How to Update Nvidia Drivers

Nvidia regularly updates the software that controls its graphics cards. Every few weeks, the company releases a new driver update. Installing the latest version ensures optimal gaming performance.

Open the DirectX Diagnostic Tool. This is the quickest way to identify the model of your graphics card. Skip this step if you already know the details.

• Press the ⊞ Win + R keys and type dxdiag.
• Click the Display tab. Look for the 'Chip Type' field to find the model of your graphics card.
• Click the System tab. Look for the 'Operating System' field to check whether you're running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows.

Visit the Nvidia GeForce website. You can download the latest driver version from the GeForce website (geforce.com).

Click on the 'Drivers' tab. Most Nvidia cards are 'GeForce' models. If your card is from a different series, visit nvidia.com instead.

Select your graphics card. There are three ways to choose the right driver:

• Automatic Driver Updates - Use Nvidia GeForce Experience to manage driver updates. Click here for more details.
• Manual Driver Search - Use the information from Step 1 to choose the right driver. The four most recent versions will be shown.
• Auto-Detect Your GPU - Nvidia's website uses Java code to detect your graphics card and show compatible drivers. You’ll need to install Java to run this code. Note that the code hasn't been updated and may not work correctly in some browsers. The other two methods are simpler.

Download the latest driver. Click on the download link for the latest driver version. You should always download the most recent version unless you specifically need an older one. The newest version ensures the best performance.

Run the installer. Run the installer you just downloaded to update the driver. The installer will automatically remove the old version and install the update.

• Most users choose the 'Express' installation option.
• The screen may flicker or briefly turn black during installation.

Use System Restore if the new driver causes issues. When you install a driver update, a restore point is automatically created. This restore point allows you to revert your system to the state it was in before the driver was installed.

• For more details on how to use System Restore, refer to additional guides.

Download and install GeForce Experience. This program from Nvidia helps you manage your Nvidia drivers and install games. You can download the installer from geforce.com/geforce-experience.

• The installer will scan your system to check for supported hardware. If you don't have an Nvidia graphics card or are using an older model, you may encounter errors during installation.
• Launch the program once the installation is complete.

Allow GeForce Experience to check for updates. Upon starting GeForce Experience, the program will automatically search for available updates.

Click the 'Drivers' tab. The available updates will be displayed in this tab. Click the 'Check for updates' button if GeForce Experience doesn't automatically check for updates.

Click the 'Download driver' button to download the available update. GeForce Experience may have already downloaded the file for you.

Click 'Express Installation'. Advanced users can opt for the 'Custom' option. However, most users will be satisfied with the quick setup.

• The custom installation allows you to choose which driver you want to install.

Wait for the driver installation to complete. GeForce Experience will handle the installation process. The screen may flicker or briefly turn off during installation.

Use System Restore to revert the system to its previous state if issues arise. Windows creates a restore point when updating Nvidia drivers. You can boot into Safe Mode and perform a system restore to roll back to the point before the driver update.

• Additional guides on using System Restore are available for reference.

Open the Additional Drivers window. Nvidia drivers do not automatically install when using Ubuntu. Instead, Ubuntu uses open-source drivers, which are not as powerful. You can install Nvidia drivers via the Additional Drivers window.

• Open Dash and type 'drivers' to launch the Additional Drivers window.

Wait for the list of available drivers to load. This may take a few minutes.

Select the latest driver from the list. Make sure this is a driver from Nvidia and not 'Nouveau'. Choose the driver to proceed with the download.

Click on the 'Apply Changes' button. The Nvidia driver will be installed on your system. The screen may flicker or turn off temporarily during installation.

Restart your computer. Reboot your computer to complete the installation process.