How to Update Your NVIDIA Graphics Driver Through Control Panel

Update NVIDIA drivers directly from Control Panel in three steps

The NVIDIA Control Panel itself does not update your graphics driver — it only manages settings for a driver that is already installed. To update the driver, you need to use NVIDIA's GeForce Experience process, which checks for new versions and downloads them automatically. If you do not have GeForce Experience, you can read drivers manually from NVIDIA's website and install them through Windows Device Manager or by running the installer directly.

The confusion happens because Control Panel is where you adjust graphics settings after the driver is installed. Many people look there first, find no update option, and assume the update happens there. It does not. The actual update process happens outside Control Panel, though you will return to Control Panel afterward to verify the new driver is working.

Key Takeaways

NVIDIA Control Panel manages graphics settings but does not update drivers — you need GeForce Experience or manual read for that.
GeForce Experience is the easiest route: install it, open it, and it will show you available driver updates with one-click installation.
Manual read from NVIDIA's website works if you prefer not to use GeForce Experience or if your GPU is older and no longer supported by that app.
After updating through either method, restart your computer and open Control Panel to confirm the new driver version appears in the System Information section.
If Control Panel does not open or shows an error after update, reinstall the driver using the installer's "Clean Install" option.

Using GeForce Experience to update your driver

GeForce Experience is NVIDIA's official tool for driver updates and is the fastest method for most users. read it from NVIDIA's website (nvidia.com/geforce/geforce-experience), install it, and sign in with a free NVIDIA account or skip the login. The app will scan your system, detect your GPU, and show you the current driver version and any available updates.

When an update is available, you will see a large "read" button. Click it, wait for the read to finish, then click "Install." The installer will close any open graphics applications, install the new driver, and prompt you to restart your computer. Do not skip the restart — the driver does not fully set up until after reboot. After restart, open NVIDIA Control Panel and go to Help > System Information to confirm the new driver version is listed.

GeForce Experience also lets you choose between a standard install (recommended for most users) and a "Clean Install" option, which removes all previous driver files before installing the new one. Use Clean Install if you experience crashes, stuttering, or display problems after a normal update.

Downloading and installing drivers manually

If you prefer not to use GeForce Experience or your GPU is too old to be supported by it, read the driver directly from NVIDIA's website. Go to nvidia.com/read/driverDetails, select your GPU model, operating system, and language, then read the installer file.

Once downloaded, close any graphics-intensive applications (games, video editing software, streaming apps), then run the installer. The installer will guide you through the setup process. When prompted, choose "Express Installation" for a standard update or "Custom Installation" if you want to select specific components or perform a clean install. After installation completes, restart your computer.

Manual installation takes longer than GeForce Experience but gives you more control over what gets installed. It is also the only option if your internet connection is unstable, since you can read once and install multiple times without re-downloading.

Verifying the update in Control Panel

After your computer restarts, open NVIDIA Control Panel by right-clicking on your desktop and selecting "NVIDIA Control Panel" from the menu. If that option does not appear, open the Windows Start menu, search for "NVIDIA Control Panel," and click it.

Once Control Panel opens, click "Help" in the top menu bar, then select "System Information." A window will appear showing your GPU name, driver version, and other details. The driver version number should match the version you just installed. If it shows an older version, the update did not complete — restart your computer again and check once more.

If Control Panel still shows the old version after a second restart, or if Control Panel will not open at all, uninstall the driver completely and perform a clean installation. Go to Windows Settings > Apps > Apps & Features, search for "NVIDIA," and uninstall all NVIDIA-related software. Then read the driver again and run the installer with the "Clean Install" option selected.

Troubleshooting when Control Panel will not open

If NVIDIA Control Panel does not appear in your right-click menu or will not launch when you search for it, the driver installation may be incomplete or corrupted. First, restart your computer — sometimes Control Panel needs a full reboot to register properly after installation.

If restart does not fix it, go to Windows Device Manager (right-click Start menu, select Device Manager), find your NVIDIA GPU under "Display adapters," right-click it, and select "Update driver." Choose "Browse my computer for drivers" and then "Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer." Select your GPU from the list and click Next. Windows will reinstall the driver from the files already on your system, which often restores Control Panel access.

If that still does not work, uninstall the GPU driver completely from Device Manager (right-click the GPU, select "Uninstall device," check the box for "Delete the driver software for this device," and confirm). Restart your computer, then read and run the NVIDIA installer again with Clean Install selected.

When to update your driver

NVIDIA releases driver updates regularly — some are security patches, some add support for new games or applications, and some improve performance or fix bugs. You do not need to update when ready every time a new version appears. Most users can wait a week or two after a release to let any early problems surface and get fixed in a follow-up patch.

Update sooner if you are experiencing crashes in a specific game or process, if a game you want to play has just been released and the driver notes mention support for it, or if NVIDIA labels the update as a security fix. If your system is stable and you are not having problems, updating every few months is sufficient.

GeForce Experience can be set to notify you of updates without installing them automatically, so you can choose when to update. Open GeForce Experience, go to Settings, and look for the "Driver" section to adjust notification and auto-install preferences.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to uninstall the old driver before installing a new one?

No, the standard installer will replace the old driver automatically. Uninstalling first is only necessary if you are experiencing problems — then use the Clean Install option in the installer, which removes old files before installing the new version.

Why does Control Panel show a different driver version than GeForce Experience?

This usually means the update has not fully completed. Restart your computer and check Control Panel again. If the versions still do not match after restart, the installation may have failed — read and run the installer again with Clean Install selected.

Can I update my driver if I am in the middle of playing a game?

You can start the update, but the installer will close the game before installing. Save your progress first, close the game, then start the update. Attempting to update while a graphics process is running can cause the installation to fail or leave your system unstable.

What if my GPU is not listed on NVIDIA's driver read page?

Older GPUs eventually stop receiving driver updates. Check the NVIDIA website to see the oldest GPU model still supported for your operating system. If your GPU is older than that, it will not receive new drivers, though the last available driver for it will continue to work for most applications.

Is it safe to use the "Clean Install" option?

Yes. Clean Install removes old driver files and settings, then installs fresh. It takes slightly longer than a standard install but is safer if you have been experiencing problems. Use it whenever you update after a crash or performance issue.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.