How to Solve Bandicam Failed to Initialize Codec Error [Solved]

Bandicam is a professional screen recorder for Windows. Have you ever encountered the problem of failing to initialize codec in Bandicam? How to troubleshoot it? This post offered by the MiniTool free video converter will provide you with 4 feasible solutions to fix the Bandicam failed to initialize codec error.

Bandicam has three recording modes including Screen Recording mode, Device Recording mode, and Game Recording mode. It enables you to make a screen recording with a high compression ratio while maintaining the original video quality. Sometimes, you may get the notification “Failed to initialize codec” when using the Game Recording mode to record certain gameplay. Many factors can lead to the Bandicam failed to initialize codec error. Below are 4 feasible solutions that can resolve the error. Let’s explore the following content.

Fix 1. Reinstall or Update Bandicam

When you encounter the “Failed to initialize codec” notification in Bandicam, the first thing you need to do is check the version of your Bandicam. Each update of Bandicam can optimize its performance and fix some bugs. You need to update Bandicam to its latest version if it has been updated. Within a few steps, you can check its update: Open Bandicam, click the About tab in the left sidebar, and then hit the Check update option to check if there is an update for Bandicam.

If your Bandicam has been updated to the latest version but still has such an error, you can try uninstalling it and reinstalling it.

Fix 2. Update Graphic Driver

Graphic drivers are important for GPU to operate efficiently, optimizing the performance for playing games, recording screens, editing videos, and others. Once you come across the problem of Bandicam failing to initialize codec, you need to update your graphic driver to the latest version. Here’s how:

1. Right-click on the Start icon and select the Device Manager option from the list.

2. On the Device Manager window, open the Display adapters menu.

3. Find the graphic driver of your device, right-click on it, and choose Update driver. Next, select the Search automatically for drivers option. Install the latest version if there is one. Alternatively, you can choose the Uninstall device option and then go to the official website of the driver to download and reinstall it.

Select the Update driver option on the Device Manager window to check the update of your graphic driver

Note:

For Windows 10 users, you need to go to Settings to select Apps & features, search for your graphic driver to find it, and click the Uninstall button to unload it. Later, download and reinstall the latest version of your graphic driver.

Fix 3. Change Video Resolution or Recording Mode

You’d better set the video resolution in Bandicam to match what your computer is. To change the video resolution for recording in Bandicam, you can refer to the below steps.

1. Run Bandicam and go to the Video tab.

2. Click the Settings button in the Format section.

3. Expand the Size dropdown to choose the size that matches your computer resolution. Then click OK to save the changes.

Choose the size that matches your computer on the Format settings window of Bandicam

Tips:

How to check the resolution of your computer? Open Settings of your Windows PC, click the System tab in the left sidebar, and choose the Display option to check the resolution of your PC.

Go to Windows’ Settings to check its resolution

Besides, you can try to change to Screen Recording Mode when you face the failed to initialize codec error using Game Recording Mode. It may help you resolve the error.

Fix 4. Try Bandicam Alternatives

If you have tried all of the resolutions above and still can’t solve the problem, the best resolution worth trying is to use alternatives to Bandicam for screen recording. There are many useful Bandicam alternatives, such as MiniTool Video Converter, OBS Studio, ShareX, Camtasia, and more. Among various Bandicam alternatives, MiniTool Video Converter comes first.

Compared with Bandicam, one of the prominent advantages of MiniTool Video Converter is that it is a completely free screen recorder with no time limits and watermarks. The maximum recording length of Bandicam is 10 minutes per recording if you are a free user. MiniTool Video Converter supports recording any activities happening on the screen with the option to record the system audio and microphone sounds separately or simultaneously.

Once you have encountered the problem of Bandicam failing to initialize codec or other errors in Bandicam, you can try to use MiniTool Video Converter for screen recording.

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The main interface of MiniTool Video Converter

Wrapping Up

It is not difficult to resolve the Bandicam failed to initialize codec error. Just try the 4 workable solutions listed above to fix the problem.

About The Author

Olivia Follow Us

Position: Columnist

Olivia is always full of enthusiasm for life and loves to record. She often records beautiful and memorable moments of life with her camera and then uses some editing tools to put the photos, videos and audio together. She also has a passion for writing and offers suggestions to readers on images, audio, videos and news. To provide more professional articles and solve problems for readers, she is continuing to learn multimedia as well.