Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallIf a game started crashing right after a Windows or graphics-driver update, try rolling back the driver first. If that option is unavailable—or a rollback does not help—install a compatible driver from your graphics-card maker or PC manufacturer. These steps can address driver-related problems, but game crashes have other causes too, so treat a driver change as a troubleshooting step rather than a guaranteed fix.
Decide whether a driver change is a sensible first step
Note when the crashes began and what changed just beforehand. A problem that started immediately after a driver or Windows update makes rollback worth trying. If only one game is affected, keep the game itself in mind as a possible cause; these clues do not prove that the driver is responsible.
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For flickering or scrambled display output, Microsoft suggests checking whether Task Manager flickers at the same time. If it does, a display driver is probably involved; if Task Manager remains steady while the rest of the screen flickers, an incompatible app is probably responsible. This is a clue for those display symptoms, not a definitive test for game crashes. Microsoft’s screen-flickering troubleshooting guide explains the check.
Roll back a driver after a recent update
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Right-click Start and open Device Manager. Administrator privileges are required to roll back a driver.
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Expand Display adapters, right-click your graphics adapter, and select Properties.
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Open the Driver tab and select Roll Back Driver if the button is available. Follow the prompts, then restart Windows.
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Launch the game and check whether the crash still occurs. Change one thing at a time so you can tell whether the rollback made a difference.
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If Roll Back Driver is unavailable, Windows does not have a previous driver available for this operation. The old driver may never have been installed or may no longer be retained. Microsoft documents the Device Manager steps in its Windows driver update guide; Intel also describes why rollback may be unavailable in its graphics-driver rollback instructions.
Choose the right official driver source
Before downloading anything, identify the exact graphics adapter and Windows version. You can find the adapter under Display adapters in Device Manager. Then use the GPU maker’s official support site or update utility, or check the PC manufacturer’s support page for your exact model.
Some computer makers customize graphics drivers, so a generic package from the GPU maker may not be the best fit for every laptop or desktop. Check the PC maker’s recommended package if one is provided, especially if a generic driver causes compatibility problems. Microsoft advises downloading drivers only from the manufacturer’s official site; Intel likewise cautions that OEM customization can affect features, packaging, or compatibility. See Microsoft’s driver guidance and Intel’s OEM driver guidance.
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If rollback is unavailable, you can install a known compatible older driver from an official source, or try a newer one if appropriate. The newest release is not necessarily the best choice for every game or system. Avoid third-party driver download sites.
Update or reinstall using your GPU maker’s instructions
Close games and other open programs before running an installer; some software or a Windows Update in progress can interfere with installation. Follow the prompts for your specific GPU. Do not assume that an option or menu available for one vendor exists for another.
NVIDIA
NVIDIA’s documented manual installation path uses the Game Ready Driver installer. Close other applications that could interfere, choose Custom (Advanced), select Perform a clean installation, and restart after installation. These are NVIDIA-specific steps; use the instructions supplied with your AMD or Intel installer instead. See NVIDIA’s driver installation guide.
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Intel
Intel’s installer may offer a clean-install option. Intel says this removes old drivers, restores Intel settings to their defaults, and clears the shader cache. Its clean-install article describes a Windows 10 64-bit environment and links to related Windows 10 and 11 installation guidance. Since PC makers may customize Intel packages, check the computer maker’s driver first if compatibility is a concern. See Intel’s clean-install instructions.
AMD
AMD’s Radeon Software installer includes a Clean Install option that attempts to remove detected Radeon Software and AMD drivers before installing the selected components, and it forces a reboot. AMD also lists installer errors that can occur while Windows Update is in progress or after Windows has reverted a driver. That makes Windows Update a possible installation complication, not a universal explanation for crashes. See AMD’s Radeon Software installation guidance.
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Use DDU only if ordinary steps are not enough
Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) is a more involved removal route, not a required part of every driver update. Intel’s instructions for Windows 10 and 11 call for downloading the utility, restarting into Windows Safe Mode, choosing the GPU and device to remove, then selecting Clean and restart or Clean and Shutdown. Have the replacement driver ready and follow the current directions from the tool and your GPU vendor. See Intel’s DDU guidance.
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Intel separately describes residual driver files leading to a system reverting to an older version after shutdown or restart, and recommends DDU cleanup followed by installing the latest Intel driver for that reported scenario. That advice concerns the Intel situation described there; it should not be assumed to explain every system’s behavior. See Intel’s driver reversion guidance.
Which route should you try?
| Option | Best fit | Effort and limits |
|---|---|---|
| Device Manager rollback | A crash or display problem began after a recent driver update. | Usually the simplest driver-specific step, but it is available only if Windows retained a previous driver; administrator privileges are required. |
| Official GPU or PC-maker installer | You need to install a compatible newer or older version. | Match the exact GPU and Windows version, and check whether the PC maker supplies a customized package. |
| Vendor clean installation | A regular driver installation appears corrupted or incomplete. | Options and effects differ across NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel; follow the instructions for your vendor. |
| DDU cleanup | Rollback and ordinary vendor installation have not resolved an installation problem, or vendor guidance points to deeper cleanup. | More involved; Intel’s instructions require Safe Mode and a cleanup-and-restart or cleanup-and-shutdown action. |
If the game still crashes
A driver change may not address the cause. If the problem remains, avoid repeating driver changes without a reason. Check the game publisher’s support resources for game-specific troubleshooting, and contact the PC or hardware vendor if the issue appears system-wide. The symptoms and timing can guide what to investigate next, but they do not establish a diagnosis by themselves.
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