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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Graphics Device Manager Code 31 means Windows cannot load the driver required by the display adapter. It is a driver-loading failure, not proof that the graphics chip itself has failed. Start with Device Manager’s Update driver command. If that does not restore the adapter, uninstall the device and restart Windows so it can attempt a fresh installation; use the computer or GPU manufacturer’s official driver package when Windows cannot supply a working one. If the error began immediately after a driver update, try Roll Back Driver. The manual sequence below puts those options in the safest order.
What Code 31 means
Windows Device Manager uses Code 31 when it cannot load the drivers required for a device. Microsoft describes the condition this way: “This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device.” For a graphics adapter, the affected entry normally appears under Display adapters.
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The code identifies a software loading problem. It does not, by itself, diagnose a failed GPU, a damaged motherboard, or a bad monitor. A damaged, incomplete, incompatible, or recently changed driver can all leave the adapter unable to start. The practical goal is therefore to repair the driver installation first and only then investigate other hardware or system causes if the code remains.
Before changing anything: identify the exact adapter
Accurate identification prevents installing a package for the wrong device. You need the adapter name shown by Windows and the Windows edition running on the computer.
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- Press Windows key + X, then select Device Manager.
- Expand Display adapters.
- Record the full name of the entry showing the warning icon or Code 31. It may identify an Intel, AMD, or NVIDIA adapter, or it may show a computer manufacturer’s customized name.
- Open the entry’s Properties if you need to confirm the status message and driver information.
Keep the exact computer model in mind as well as the GPU name. Laptop and prebuilt-desktop manufacturers sometimes distribute customized graphics packages. When a manufacturer offers separate packages for different Windows versions or models, choose the one matching both your computer and your installed Windows version.
Fix 1: update the display driver in Device Manager
Updating is the least disruptive first step. Microsoft’s Code 31 guidance starts with the affected device’s Update driver command; the Hardware Update wizard then attempts to install a usable driver.
- In Device Manager, expand Display adapters.
- Right-click the adapter that reports Code 31 and choose Update driver.
- Follow the Hardware Update wizard. Allow Windows to search for and install the driver it can provide.
- When the wizard finishes, close Device Manager and restart Windows.
- Open Device Manager again and check the adapter’s status. The Code 31 message should be gone if the new driver loaded successfully.
If Windows reports that it cannot find or install a suitable driver, do not use a random download site. Continue with the official-package method below. A driver that matches the chipset family but not the exact computer model can be the wrong choice, especially on an OEM laptop or desktop.
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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 glitchesFix 2: uninstall the device and let Windows reinstall it
Use the documented reinstall path when the existing package may be damaged or the update attempt does not clear the code. Uninstalling the device removes its current Device Manager installation; restarting gives Windows an opportunity to detect the adapter and install a driver again.
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- Open Device Manager and expand Display adapters.
- Right-click the Code 31 adapter and select Uninstall device.
- Confirm the uninstall when Windows asks.
- Restart the computer.
- After Windows starts, wait while it detects the display adapter and attempts to reinstall its driver.
- Return to Device Manager and open the adapter’s status to see whether Code 31 has cleared.
A restart is an essential part of this procedure: it is when Windows makes the automatic reinstall attempt described by Microsoft. If the adapter still has Code 31 after startup, proceed to an official driver package rather than repeatedly uninstalling the same entry.
Fix 3: install the official driver manually
When Device Manager cannot provide a working driver, download the package from the official support site of the GPU manufacturer or the computer manufacturer. Microsoft specifically advises avoiding driver-download websites other than the hardware maker’s official site.
Choose the right source
- Use the computer manufacturer’s support page when the adapter is in a laptop or a prebuilt desktop and the manufacturer supplies a model-specific graphics package.
- Use the GPU manufacturer’s official driver page when you have a separately identified graphics card and the package is intended for that exact model and Windows version.
- If both sources offer packages, prefer the one that matches the computer’s exact model and Windows edition, because OEM systems may require a customized package.
Install without guessing
- Write down the exact adapter and computer model from the identification step.
- On the manufacturer’s official support site, select the matching product, model, and Windows version.
- Download the current display-driver package offered for that configuration.
- Run the downloaded installer and follow its instructions.
- Restart Windows when installation completes, even if the installer does not insist on an immediate restart.
- Open Device Manager > Display adapters and check the adapter status.
Do not substitute a package simply because its name contains the same brand. “Intel,” “AMD,” or “NVIDIA” alone is not enough to establish compatibility; the exact adapter and computer model still matter. If the manufacturer lists more than one package, use the one tied to your model and Windows version rather than selecting at random.
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Fix 4: roll back a driver that triggered Code 31
Rollback is the targeted choice when the problem started immediately after a recent driver update. It returns the adapter to the previous driver when Windows still has that option available.
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- Open Device Manager and expand Display adapters.
- Right-click the affected adapter and choose Properties.
- Open the Driver tab.
- Select Roll Back Driver if the button is available, then follow the prompts.
- Restart Windows and check the adapter’s status again.
The rollback command may be unavailable. In that case, Windows does not offer a previous driver through that interface, so use the update, uninstall-and-restart, or official-manual-install path instead. Rollback is most logically connected to a failure that began after the update; it is not the general first step for a Code 31 that appeared without a recent driver change.
Fix 5: reset the graphics driver for a live display problem
When the screen is flickering, temporarily blank, or otherwise behaving incorrectly while you troubleshoot, press Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + B. Microsoft documents this shortcut as a way to reset the graphics driver and notes that it may fix some display problems.
This shortcut is a quick reset, not a replacement for updating, reinstalling, or rolling back the driver. After using it, still complete the appropriate Device Manager procedure and verify the adapter status. If the display recovers only temporarily, treat that as a sign to continue with the driver repair rather than as a completed fix.
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Which repair should you choose?
| Option | Best trigger | What it changes | Relative disruption |
|---|---|---|---|
| Update driver | Code 31 with no clear recent change | Runs the Hardware Update wizard for the existing adapter entry | Least disruptive first step |
| Uninstall device, then restart | The current installation may be damaged or unusable | Removes the device installation and lets Windows attempt a reinstall after restart | Requires a restart and may leave the adapter without a working driver until reinstall completes |
| Official manual package | Windows cannot provide a suitable driver | Installs the package selected for the exact GPU or computer model and Windows version | More deliberate; incorrect model selection can create another compatibility problem |
| Roll Back Driver | The error began immediately after a driver update | Returns to the previous driver when Windows offers that option | Focused on recent-update regressions; unavailable when no rollback is offered |
| Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B | A live display symptom needs a quick reset | Resets the graphics driver session | Quick reset; does not replace driver repair |
If Code 31 remains after the first attempt
Work through the following branches in order so that each result determines the next action.
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Windows installed a driver but the code returned
Record the adapter name again and use the manufacturer’s official support page. Match the exact computer or GPU model and Windows version, install that package, and restart. This avoids relying on a generic package when the system needs an OEM-customized driver.
Windows cannot find a driver
Skip repeated automatic searches and obtain the package directly from the official GPU or computer manufacturer. Microsoft’s guidance is to use the hardware maker’s site, not third-party driver-download websites.
The error began right after an update
Open Properties > Driver and check whether Roll Back Driver is available. If it is, use it and restart. If it is not, reinstall through Device Manager or install the correct official package manually.
The screen is currently unstable
Use Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + B to reset the graphics driver, then perform the full update, reinstall, or rollback procedure. The shortcut can address some immediate display symptoms but does not establish that the underlying Code 31 condition is fixed.
You are unsure which package applies
Do not guess based only on the brand name. Use the exact adapter entry and computer model, then select the package explicitly listed for that hardware and your Windows version. If the computer maker supplies a model-specific package, that is the relevant source for that system.
How to verify the repair
- Restart Windows after the update, reinstall, manual installation, or rollback.
- Open Device Manager and expand Display adapters.
- Open the affected adapter’s properties and read its status.
- Confirm that Code 31 is no longer reported.
- Use the computer normally long enough to see whether the display remains stable. If the code returns, use the decision branches above instead of installing an unrelated driver.
A successful restart alone is not proof of a repair. The decisive check is the adapter’s Device Manager status after Windows has loaded the driver.
Quick Recap
Safety and common mistakes
- Do not treat Code 31 as proof of a dead GPU. The code specifically reports that Windows cannot load the required driver; it is not a hardware-failure diagnosis.
- Do not download drivers from unofficial aggregators. Use the official GPU or computer manufacturer’s support site.
- Do not mix model packages. Match the exact adapter, computer model when relevant, and Windows version.
- Do not skip the restart after uninstalling. Restarting is what lets Windows attempt the documented automatic reinstall.
- Do not use rollback as a universal remedy. It is intended for failures that followed a recent driver update and may not be available.
- Do not confuse a temporary reset with a repair. The graphics-reset shortcut can help some display symptoms, but the driver still needs to be updated, reinstalled, or rolled back as appropriate.
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