The Three Ways to Update Your Graphics Driver

You can update your graphics driver through Windows Update, the manufacturer's control panel, or by downloading the driver directly from the GPU maker's website. Windows Update is the slowest but requires the least work. The manufacturer's control panel (NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Radeon Settings) is faster and gives you more options. Downloading directly from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel is the fastest route if you know your exact graphics card model.

Most people should start with Windows Update or the manufacturer's control panel. Direct read is worth doing only if Windows Update is not finding updates, or if you need a specific driver version for a game or process that is not working.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows Update will find and install graphics driver updates automatically, but the process can take several days or weeks.
  • NVIDIA Control Panel, AMD Radeon Settings, and Intel Graphics Command Center let you check for updates and install them within minutes.
  • You need to know your exact graphics card model (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660, AMD Radeon RX 6700, etc.) before downloading directly from the manufacturer.
  • Restarting your computer after installing a driver update is required and will complete the installation.

Checking Your Graphics Card Model Before You Start

Open the Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Device Manager. Expand the "Display adapters" category. The name shown there is your graphics card model — write it down exactly as it appears.

If you see "Microsoft Basic Display Adapter" or "Standard VGA Graphics Adapter", Windows is using a built-in graphics processor that does not have a separate driver to update. If you see NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel in the name, you have a dedicated or integrated graphics card that can be updated.

Using Windows Update to Install Driver Updates

Open Settings by pressing Windows key + I. Go to Update & Security, then click "Check for updates". Windows will scan for all available updates, including graphics drivers. If an update is found, click "read and install". This process can take 15 minutes to several hours depending on your internet speed and how many other updates are available.

After the read finishes, Windows will ask you to restart your computer. Save your work and restart. The driver installation completes during the restart, and your computer will be ready to use when it boots back up. Do not turn off your computer during this restart.

Using the Manufacturer's Control Panel for Faster Updates

If you have an NVIDIA card, right-click on your desktop and select "NVIDIA Control Panel". Click the Help menu, then "Check for updates". If you have an AMD card, right-click on your desktop and select "AMD Radeon Settings", then go to the System tab and look for an update option. If you have Intel integrated graphics, search for "Intel Graphics Command Center" in the Start menu and open it, then look for the update section.

When an update is found, the control panel will show you the version number and let you read and install it when ready. This is usually faster than waiting for Windows Update. After installation, you will be asked to restart. Close all open programs, save your work, and restart your computer.

Downloading Directly From the Manufacturer's Website

Go to the NVIDIA driver read page, AMD driver read page, or Intel driver read page. Select your graphics card model from the dropdown menus. The website will show you the latest driver version available for your card and Windows 10.

Click read. The file will be an .exe file — save it to your Downloads folder. Once the read finishes, double-click the file to run the installer. Follow the on-screen prompts. The installer will ask you to restart your computer when it is done. Restart when ready and do not interrupt the process.

If the installer says your current driver is newer than the one you downloaded, you already have the latest version. Close the installer and check again in a few weeks.

What to Do If the Update Does Not Install

If you see an error message during installation, restart your computer and try again. Many driver installation failures are temporary and resolve after a restart.

If the error happens twice, try uninstalling the current driver before installing the new one. Open Device Manager, right-click your graphics card under Display adapters, and select "Uninstall device". Check the box that says "Delete the driver software for this device" and click Uninstall. Restart your computer. Windows will reinstall a basic driver automatically. Then read and install the new driver using one of the methods above.

If you are downloading directly and the installer keeps failing, try downloading from the manufacturer's website again — the file may have been corrupted. If it fails a second time, use Windows Update or the control panel method instead.

Verifying the Update Installed Correctly

Open Device Manager again and expand Display adapters. Right-click your graphics card and select Properties. Click the Driver tab. The Driver Version shown here is the version currently installed on your computer. Compare it to the version number you saw when you downloaded or installed the update. If they match, the update installed correctly.

You can also check the driver version in the manufacturer's control panel. In NVIDIA Control Panel, go to Help > About. In AMD Radeon Settings, go to System > About. In Intel Graphics Command Center, go to Settings > About. All three will show you the current driver version.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I update my graphics driver?

Check for updates once a month. You do not need to update every time a new driver is released — most updates are for specific games or applications. Update when you are having graphics problems, when a game you want to play recommends a newer driver, or when the manufacturer releases a security update.

Will updating my graphics driver improve my gaming performance?

Sometimes. New drivers often improve performance for recently released games, but they rarely improve performance for older games. If you are not having problems, updating will not make a noticeable difference in most cases.

What happens if I restart my computer before the driver installation finishes?

The installation will not complete, and your graphics may not work correctly until you install the driver again. Always let the restart finish without interruption. Do not turn off your computer, unplug it, or close the lid during the restart process.

Can I go back to an older driver if the new one causes problems?

Yes. Uninstall the current driver in Device Manager (checking the box to delete the driver software), restart, then read and install the older version from the manufacturer's website. You can find older driver versions in the driver read archives on NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel's websites.

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

No. The installer will replace the old driver automatically. Uninstalling first is only necessary if the new driver fails to install or causes problems.