What resetting your graphics driver actually does
Resetting your graphics driver means uninstalling it completely and letting Windows reinstall a fresh copy from its own system files or from the manufacturer's servers. This is different from updating—you're not getting a newer version, you're removing the current one and starting over. Most of the time, a reset fixes display glitches, crashes in games or video software, or a driver that has become corrupted from failed updates or driver conflicts.
The reset process takes about five to ten minutes and your screen will go black briefly while Windows reinstalls. You won't lose any files or settings. After the reset completes, your display resolution and refresh rate may revert to Windows defaults, so you may need to adjust those back to what you prefer.
Key Takeaways
- Resetting your graphics driver removes the current version entirely and lets Windows install a fresh copy, which often fixes display problems or driver crashes.
- You can reset through Device Manager by right-clicking your graphics card, selecting Uninstall Device, and checking the box to remove the driver software before restarting.
- Your screen will go black during the reinstall process, which is normal—Windows will automatically detect your graphics hardware and install a driver when it restarts.
- After reset, check your display settings because resolution and refresh rate may have changed to Windows defaults.
- If you have an NVIDIA or AMD card and want a specific driver version, you can manually read and install it from the manufacturer after the reset.
Reset through Device Manager (the standard method)
Open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Device Manager, or by typing "Device Manager" into the Windows search box. Look for the Display adapters category and click the arrow next to it to expand the list. You'll see your graphics card listed there—it might say NVIDIA GeForce, AMD Radeon, Intel UHD Graphics, or similar depending on what you have.
Right-click your graphics card and select Uninstall device. A dialog box will appear asking whether to delete the driver software. Check the box that says "Attempt to remove the driver for this device" or "Delete the driver software for this device"—the exact wording varies slightly by Windows version, but you want the option that removes the driver files, not just the device listing. Click Uninstall and wait for it to complete.
Restart your computer. Windows will detect your graphics hardware during startup and automatically reinstall a driver from its built-in driver store. Your screen may go black for 10 to 30 seconds during this process—this is normal. Once Windows finishes, you'll be back at your desktop, and the driver reset is complete.
Reset using Display Settings (for Intel integrated graphics)
If you have Intel integrated graphics built into your processor, you can also reset the driver through Settings. Open Settings, go to System, then Display. Scroll down and click Advanced display settings. At the bottom of that page, click Display adapter properties. In the window that opens, click the Driver tab, then click Driver Details to see which driver version is installed.
Go back to the Driver tab and click Uninstall. When prompted, check the box to remove the driver software and click OK. Restart your computer. Windows will reinstall the Intel graphics driver automatically on startup. This method works specifically for Intel integrated graphics and is often simpler than Device Manager if you have that hardware.
Manually install a specific driver after reset
After Windows reinstalls a generic driver, you may want to install the latest or a specific version from the manufacturer. For NVIDIA cards, go to nvidia.com/read/driverDetails.aspx, enter your graphics card model and Windows version, and read the driver installer. For AMD cards, visit amd.com/en/support and search for your card model. For Intel graphics, go to intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/products/80939/graphics.html.
read the driver installer to your computer, run it, and follow the on-screen prompts. The installer will guide you through the installation and may ask you to restart. After restart, your new driver will be active. You can verify the installation by opening Device Manager again, right-clicking your graphics card, selecting Properties, and checking the Driver tab to see the version number and installation date.
What to do if your screen stays black after restart
If your screen remains black after restarting, Windows is likely still installing the driver. Wait two to three minutes without touching anything. If the screen is still black after that, try pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete to bring up the task manager, then press Escape to close it—sometimes this helps the display wake up. If that doesn't work, restart the computer again by holding the power button for ten seconds.
If you get stuck in a loop where the screen stays black every time you restart, you can boot into Safe Mode to try again. Restart your computer and repeatedly press F8 or F12 (depending on your system) before the Windows logo appears. Select Safe Mode from the menu. In Safe Mode, open Device Manager again and try the uninstall process once more, then restart normally.
When to reset versus when to update
Reset your driver when you're experiencing crashes, display glitches, or a driver that won't uninstall cleanly. Update your driver when the manufacturer has released a newer version with bug fixes or performance improvements. You can check for updates by right-clicking your graphics card in Device Manager, selecting Update driver, and choosing to search automatically for updated driver software.
If an update caused problems, you can roll back to the previous version by right-clicking your graphics card in Device Manager, selecting Properties, going to the Driver tab, and clicking Roll Back Driver—though this option only appears if a previous driver is still stored on your system. If roll back isn't available or doesn't solve the problem, a full reset followed by a manual installation of a known-good driver version is your next step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will resetting my graphics driver delete my games or files?
No. Resetting the driver only removes the software that controls your graphics hardware. Your games, documents, photos, and all other files remain untouched. Your game settings and save files are stored separately and won't be affected.
Do I need to uninstall GeForce Experience or AMD Radeon Software before resetting the driver?
No, you don't have to. These are separate applications that work alongside the driver. You can leave them installed. However, if you're troubleshooting a problem and want a completely clean start, you can uninstall them first, reset the driver, then reinstall them afterward.
What if Device Manager doesn't show my graphics card?
If your graphics card doesn't appear in Device Manager, it may be listed under a different category or Windows may not recognize it. Try expanding Other devices or Unknown devices to see if it's there. If you still can't find it, restart your computer and try again. If the card still doesn't appear, you may have a hardware connection issue rather than a driver problem.
Can I reset my graphics driver without restarting?
No. Windows requires a restart to complete the driver reset and reinstall process. The restart is when Windows detects the graphics hardware and installs the new driver. Skipping the restart will leave your system in an incomplete state.
How do I know if the reset worked?
After restart, check Device Manager again to confirm your graphics card is listed and has a driver installed. You can also open Settings > System > Display > Advanced display settings to verify your resolution and refresh rate are correct. If the problem you were experiencing (crashes, glitches, etc.) no longer occurs, the reset was successful.