Graphics card not detected: best GPU solutions in 2024

Now you've got your build, some problems can be frustrating so what can you do if your graphics card is not detected

Table of Contents Table of Contents

Whether you’ve just built yourself a new gaming PC, upgraded your GPU, or plugged in your shiny new prebuilt, the graphics card not detected or GPU not detected issue is, unfortunately, quite a common one.

Let’s face it, any hardware issue is a massive pain and when it comes to the GPU not being detected, it could actually be for several reasons. The GPU could be disabled or even require driver updates. The problem can even extend to unforeseen errors when building the PC like installation, compatibility issues with your motherboard, or of course, just being defective!

If you are sat there thinking why is my Nvidia graphics card not being detected? Or why is my AMD graphics card not being detected? You’ve come to the right place. Whatever the brand or problem may be with your graphics card, we are going to cover all bases to get that GPU up and running and you back into your beloved games.

We are going to run through the top solutions to fix the GPU not detected issue. As mentioned it can be as simple as not being plugged in properly to slightly more complex issues that will take a little more time to solve.

Best GPU deals

How to fix your GPU not being detected

Check your GPU is seated properly

The first port of call when your graphics card is not detected is to ensure it has been properly installed. Take off your side panel and unscrew the GPU at the rear of the case. Unplug your power cable and press the lever to release the GPU.

Completely take out the GPU and inspect the motherboard’s PCI-E slot to see if there is any visible damage. If not, re-install the GPU, waiting till you hear the little click that signifies it is in. Reboot the PC and wait to see if you get a display. If there is still no display and your motherboard has another slot, repeat the process and re-install the GPU in the alternative slot.

This step may seem as obvious as making sure your monitor cable is plugged into the GPU but you’d be surprised what we miss sometimes!

Check your GPU drivers

Making sure you have the correct drivers for your GPU is a quick fix to the GPU not detected problem, that can resolve your issues in the time it takes to download. If you already have the most up-to-date drivers installed, it is worth uninstalling them and going for a clean install.

As your GPU isn’t detected you are going to have to manually input your current GPU model into whichever manufacturer’s website makes your card. As you can imagine, auto-detect probably isn’t going to work!

Once installed, restart and check to see if the problem has been resolved.

Motherboard compatibility

The chances are slim but if you have a particularly older motherboard and have bought a recent GPU, you could run into compatibility problems. There are a couple of BIOS changes that can be made at a later step so read on .

Power requirements

Another issue that can arise is simply from having an underpowered PSU. It is no surprise that the graphics card slurps up the most watts in most gamers’ systems, so having adequate power is a necessity.

Now, you don’t need that much wattage to power a PC but of course, this depends on what you are running inside. Adding up your components requirements you can check how much power you actually need. If everything checks out and you have more than enough power for your card, double-check the power cables and make sure they are all plugged in properly on your PSU, motherboard, and GPU.

BIOS

If you come across the graphics card not detecting a problem and are out of ideas, another great solution to try is updating your motherboard’s BIOS. We have already done a run-through video on how to update your BIOS in under four minutes.

For those that already had an up-to-date BIOS or if solution 4 simply didn’t help, restoring the BIOS to its default has worked for some users in the past.

1. If your system is on restart it, if not switch it on and press “Delete” or “F2” depending on your motherboard when prompted to get into the BIOS
2. Navigate to the BIOS menu
3. Look for “Restore To Default” or some variation of this and simply press “Enter” while following any additional instructions you see

Final word

If the five solutions above still haven’t fixed your GPU not detected problem, there is a strong chance your GPU, or at a stretch, the GPU slot on your motherboard is defective. Before crying into your keyboard, you can try and uninstall the latest Windows updates. 

Sometimes Windows causes us unexpected issues and there have been a lot of scenarios where the latest Windows updates can cause a bug. You can simply roll Windows back to an earlier time period and double-check to see if this fixes the issue:

1. Type “Recovery” into your Windows search bar and open
2. Click “ Open System Restore”
3. Click “Next”, select any of the restore points available, and click “Next” again
4. Confirm the action
5. Your PC will now restart
6. Log back in and continue the restore process instructions

If you have tried everything you can in this article and still have no joy, try borrowing an old GPU from a friend and seeing if that works. If you still get no detection try your GPU in your friend’s motherboard and find out whether there is a defective component at play.

FAQs

Why is my graphics card not being detected?

On some occasions, you may find that your graphics card has not been detected. This can be quite frustrating, especially if you are a new gamer, and you are unsure of what this means. However, there are a few reasons why this tends to happen. 

The first reason why your graphics card is not detected could be because the driver of the graphics card is incorrect, faulty, or an old model. This will prevent the graphics card from being detected. 

To help resolve this, you will need to replace the driver, or update it if there is a software update available. If you have the latest drivers in place and a fairly new motherboard, this will help to prevent this from occurring.

How do I know if my GPU is detected?

To know whether your GPU is detected is fairly easy. To check this you will want to click the start or Windows button on your PC. From here, you will want to type “Device Manager” into the search bar. This will then allow you access to the Device Manager settings.

On these settings, you will want to choose “Display Adapters” and then if your GPU has been detected by your Windows PC, then it should be displayed here. You will then have access to all the information regarding your Graphics card, and all of its specifications. 

Alternatively, you can choose to use the DirectX Diagnostic Tool to ensure that the GPU is connected. This will then allow you to access the GPU’s specification details too. If your GPU does not appear when using these options, there may be an issue with the GPU itself.

Why is my Nvidia graphics card not being detected?

When it comes to graphics cards, Nvidia’s are arguably some of the best you can purchase. Understandably, it is less than ideal if the GPU is not being detected by your PC. There are a number of reasons why this may happen, and to resolve this issue, you will want to try these solutions. 

The main reason why a graphics card is not detected is due to either an old and out of date driver, or as a result of using an incorrect driver. To help prevent this, you will want to ensure that the driver that you are using is up-to-date. This includes the model and any updates that need to be carried out.

If you have done this and the driver is still not being detected, then it is likely that you are using an incorrect driver or one that is not compatible. To resolve this, you will need to change the driver itself.

Why my AMD graphic card is not detected?

AMD is another company that creates popular graphics cards. If your AMD graphics card is not detected, there are a few solutions to this problem.

The first thing you will want to check is the connection. You will want to ensure that the graphics card is safely and securely connected to the motherboard. If the connection is not secure, this can prevent the GPU from being detected by your PC.

If it is connected correctly then the problem probably lies with the graphics card driver. As we have already discussed, you will need to ensure that the driver is compatible with both the graphics card and the motherboard. 

You will also want to ensure that it is an up-to-date model and that any updates that are required have been carried out. If you have tried all of these solutions with no avail, then you will need to replace the driver.