the game. Just hit a hotkey to save the last 30 seconds of gameplay to your hard drive and share to Facebook and YouTube.

By using this ShadowPlay, you can never miss your best gaming moments as it automatically captures key moments, clutch kills, and match-winning plays. Just select a highlight moment and share to social media using GeForce experience. The ShadowPlay GeForce experience makes broadcasting your favorite games easy and fast. Just within two clicks, you can start broadcast high-quality video to YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter live. For better performance of live stream, Shadowplay also supports custom graphic overlays.

ShadowPlay is part of GeForce Experience 3.0, which enables the users to instantly record gameplay at 60FPS for the last 20 minutes. You can also broadcast a live stream Twitch or YouTube at different resolutions. You can create 15 seconds GIF from your favorite ShadowPlay video, add text, and upload it to Google, Facebook, or Weibo with a single click. Grab the screenshots and upload them to Google, Facebook, or Twitter without leaving your game.

There have been so many cases where users were unable to record any games using ShadowPlay, even when in fullscreen mode. In the case of many users, the game doesn’t record when the hotkeys are activated.

Why does NVIDIA ShadowPlay fail to Install?

There may be so many reasons behind this issue. But I have listed some of the common reasons behind this error:

Improper Service: Like all other applications ShadowPlay also runs a service on Windows. In case of NVIDIA’s services are not running properly or have corrupt variables, ShadowPlay will not be installed.

Corrupt Registry Keys: The registry in your computer plays an important role in the functioning. It is a set of instructions that instruct how your computer will respond or how it will behave. If these registry keys for ShadowPlay are corrupt or incomplete, you will not be able to install it.

Administrative Privileges: All applications need administrative privileges to get installed properly on your computer. If the ShadowPlay installer doesn’t get administrative access, it will not be able to access system folders and might fail to install.

Integrated Graphics: If you have installed NVIDIA’s graphics card on your computer, it is sure that your computer also has some integrated graphics and in such conditions, if the dedicated graphics are running, the ShadowPlay will fail to install.

DirectX: Usually DirectX is the core of graphics of any Windows system. If the graphics drivers are missing, you will not be able to install ShadowPlay.

Compatibility Problems: If the current version of NVIDIA’s ShadowPlay is incompatible with your current Windows operating system, it will fail to install.

Corrupt Account: A corrupt account is also a root cause of the installation failure of ShadowPlay. You can use a new account to install the application.

Windows problems: We have also encountered some Windows problems which include Safe Mode issues, Window’s installations, etc. By resolving those issues usually, you can solve the problem.

Media Player: Though there is no practical connection between Windows Media Player and ShadowPlay, we noticed several instances where if the media player wasn’t installed, the software would also fail to install.

How to Fix ShadowPlay Install Failed Issue?

This issue comes due to the Streamer Service not running properly, ShadowPlay’s inability to detect some games in fullscreen mode, and interference from some applications. In this guide, I’ll show you How to Fix Geforce ShadowPlay Install Failed Issue. Keep Reading for the best possible solutions.

Stop and Start NVIDIA Streamer Service

If NVIDIA Streamer Service is off or failed to respond, then this may lead to the NVIDIA screen recorder not working issue, and to fix the same, you will have to turn off the NVIDIA Streamer Service and then turn it ON again. The process is simple and the detailed steps are provided below.

• Press the Windows logo and R keys together to open the Run box.

• Now type services.msc in the box and then press the Enter key.

• Thereafter Windows services page will open and here you need to navigate for NVIDIA Streamer Service. After selecting NVIDIA Streamer Service, you will have to right-click on it and choose Properties from the drop-down menu.

• Soon, a pop-up window will appear on the screen, move to the Startup type section, and select Automatic from the drop-down menu.

• If the status is showing stopped, then click on the Start button.

• Now close the Services window and then launch Shadowplay to check whether the issue persists or not.

Install NVIDIA drivers

In some cases, GeForce Experience installs the applications where the display drivers failed to support such applications, and due to the same GeForce Experience not recording issue. So, you must update the graphics driver and the process for the same is listed below.

• Launch your browser and then click on the link to reach the official website of NVIDIA GeForce Experience.

• In the home page, you will find several tabs at the top of the page, click on Drivers.

• Soon, a new page will open and here you will find the Automatic Driver Updates section and beneath the same, the Download button is located, click on it.

• After completing the download process, install the driver.

Install DirectX

You need to have the latest version of DirectX installed in your system to fix the shadowplay install and shadow play download issue. The DirectX updates are available along with the Windows Updates for the latest Windows Operating Systems like Windows 10 and Windows 8. So, to Install DirectX updates you have to perform a Windows Update.

Here are the steps to update your Windows system manually to download the latest version of DirectX. This Windows update works for Windows 10, RT, 8, 8.1, server 2012, and server 2012 R2. The DirectX updates for Windows 7, XP, and Vista are not available; you have to upgrade your operating system to update DirectX.

• Go to the start button or from the keyboard click on the Windows logo key. Search for Windows Update and click on the first option. Or directly navigate to the control panel or settings > update and security > Windows update.

• On the next screen, click on the check for updates option and wait until the process of checking completes.

• After completion of checking, you can see the details option click on it to know which updates are available. Click on the download button to download and install updates into your system.

• Finally, completed installing Windows updates.
• Now, run the Nvidia GeForce Shadowplay install and shadow play download again. In some of the cases, this solution will fix the issue.

Note: Mostly, installing DirectX will fix the issue; if the problem still persists the problem is not with DirectX. Go to the below solutions to fix Shadowplay install and shadow play download issue.

Remove and Install NVIDIA GeForce Experience

If you are using the older or beta version of NVIDIA, then GeForce Experience won’t record issues that will arise, and to tackle this situation, you need to remove GeForce Experience and then install it again. The process for the same is listed below.

• Press the Start button and then type Control Panel in the search bar and then press the Enter key.

• Soon, a Control Panel window will open, and here you need to click on Uninstall a program located beneath the Program section.

• Thereafter, a new page will open and here you will get the list of applications, select NVIDIA GeForce Experience and then click on the Uninstall button located at the top of the page.

• After completing the above task, close the Control Panel window and then launch the browser.
• Now click on the link to reach the official page of NVIDIA GeForce Experience.

• Now click on the Download button.

• After completing the download process, open the download folder and then double click on the file to install NVIDIA GeForce Experience.

Delete Corrupt DirectX Files

After installing the latest version of DirectX, if you still face the issue, it is most likely due to the DirectX files either corrupt or misplaced version of Windows. To delete unwanted DirectX files go to the Windows folder in local disk c:\. Follow the below steps to fix the shadowplay install and shadow play download issue.

• Go to c:\Windows\System32 folder as shown in the figure and Delete existing DirectX files like d3dx9_43.dll, d3dx10_43.dll, and d3dx11_43.dll if you find there.

• Now, run the Nvidia GeForce experience shadowplay installing process.

• It may help to fix Shadowplay install and shadow play download issue.

Enable Desktop Capture of Shadowplay

• Launch Shadowplay.

• Now, click on the Preferences tab located at the top of the page.

• At the bottom of the preferences page, you will find a box indicating Allow Desktop Capture, click on it. Make sure the box is checked.

• Now launch the game and check the recording activity.

Install Windows Media Player

In some of the cases, the Shadowplay install issue occurs due to the system is not having included Windows media player or you deleted it. If you are not having a Windows media player try to install it manually.

• Search for the latest version of Windows Media player from your web browser and then select the trusted link from the results for download because the un-trusted site will invade malware or virus into your system along with software.

• Install the Windows media player and now try shadowplay install and shadow play download. Hopefully, this fixes the issue.

Turn ON the Privacy Control of Shadowplay

• Launch Shadowplay and then click on the Settings tab and here you will get few features, click on General.
• In the General settings, you will find the Language and Share section, move to the Share section, and then toggle the radio button in ON mode.

• After completing the above task, launch the game and use the hotkeys to record the same.

Try an older version of Nvidia Geforce Experience

None of the above solutions had worked in solving the issue of shadow play download and install? Go back to the older version of the Nvidia Geforce experience by uninstalling and installing the older version manually.

• Go to the start menu or click the Windows logo key. Search for add or remove programs on the search bar and select the option as shown in the figure.

• The above option will direct you to, control panel > programs and features > uninstall or change a program. Search for the Nvidia GeForce Experience program and click on uninstall.

• Finish the un-installation process by following on-screen instructions.
• Now, restart your computer. Download the previous version of Nvidia Geforce Experience (instead of experience, you will see GT810 or something) where the Shadowplay installation worked fine or the previous version.
• Hopefully, the older version will solve the issue of shadowplay install and shadow play download error.

Roll Back Nvidia GeForce Experience

• Go to the Device Manager from the Start menu.

• On the new window, navigate to the display adapter option and double-click on it to expand.

• Under the display adapter category, you can find Nvidia GeForce Experience (instead of experience it contains GT810 or something) and right-click on it from the drop-down list, select properties.

• From the pop-up window, navigate to the Driver tab and click on the rollback driver option. This successfully rollbacks your Nvidia to the previous version and now try Shadowplay install.

Note: The best option is to wait for the latest version of Nvidia GeForce Experience because it resolves the bugs caused by previous versions. If it’s important then apply this solution or else wait until the latest version or update of Nvidia Geforce Experience.

Stop Steam

If you are running the steam application, shadow play download will cause an error. To fix this issue, navigate to the task manager and stop the running steam application.

Now try shadowplay install and shadow play download, this will work with no errors.

Disable and Enable Nvidia GeForce Experience

You have to disable and enable Nvidia GeForce experience to fix the issue as sometimes it will work for some of the systems.

• Type msconfig on the search bar, click on the System Configuration as shown in the figure.

• A new window opens; go to the services tab and check the box to hide all services of Microsoft. And click on the disable all button and click on the apply button. Finally, click on the ok button. From the pop–up window click on the restart button.

• On the pop–up window, click on the restart button.
• After the restart of your system, go to msconfig as in step 3. Now, untick the box off, hide all services of Microsoft. Click on the enable all button and select the restart button on the pop-up window.

Conclusion

The possible solutions for shadowplay install and shadow play download failed issues are provided in detail for your better understanding. Still, are you having any more doubts or queries regarding Shadowplay not recording or the Shadowplay not working error or other devices problems? Get in touch in the comments section and we will get back to you at the earliest with all possible solutions. If you feel this article helpful please like, share, and follow our Facebook page and keep visiting our website for such tutorials and guides.