Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe easiest supported way to update a graphics driver is Windows Update. Open Windows Update, install available updates, check the separate Optional updates area for driver packages, and restart. If Windows does not offer a suitable package, use Device Manager or download the correct driver directly from your graphics-chip or computer manufacturer.
Choose the right update method
Windows can receive display-driver packages through three supported routes: Windows Update, Device Manager, and the graphics or computer manufacturer’s own support software. They are not identical. Windows Update is the least hands-on option; Device Manager gives you a way to point Windows to a package you already downloaded; vendor tools can expose a newer release or model-specific features.
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Before changing anything, identify the adapter listed in Device Manager > Display adapters. Write down the exact model and whether the computer is a desktop or notebook. A notebook may use a manufacturer-customized package for display switching, power management, or thermal behavior, so the computer maker’s driver can be more appropriate than a generic graphics-chip package.
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Prepare safely before installing a driver
- Save open work and close games, video editors, browser tabs playing video, and other graphics-intensive programs.
- Confirm the Windows edition and architecture shown in Settings > System > About. A manually downloaded package must match the installed Windows version and system architecture.
- If you plan to download a package yourself, use only the graphics-chip manufacturer’s or computer manufacturer’s official support site. Avoid third-party driver-download sites.
- Keep the computer connected to reliable power, especially a notebook. Do not interrupt an installation that has already begun.
- Expect the screen to flicker, go black briefly, or change resolution while the display driver is replaced. If the installer requests a restart, allow it; restart after installation even when Windows does not explicitly require one.
Method 1: Update through Windows Update
Microsoft describes Windows Update as the best way to obtain driver updates automatically. Recommended drivers can be delivered with normal updates, while optional driver packages require a separate selection.
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Windows 11
- Open Settings and select Windows Update.
- Choose Check for updates. Install the updates Windows offers and restart if prompted.
- Return to Settings > Windows Update, then open Advanced options > Optional updates.
- Expand Driver updates. Select the graphics-driver entry if one is listed, choose Download and install, and wait for the process to finish.
- Restart Windows. Optional drivers are not installed automatically, so checking this page matters when you are troubleshooting a display problem or looking for a newer package distributed by Microsoft.
Windows 10
- Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
- Select Check for updates and install the available updates.
- Open Advanced options > View optional updates.
- Expand the driver section, select the graphics-driver package, choose Download and install, and restart.
The labels differ between Windows 11 and Windows 10, but the important distinction is the same: recommended updates can arrive automatically, whereas optional driver updates must be selected manually.
Method 2: Use Device Manager
Device Manager is useful when Windows Update has not offered a package or when you already downloaded a driver from an official manufacturer site.
- Right-click Start and open Device Manager.
- Expand Display adapters.
- Right-click the graphics adapter and select Update driver.
- Choose Search automatically for updated driver software. If Windows finds a suitable package, it installs it.
- If Windows reports that no driver was found, select Search for updated drivers on Windows Update when that option appears. This takes you to Windows Update, where additional manual driver packages may be offered.
- For a package you downloaded yourself, choose Browse my computer for drivers, point to the folder containing the driver files, and continue through the installation wizard.
- Restart after the installation completes.
Since Windows 10 version 2004, Device Manager primarily searches the local computer for a driver. That is why Microsoft directs users to Windows Update when they need additional drivers rather than relying on Device Manager’s automatic search alone.
When the downloaded installer is an executable
Graphics vendors often supply an executable installer rather than a folder of driver files. In that case, close other programs, run the installer, accept the license terms, and follow its prompts. If the installer instead asks you to select a folder, use Browse my computer for drivers and select the folder where the package was extracted. The package still has to match your Windows version, architecture, and exact graphics model.
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Method 3: Use the official graphics-vendor updater
Vendor software can identify the installed graphics product and compare its current driver with the vendor’s catalog. It can also expose release notes and options that are not present in Windows Update. Use the section that matches your hardware.
NVIDIA graphics
NVIDIA Update supports GeForce and ION desktop and notebook graphics processors. It examines the hardware configuration and current driver version, checks NVIDIA’s driver database, and directs you to the appropriate package. NVIDIA recommends regular updates for newer cards; read the release notes before installing when you need to understand changes or known limitations.
- Identify the exact GeForce or ION model in Device Manager > Display adapters.
- Open NVIDIA’s official driver-update utility or support page and allow it to detect the hardware.
- Review the detected model and current driver version before accepting a download.
- Install the offered package, then restart Windows.
Intel graphics
Intel documents automatic installation through Intel Driver & Support Assistant and also supports updating through Device Manager. Identify the installed Intel graphics product first so the assistant or downloaded package is matched to the correct hardware.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstall- Check the adapter name in Device Manager > Display adapters.
- Run Intel Driver & Support Assistant, or use the manual Device Manager route.
- Confirm that the detected graphics product matches the adapter in your computer.
- Install the recommended package and restart.
AMD graphics
AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition includes an option to Automatically keep AMD Software up to date. Enabling that setting allows the installed AMD driver and software to update automatically. Notebook owners should check the computer maker’s support instructions first, because a laptop may require a device-specific driver.
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- Open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition.
- Find the update settings and enable Automatically keep AMD Software up to date if you want automatic updates.
- For a one-time manual update, review the detected graphics model and available package instead.
- Install the package and restart Windows.
Which method should you use?
| Method | Source authority | Control | Package characteristics | Recovery options |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Update | Microsoft-distributed driver | Recommended updates can be automatic; optional drivers require manual selection | Suitable for Windows-managed delivery | Device Manager rollback or reinstall remains available |
| Device Manager | Windows local store, Windows Update, or a package you provide | Lets you choose automatic search or a specific folder | Since Windows 10 version 2004, automatic search primarily checks the local computer | Rollback, uninstall, and restart options are built in |
| GPU-vendor software | NVIDIA, Intel, or AMD package catalog | More direct control over the vendor release | Can include vendor-specific features and release-note details | Rollback through Device Manager; vendor reinstall options vary |
| Computer-maker package | Desktop or notebook manufacturer | Manual download and installation | Important when power, display switching, or thermal behavior is customized | Rollback through Device Manager; keep the previous package available |
Start with Windows Update for a routine update. Use the vendor or computer-maker package when you need a particular release, when Windows Update offers nothing suitable, or when a notebook requires a customized driver. In every case, match the package to the hardware and Windows architecture.
Why Device Manager says “The best drivers for your device are already installed”
That message means Device Manager did not find a newer suitable driver in the locations it searched; it does not prove that no newer package exists anywhere. Follow this order:
- Open Settings > Windows Update and install normal updates.
- Check Optional updates—Advanced options > Optional updates in Windows 11, or Advanced options > View optional updates in Windows 10.
- Visit the official support page for the graphics-chip or computer manufacturer and search using the exact adapter model and Windows architecture.
- Download the matching package, note the folder where it is saved, and use Device Manager > Display adapters > Update driver > Browse my computer for drivers.
- Restart and verify the installed driver in the adapter’s Properties > Driver tab.
Do not switch to an unrelated driver-download website simply because Device Manager reports that it is current. Microsoft advises obtaining drivers from the manufacturer’s official site.
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A new driver can introduce a compatibility problem on a particular game, application, monitor, or notebook configuration. If the problem started immediately after an update, Windows may be able to restore the previous package.
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- Save your work and open Device Manager.
- Expand Display adapters, right-click the affected adapter, and select Properties.
- Open the Driver tab and choose Roll Back Driver.
- Select a reason if Windows asks, confirm the rollback, and restart if prompted.
The rollback button can be unavailable when Windows no longer has the previous package. In that case, use Device Manager > Display adapters, right-click the adapter, choose Uninstall device, and restart. Windows will attempt to reinstall a driver during startup. If it does not, install the correctly matched package from Windows Update or the official graphics or computer manufacturer.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to do when the update fails
The installer rejects the package
Recheck the graphics model, Windows edition, architecture, and notebook-versus-desktop designation. A package for a similar-looking adapter is not a safe substitute. Download the matching package again from the official manufacturer and retry after restarting.
The display is unstable after installation
Restart once before drawing conclusions; the driver may not be fully active until Windows starts again. If flicker, a blank screen, crashes, or a resolution problem continues and began with the update, use Roll Back Driver. If rollback is unavailable, uninstall the device and restart, then install the previous known-good package.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →No graphics package appears in Optional updates
Optional drivers are not guaranteed to be listed for every adapter. Check the official GPU or computer manufacturer instead. Device Manager’s “best driver” message is also not a reason to stop searching, because modern Device Manager primarily checks the local computer.
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The update completes but the application still crashes
A driver update is not a universal fix for every game or graphics application problem. Confirm that the intended adapter and version are installed, restart, and test the affected application again. If the issue began with the driver, roll back; otherwise continue troubleshooting the application or hardware separately rather than repeatedly installing unrelated driver packages.
Verify that the new driver is installed
- Right-click Start and open Device Manager.
- Expand Display adapters and open the adapter’s Properties.
- Select the Driver tab and note the provider, date, and version displayed there.
- Compare those details with the package you intended to install or with the version shown by the official vendor utility.
- Restart Windows if you have not already done so, then test the display, external monitors, and the application that prompted the update.
There is no single performance percentage that applies to every graphics-driver update. Benefits depend on the graphics model, Windows build, application, and the specific release; an update may instead address compatibility or reliability without producing a measurable speed increase.
Windows 10 support status
Microsoft states that support for Windows 10 ended on October 14, 2025. After that date, Microsoft no longer provides free Windows Update software updates, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10, and recommends moving to Windows 11. The Windows 10 menu paths above describe where the controls are located on an existing installation; they do not extend Microsoft’s support lifecycle.
Safe update checklist
- Identify the exact adapter before downloading anything.
- Try Windows Update, including Optional updates.
- Use only an official graphics-chip or computer-manufacturer source for manual packages.
- Match the Windows version and system architecture.
- Restart after installation.
- Record the previous driver version before experimenting with a new one.
- If the new package causes problems, use Roll Back Driver; if that option is unavailable, uninstall the device and restart.
As an optional shortcut, Outbyte Driver Updater scans more than 100 devices for outdated, corrupted, or missing drivers, installs official drivers, shows current and recommended versions, and includes driver backup, restore, and scheduled scans. It runs on Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7 with a two-day free trial requiring no credit card, followed by a subscription; results vary and manual rollback remains useful when a particular graphics release causes trouble.
Bottom line
For most Windows systems, begin with Windows Update and its separate Optional updates page. If that does not provide the right package, use Device Manager with a driver downloaded from the official GPU or computer manufacturer. Restart after every installation, and keep the rollback path in mind before replacing a driver that was working.
Quick Recap
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