This is an issue on the host's computer (the person attempting to host a game) that means Parsec couldn't capture their display. Below are the possible things that can cause this.
Laptops: Parsec is using the wrong graphics card
This is a very common error on laptops. In those cases, Parsec is using your dedicated NVIDIA or AMD graphics card, but you need to make it use your Intel or AMD CPU's integrated graphics instead for technical reasons. Follow the fix for dual graphics laptops.
The game is running in fullscreen
There are some rare few games that don't report their resolution correctly to Windows when in fullscreen, which messes with Parsec. Try to change the game to windowed or borderless fullscreen.
Issues with lock screen, UAC and protected desktop
If guests get ejected in these specific scenarios, learn about how to repair Parsec's Windows system service.
Your PC has no monitor, it's a virtual machine, or you turned off your monitor on the host
Parsec requires the host's graphics card to believe there is a physical monitor connected to a display output port in the graphics card. You can't use Parsec along with a USB display adapter, and some docking stations.
If running a headless system, or attempting to run Parsec from a virtual machine that has a GPU passed through to it, you will need to simulate a display being plugged into the GPU.
- You can make use of Parsec's virtual displays, available in the host settings. The free version of Parsec has a "Fallback To Virtual Display" which adds a single virtual display if no other displays are present. Learn how to set it up at the bottom of the virtual displays page
- Alternatively, you can purchase a HDMI dongle to generate a monitor, (we recommend this one). Using an HDMI Dongle can be problematic if you also plan to physically use this host machine, as while the headless hdmi dongle is plugged in, you will have an invisible monitor at all times
- On QUADRO or TESLA graphics you might be able to simulate an EDID via NVIDIA Control Panel
Windows Multi-User Systems
Parsec cannot run on multiple Windows logins at the same time. Each Windows user must log out of Windows prior to handing the machine off to another Windows user. Selecting "Switch user" does not log out the first user and can cause this error.
Teams customers have had success enforcing logout by creating a GPO that automatically logs users out of Windows after a specified period of inactivity.
Issues with Windows RDP (Remote Desktop)
This only applies to you if you use Windows RDP. If you don't use it or you don't know what this is, ignore this section.
For the best performance, you should close all RDP sessions before connecting with Parsec. Parsec is generally able to stay connected at the same time as RDP, but performance will be significantly worse. Since Windows 10 Build 1903, WDDM graphics mode causes bugs while Parsec and RDP are used together. If you get error -14003, turn off WDDM graphics in favor of XDDM:
- Run "Edit group policy"
- Navigate to Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Remote Session Environment
- Set "Use WDDM graphics display driver..." to "Disabled"
