Editing Graphics Device Interface (section)

== Limitations ==
Each window consumes GDI objects. As the complexity of the window increases, with additional features such as buttons and images, its GDI object usage also increases. When too many objects are in use, Windows is unable to draw any more GDI objects, leading to misbehaving software and frozen and unresponsive program operation.<ref>Microsoft Knowledgebase article 838283 - Desktop application menus are improperly displayed if a process exceeds its GDI object quota in Windows XP or in Windows 2000 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/838283</ref> Many applications are also incorrectly coded and fail to release GDI objects after use, which further adds to the problem.<ref>Microsoft Developer Network Blog - GDI leak in Outlook 2007 causes problems when GDI usage reaches 10,000 objects http://blogs.msdn.com/rgregg/archive/2007/09/03/outlook-2007-gdi-leak-hotfix.aspx</ref> The total available GDI objects varies from one version of Windows to the next: [[Windows 9x]] had a limit of 1,200 total objects; Windows 2000 has a limit of 16,384 objects; and Windows XP and later have a configurable limit (via the registry) that defaults to 10,000 objects per process (but a theoretical maximum of 65,536 for the entire session).<ref>Microsoft Developer Network - GDI Object limits http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms724291(VS.85).aspx</ref><ref>Microsoft Knowledge base Article 894500 - .NET programs designed on newer NT operating systems may malfunction on older Win 95 / Win 98 / Win ME due to lower GDI usage limits http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894500</ref> Windows 8 and later increase the GDI object limit to 65,536 per user login session.

Earlier versions of Windows such as Windows 3.1 and Windows 98 included a Resource Meter program to allow the user to monitor how much of the total system GDI resources were in use. This resource meter consumed GDI objects itself. Later versions such as Windows 2000 and Windows XP can report GDI object usage for each program in the Task Manager, but they cannot tell the user the total GDI capacity available.

Overflowing GDI capacity can affect Windows itself, preventing new windows from opening, menus from displaying, and alert boxes from appearing. The situation can be difficult to clear and can potentially require a forced reset of the system, since it prevents core system programs from functioning. In Windows 8 and 8.1, a forced log-off occurs as a result of GDI capacity overflow, instead of a reboot.