How to update your graphics driver – AMD and Nvidia
Get the most out of your GPU by keeping the drivers up to date
Wondering how to update your graphics driver? Well, there are a few different methods, whether it be for an AMD or Nvidia GPU. We’re going to take you through everything you need to know in this handy guide, so there’s no need to worry about screwing up. It doesn’t matter if you have the best graphics card on the market, or something much more obscure or budget-friendly, you’ll be able to find the correct drivers and install them safely.
Simply ignoring graphics driver updates can cause problems further down the line, and means you aren’t utilizing the full potential of your current graphics card – don’t miss out on new features for your favorite games.
Once you learn how to update your graphics driver, you’re making sure that your hardware is performing as well as it should, with the latest benefits on the software side. Ensure that you get better upscaling or ray tracing in games and make sure they perform well.
When updating graphics drivers you should know what model of GPU you have and from which main brand, AMD or Nvidia. This is important in making sure you download the correct one, especially if you haven’t got the software already there for your graphics card. If you already do, it’s a much simpler process!
Optional – Uninstall current graphics driver
If you already have a driver installed it is advised to uninstall it before updating to the new driver. It isn’t as necessary but if you wish to do it here’s how.
Step
Download DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller)
Head over to the DDU download page to get the newest version of the download, and extract the program after it has finished.
Uninstalling a graphics driver can be done via windows and driver software but they usually don’t uninstall key registries or more deeply embedded changes.
Step
Restart into safe mode
To work most effectively, DDU needs to run in safe mode. To get there head to windows settings, and under system recovery restart into advanced startup.
After the restarting, you’ll have a blue screen at a weird resolution to navigate. There you want to head to troubleshoot > advanced > and start up settings, where you again want to restart your device.
Again met by a blue screen you want to choose safe mode (fourth option in our case) to finally get back into Windows.
Safe mode is a great way to diagnos and fix your Windows and drivers as it only functions with the bare necessities of the OS.
Step
Run DDU
Finally, you want to open up DDU and clean up your driver. Make sure to select which driver you wish to uninstall. You want to select GPU and then your graphics driver, either Nvidia, AMD, or Intel. Then select clean and restart to go straight back into normal Windows to continue.
Clean and shutdown is a good way to uninstall a driver if you’re planning on upgrading your graphics card as it let’s you start fresh when first booted.
Update Nvidia graphics driver
First we’ll take a look at how to update your Nvidia graphics driver, either with Geforce experience or by downloading from their website.
Option
Check Geforce experience
If you already have Nvidia GeForce Experience, open it and under the drivers tab check for new drivers
Option
Find the driver on the Nvidia website
To find your new graphics driver, head to the Nvidia driver page. There make sure to put in your graphics card to find the newest driver.
Once you get to the correct driver download it.
Once it’s downloaded install the driver, you will get the option to either install just the driver but also Geforce Experience.
Custom install will also let you do a clean install to reset your drivers.
Update your AMD graphics driver
If you have an AMD card this section is for you and how to update those graphics drivers.
Option
Check AMD Radeon software
If you already have the AMD Radeon software installed then you can open that to check for an update.
Once opened, head to the settings (cog) in the top right. Then on the systems tab you can check for updates for the software which also does the software.
Then simply follow the installation process.
Option
Download direct from AMD website
Head over to the AMD website to find the graphics driver you need.
Find your GPU and input it to get to the relevant page, where you can download the Radeon software.
After downloading, install the software and follow the onscreen instructions to finish the driver installation.
Additional options on the installation will also let you perform a clean installation of the AMD graphics driver.
Conclusion
There you have a few easy methods of updating your graphics driver. If it’s either AMD or Nvidia and if you have their graphics software installed or not. It is important to keep your drivers up to date to make sure everything runs as it should if it is for new game releases or new features available.
It can also be beneficial to uninstall your old driver first to make sure there are no conflicts or corruption with the new one. But most of the time there should be no issue but we cover all bases so the choice is yours.
Update graphics drivers FAQs
Do graphics drivers automatically update?
Unless you already have either Nvidia GeForce or AMD Adrenalin installed, then the drivers won’t update automatically. You need the software installed and then the options selected for the drivers to update themselves. Otherwise, you need to periodically check on them to make sure there are no new versions out yet.
Is it good to update graphics driver?
Yes, it is a good idea to keep your drivers updated. Drivers will release periodically to improve performance and compatibility. It’s especially important for new game releases and Nvidia cards. As they release game-ready drivers for big games to make sure the cards play along well and you can enjoy it with no hitches.
It also offers improvements in general. Over time further alterations can just generally improve how well the drivers work. Even offering better performance for older hardware can do a lot for it. Along with general security patches, keeping it up to date ensure you stay safe as well.
How often do graphics drivers update?
It will depend on the graphics company. Nvidia tends to have updates for every major game release, so it can be from every two weeks to two months. Whilst AMD is a bit more infrequent and might be a few months between each of the releases. So you have to keep an eye out for when the latest release is out for your card.
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