How to Update Display Drivers in Windows 11 & 10 (Intel, NVIDIA & AMD)

A display driver (also called a graphics driver or GPU driver) is software that enables Windows to communicate with your graphics card. It plays a critical role in rendering your desktop, videos, games, and other visual content. If the display driver becomes outdated, corrupted, or incompatible, you may experience screen flickering, low resolution, black screen errors, graphics glitches, poor gaming performance, or even a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). Updating the display driver on Windows 11 (and Windows 10) resolves these issues by fixing bugs, improving hardware compatibility, and optimizing graphics performance.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to update display drivers on Windows 11 and Windows 10 using Windows Update, Device Manager, or the official Intel, NVIDIA, and AMD software. We’ll also explain when it’s better to reinstall or roll back a driver instead of simply update it.

Before You Update Your Display Driver

Before updating your display driver, make sure you know your graphics card manufacturer (Intel, NVIDIA, or AMD) and create a System Restore point in case you need to roll back the changes. While Windows Update installs compatible graphics drivers automatically, the latest drivers from your GPU manufacturer may include bug fixes, security patches, performance improvements, and support for new games and applications.

Updating your display driver is recommended if you’re experiencing:

• Screen flickering or display artifacts
• Black screen errors
• Low screen resolution
• Poor gaming performance or game crashes
• Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors related to graphics
• Problems after a Windows update

Method 1: Update Your Display Driver Using Windows Update

Windows Update is the easiest and safest way to update your display driver. Microsoft regularly delivers compatible graphics drivers through Windows Update, and this is the recommended method for most users.

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Windows Update.
3. Click Check for updates.
4. If a graphics driver update is available, Windows will download and install it automatically.
5. Restart your computer to complete the installation.

Install Optional Driver Updates

Sometimes graphics driver updates are listed as Optional Updates instead of being installed automatically.

1. Open Settings > Windows Update.
2. Click Advanced options.
3. Select Optional updates.
4. Expand Driver updates.
5. Select the available display driver and click Download & install.
6. Restart your PC after the installation finishes.

Note: Windows Update usually installs stable, WHQL-certified graphics drivers. If you’re a gamer or use graphics-intensive applications, you may get newer features and performance improvements by installing the latest driver directly from Intel, NVIDIA, or AMD.

Method 2: Update Your Display Driver Using Device Manager

Device Manager lets Windows search for and install a compatible display driver from your computer or through Windows Update. Although it may not always install the latest driver released by Intel, NVIDIA, or AMD, it’s a quick way to check for driver updates.

1. Press Windows + X and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Display adapters.
3. Right-click your graphics card and select Update driver.
4. Click Search automatically for drivers.
5. If Windows finds a newer compatible driver, follow the on-screen instructions to install it.
6. Restart your computer after the installation is complete.

Note: If you’ve already downloaded a driver from Intel, NVIDIA, AMD, or your PC manufacturer, select Browse my computer for drivers instead of Search automatically to install it manually.

If Windows Can’t Find a New Driver

If you see the message “The best drivers for your device are already installed,” it simply means Windows couldn’t find a newer compatible driver. You can still download the latest driver directly from your graphics card manufacturer using one of the methods below.

Method 3: Update Intel Graphics Drivers

If your PC uses Intel integrated graphics, the easiest way to get the latest driver is through Intel Driver & Support Assistant (Intel DSA). It automatically detects your hardware and recommends the correct graphics driver for your system.

1. Download and install Intel Driver & Support Assistant from Intel’s official website.
2. Launch the application or open the Intel Driver & Support Assistant webpage in your browser.
3. Allow the tool to scan your PC.
4. If a newer graphics driver is available, click Download.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the driver.
6. Restart your computer to apply the changes.

Tip: If you’re using a laptop from Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS, Acer, or another manufacturer, check their support website first. Some laptop manufacturers customize Intel graphics drivers for their hardware, and installing Intel’s generic driver may remove certain OEM-specific optimizations.

Note: If you prefer not to use Intel Driver & Support Assistant, you can download the latest graphics driver manually from Intel’s official support website. Make sure you choose the correct driver for your Intel graphics model and Windows version.

Method 4: Update NVIDIA Graphics Drivers

If your PC has an NVIDIA graphics card, the easiest way to update the display driver is by using the NVIDIA App. It automatically checks for the latest Game Ready and Studio drivers, then downloads and installs them with just a few clicks.

• Open the NVIDIA App on your PC. If it’s not installed, download it from NVIDIA’s official website.
• Sign in with your NVIDIA account if prompted.
• Go to the Drivers tab.
• Click Check for updates.
• If a newer driver is available, click Download.

• After the download completes, click Install and choose either:
  • Express Installation – Updates the driver while keeping your current settings.
  • Custom Installation – Lets you choose which components to install and perform a clean installation.

• Restart your computer if prompted.

Tip: If you use your PC primarily for gaming, install the Game Ready Driver (GRD). If you use creative applications such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Blender, or DaVinci Resolve, the Studio Driver (SD) is often the better choice because it’s optimized for professional workloads.

Note: Alternatively, you can manually download the latest Game Ready or Studio Driver from NVIDIA’s official driver download page by selecting your graphics card model and Windows version.

Method 5: Update AMD Graphics Drivers

If your PC uses an AMD Radeon graphics card, you can update the display driver using AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition. It automatically detects your graphics card and installs the latest recommended driver.

1. Open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition on your PC. If it isn’t installed, download it from AMD’s official website.
2. Click the Home or Settings tab, depending on your version.
3. Select Check for Updates (Manage updates)
4. If a newer driver is available, click Download.
5. After the download is complete, click Install and follow the on-screen instructions.
6. Restart your computer if prompted.

Tip: AMD may offer both Recommended (WHQL) and Optional drivers. For most users, the Recommended (WHQL) driver is the best choice because it has been thoroughly tested for stability. Optional drivers are ideal if you need support for the latest games or newly released features.

Note: You can also download the latest Radeon driver manually from AMD’s official support website if you don’t want to use AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition. Be sure to select the correct graphics card model and Windows version.

How to Reinstall a Display Driver

If updating the display driver doesn’t fix the problem, reinstalling it can help resolve issues caused by corrupted or incomplete driver files.

Step 1: Download the Latest Driver

Before uninstalling the current driver, download the latest display driver from your graphics card or PC manufacturer’s official website.

Step 2: Uninstall the Current Driver

1. Press Windows + X and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Display adapters.
3. Right-click your graphics card and select Uninstall device.
4. If available, check Attempt to remove the driver for this device.
5. Click Uninstall.

Step 3: Restart Your PC

Restart your computer. Windows may temporarily install the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter, which provides basic display functionality until a new driver is installed.

Step 4: Install the Latest Driver

Run the driver installer you downloaded earlier and follow the on-screen instructions. Once the installation is complete, restart your PC if prompted.

How to Roll Back a Display Driver

If display problems started immediately after installing a new graphics driver, rolling back to the previous version can often resolve the issue. Windows allows you to restore the last installed driver without manually downloading an older version.

1. Press Windows + X and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Display adapters.
3. Right-click your graphics card and select Properties.
4. Open the Driver tab.
5. Click Roll Back Driver (if available).
6. Select a reason to roll back, then click Yes.
7. Restart your computer to apply the changes.

Note: If the Roll Back Driver button is grayed out, Windows doesn’t have a previous driver version stored. In that case, download an earlier driver from your graphics card manufacturer’s website or use System Restore if the problem started recently.

How to Check If Your Display Driver Was Updated Successfully

After updating your display driver, it’s a good idea to verify that the new version was installed correctly.

1. Press Windows + X and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Display adapters.
3. Right-click your graphics card and select Properties.
4. Open the Driver tab.
5. Check the Driver Provider, Driver Version, and Driver Date.

You can also compare the installed driver version with the latest version available on the Intel, NVIDIA, or AMD support website. If the version numbers match, your display driver has been updated successfully.

After the update, test your PC by playing a video, launching a game, or using graphics-intensive applications to confirm that the display issues have been resolved and everything is working as expected.

Frequently Asked Questions