How To Install and Update NVIDIA Drivers

To get the most out of your gaming experience, it’s crucial to install the most recent GPU drivers and keep them up to date.

Although installing drivers has always been necessary, thanks to technical advancements, the process is now considerably easier. When a PC boots up with new hardware, Windows 10 (and certain earlier versions) will frequently launch the installation procedure automatically. This manual is for you, though, if you’d like more control over the procedure.

It’s hardly surprising that the majority of consumers would prefer an NVIDIA graphics card for their PC given that NVIDIA has continuously dominated its main rival AMD for many years. NVIDIA is typically the safer option, even though that dynamic could change.

Although purchasing a new graphics card has obvious benefits, the process involves more than just opening the case, plugging the card in, and starting your favourite game.
NVIDIA, like AMD, gives you two choices for installing or updating your graphics card drivers:

1. The simpler option out of the two is GeForce Experience. Along with keeping your drivers current, this NVIDIA GPU companion programme provides a wide range of useful features tailored exclusively for gamers.
2. Installing Drivers Manually – Older players will undoubtedly be familiar with this technique, but many modern PC users won’t be. You may recall how frequently graphical issues were fixed by searching the official website for drivers after realising they hadn’t been updated in a while.

How To Identify The Nvidia GPU You Currently Have

You must first determine which NVIDIA graphics card is currently installed on your system. Follow the instructions below to accomplish that.

Step 1: To launch the Task Manager, press the Ctrl, Shift, and Esc keys simultaneously. To make the Task Manager window larger, click More Details in the bottom right corner.

Step 2: To switch to it, select the Performance tab.

Step 3: On the left side of the screen, you can see all of the components that have been installed on your machine. To view its details, click on the GPU section.

Step 4: Write down the name of the GPU in your computer.

How To Know If Windows is 32- or 64-Bit

Verify whether you are using a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows as the next thing to check. There are several ways to check it, but we’ll demonstrate the simplest.

Step 1: To access the Windows Settings page, press the Windows + I keys.

Step 2: Scroll down and click on the About section.

Step 3: Under the device specifications, make a note of your system type.

GeForce Experience

When installing your drivers using GeForce Experience, there are still a few requirements even if the software is clear and simple to use.

You must first determine if you are replacing an AMD or an NVIDIA card before installing your NVIDIA drivers in this manner. This is crucial because, occasionally, drivers leave specific information in the system’s registry that can cause problems if a GPU manufacturer is changed.

Step 1 – Uninstalling The Previous Drivers

You must remove the drivers from an AMD GPU if you’re moving from one. By going to Control Panel and selecting Add or Remove Programs, you may accomplish this. Click AMD Software when the new window appears and the list of apps is shown.

We advise downloading Display Driver Uninstaller and executing it in Safe Mode in addition to removing AMD software in this manner.

This will make sure that your PC is fully free of any remaining AMD software that might conflict with your NVIDIA drivers. When using DDU, you should choose the Clean and Restart option since your PC will automatically delete any leftover drivers before restarting.

You must install your drivers while your computer is operating at low resolution at this stage. The good news is that you have made sure that the installation is clean, at least temporarily.

It won’t be necessary to delete your current drivers if you’re upgrading from an NVIDIA card.

Step 2 – The Installation’s Preparations

It probably goes without saying, but you must first have the executable files on your PC in order to install GPU drivers. The best place to go to find the most recent NVIDIA software (or particular drivers) is the NVIDIA website.

In this step, we’ll look at installing the drivers using the GeForce Experience application, which is available here.

Launch GeForce Experience once it has been downloaded to get going.

Step 3 – The Drivers Installation

You must first log into your NVIDIA account before you can launch the NVIDIA software.
If you don’t already have one, you may open one by entering your information manually or using your social network login credentials. In any case, you will be sent to Experience’s home page after completing a brief registration form.

After selecting the “Details” button, you will see a list of the games you have loaded on your PC and have the ability to modify the graphic settings to improve their performance.

Right now, the ‘Drivers’ tab in the upper left corner of the window is what we’re most interested in. You will be given the option to select between an express installation or a bespoke installation after clicking it.
There will be no interrogations or detentions during the Express Installation. Without your intervention, it will automatically ascertain the drivers you require and install them. There is no need to be concerned if your screen briefly goes black during the installation procedure. While updating display drivers, this is typical.

You will have more options with the Custom Installation, but they are not essential for your graphics card to function properly. Additionally, a “clean installation” option will be presented to you, erasing all of your previously established profiles and returning all settings to their defaults.

You will have your NVIDIA graphics card drivers installed when the procedure (which is identical to the express installation) is finished, and you can begin playing your favourite video games.

Manual Driver Installation

The method for deleting the drivers from your prior card applies here as well. We won’t go through the directions again because they were covered in the last part.

The manual selection of your graphics card’s drivers from the NVIDIA website makes this installation process different from the other two.

Even if choosing the correct driver is straightforward, let’s do it anyway to be cautious.
GeForce is probably the “Product Type” you desire, however if you intend to game on a Titan card, you should choose that. You can get display drivers from twenty years ago by choosing the “Legacy” option, but you probably won’t need them for anything more than intellectual curiosity.
It’s critical to know which series your GPU belongs to since it will affect the product selections you see in the following phase.

Please take note that “Product” particularly relates to the name of your graphics card. If you purchased a GPU from a different manufacturer, such as MSI or EVGA, all you need to do is identify the model name to get started.
If you can locate it in the drop-down option, choose “Operating System” as your operating system. If you can’t locate it, it’s conceivable that your computer won’t be able to execute the drivers, in which case you’ll have a separate issue.

The language you select for the installation is all that is meant by the ‘Language’ option.
The “Download Type” choice is crucial. You have the choice of the “Game Ready Driver” or the “Studio Driver” here.

GRD is the best choice if you want to use your graphics card for the newest games because you can get the most recent driver updates. For those who utilise their graphics cards for work-related activities like 3D modelling or video rendering, SD is designed.
In such situation, you won’t need to utilise newly released drivers; instead, you’ll simply need to use stable updates.

Once you’ve discovered the driver for your graphics card, you’ll be directed to a download page where you can access the drivers’ executable file from your file system to download and install them.
The default path will already be picked when you launch the file, which will prompt you to select a place for the installation. After selecting your preferred installation route, your drivers will be installed, allowing you to begin playing video games.

How To Reinstall NVIDIA Drivers

Some individuals believe that the necessity for driver re-installation is a thing of the past, but it’s preferable to be safe than sorry in case your games stutter or slow down.

You have two choices for reinstalling the drivers, similar to the installation process.
The choice may be found under the “Drivers” menu in GeForce Experience. Although it isn’t as clear as we would have wanted, finding it isn’t too difficult.

You ought to see a notice stating that you have the most recent drivers installed in the tab’s upper left corner, followed by the precise driver version. There are three dots to the right of the driver’s name that represent more alternatives.

You will have the choice to reinstall the drivers when you click on them.

The identical screen where the “Express Installation” and “Custom Installation” choices were shown while installing the drivers will appear after this. You can go to the part where we discussed how to choose each one for the actions that follow.

The driver uninstalling procedure we previously mentioned must be followed if you want to manually reinstall the drivers. Once more, it’s better to completely erase any driver data that is still on your PC using Display Driver Uninstaller.

It’s crucial to choose the right driver for your graphics card throughout this process. We must emphasise that even if we have already mentioned it, it is conceivable that the stuttering or other problems you are experiencing are caused by the improper driver.

To install the correct driver for your graphics card, you must be completely aware of what kind it is.