How to Update Graphics Card Drivers: NVIDIA, AMD and Intel

To update your graphics card drivers, use the software from the card’s manufacturer: for NVIDIA, the NVIDIA App (the Drivers section, the Download and Install buttons); for AMD, AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition or the Auto-Detect and Install tool from AMD’s website; for Intel, Intel Driver & Support Assistant. The second route is Windows Update: Settings → Windows Update → Advanced options → Optional updates. On a laptop, check the laptop manufacturer’s website for a driver first.

Below are step-by-step instructions for each manufacturer, how to choose between Game Ready and Studio or between a recommended and an optional driver, how to roll back if things get worse after an update, and what owners of GeForce GTX 900 and 10 series cards should do. Everything was checked against the NVIDIA, AMD, Intel and Microsoft websites as of October 25, 2026.

How to update graphics drivers: which method to choose

Graphics card	Software	Without the software
NVIDIA GeForce	NVIDIA App	Manual search at nvidia.com/drivers
AMD Radeon	AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition	Auto-Detect and Install or a search by model at amd.com
Intel Arc and integrated Intel graphics	Intel Driver & Support Assistant	Driver package from Intel’s website
Laptop graphics	The laptop manufacturer’s software	The model’s support page on the manufacturer’s website
Any	Windows Update	Device Manager → Update driver

1. NVIDIA: with the NVIDIA App

The NVIDIA App has replaced GeForce Experience: with the app’s release in November 2024, NVIDIA announced that GeForce Experience features had been fully migrated. According to the requirements page as of October 25, 2026, the app needs Windows 10 or 11, GeForce driver 551.52 or later and a GeForce RTX 20, 30, 40 or 50 series graphics card. Signing in to an NVIDIA account is needed only to get rewards.

1. Download the NVIDIA App from its page on nvidia.com and install it.
2. Open the Drivers section. It shows the new driver with a list of what’s been added and fixed.
3. Click Download, and once the driver has downloaded, click Install.
4. To have new drivers download on their own, open Settings → Drivers and turn on automatic downloads. You still have to install the downloaded driver with the Install button.

You can switch the driver type in the drop-down list in the top-right corner of the Drivers section. NVIDIA releases Game Ready drivers for games and tests them with developers for launch day, and Studio drivers for creative apps, where stability matters more. If you play games, stick with Game Ready.

Without the app, you can download the driver from NVIDIA’s driver page: in the manual search box, choose the product type, the graphics card series and model, and your version of Windows.

2. AMD: with AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition

AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition runs on Windows 11 version 21H2 and later and on 64-bit Windows 10 version 1809 and later. If the software is already installed, update from it; if not, use the AMD Auto-Detect and Install tool.

1. Click Start, type AMD Software and open the app.
2. Type System in the app’s search and open System Settings. There you’ll see the driver version and details about your graphics card.
3. Click Manage Updates to open AMD Install Manager. Available updates appear in the list: click the download arrow next to the one you want.

If you don’t have AMD Software, download Auto-Detect and Install from AMD’s driver page. It detects your Radeon graphics card, Ryzen chipset and Windows version on its own and offers two kinds of packages: Recommended, the most stable ones, certified by Microsoft, and Optional, the newest ones, with new features and fixes. For a typical PC, choose Recommended.

The installer offers several options: Default with all features, Minimal with only the basic settings, and Driver Only without the software’s interface. The Factory Reset option removes all previous versions of AMD software and temporarily pauses Windows updates; AMD warns that after it you won’t be able to roll back to your previous driver.

3. Intel: Driver & Support Assistant or your laptop maker’s website

Intel Driver & Support Assistant (DSA) detects your Intel hardware on its own and shows a list of available updates. Download it from Intel’s support page, install it and open it: the drivers appear in the devices and drivers section.

For manual installation, Intel offers separate packages: “Intel Arc Graphics — Windows” for Arc A and B series graphics cards and Core Ultra processors with Arc graphics (as of October 25, 2026, this is version 32.0.101.9150 from October 2, 2026), a separate package for the integrated graphics of 11th–14th Gen Core processors and another for 7th–10th Gen. Since April 2026, Intel has removed some older versions of the Arc and 7th–10th Gen graphics drivers from its Download Center.

4. With Windows Update

Microsoft calls Windows Update the best way to get drivers: it installs recommended ones on its own and optional ones only if you choose them.

1. Open Start → Settings → Windows Update → Advanced options.
2. Turn on Receive updates for other Microsoft products.
3. In Advanced options, select Optional updates.
4. Check the driver updates you want and select Download & install.
5. Restart your computer even if Windows doesn’t ask you to: that’s Microsoft’s advice.

In Windows 10, the path is different: Settings → Update & Security → Windows Update → Advanced options, then Check for updates and View optional updates. Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025, so Microsoft recommends moving to Windows 11 — we covered how in our article on upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11.

5. With Device Manager

You need this method if you downloaded the driver manually or the manufacturer’s software won’t start.

1. Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Display adapters, right-click your graphics card and select Update driver.
3. Select Search automatically for updated driver software, or Browse my computer for drivers if you’ve already downloaded and unpacked the driver, and point to its folder.

If Windows says “The best drivers for your device are already installed,” that doesn’t mean there’s nothing newer: the automatic search only looks at drivers available through Windows. Look for the latest version in the software or on the website of your graphics card’s manufacturer.

How to roll back a driver if things get worse

• Device Manager. Open the graphics card’s properties, go to the Driver tab and click Roll Back Driver, give a reason and confirm. You need administrator rights for this; if the button is grayed out, there’s nothing to roll back to.
• NVIDIA App. Below the new driver’s description, you can go back to one you previously installed through the app: click the three dots and choose Reinstall.
• AMD. After an installation with Factory Reset, you can’t roll back. To do a clean install of a different version, AMD offers the AMD Cleanup Utility: it removes previous AMD drivers and software, ideally in Safe Mode, and creates a restore point on its own before that. The cleanup can take 15–20 minutes.
• Black screen. Microsoft suggests pressing Win + Ctrl + Shift + B: the graphics driver restarts, and you’ll hear a beep or the screen will flash.

If it didn’t work

• Display adapters shows Microsoft Basic Display Adapter. The manufacturer’s driver isn’t installed. Microsoft recommends trying Windows Update first and, if the driver isn’t there, the manufacturer’s website.
• Error code 43. If it appeared after an update, Microsoft recommends rolling back the driver; uninstalling the device and then running Scan for hardware changes also helps.
• The NVIDIA App doesn’t support your graphics card. For the GTX 900 and 10 series, there’s a separate version of the app in NVIDIA’s knowledge base, and you can download the driver with the manual search on the website.
• The Intel installer warns about manufacturer customizations. Install the driver from the laptop manufacturer’s website if it’s newer.
• The AMD installation gets interrupted. Close all programs and run the installer again. If it keeps failing, remove the previous drivers with the AMD Cleanup Utility — Windows Update shouldn’t be running while it works — and install the driver again.

A fresh driver matters most before a new game comes out: manufacturers prepare Game Ready and optimized versions for it, and we break down graphics card requirements in articles such as the Battlefield 6 system requirements. If your graphics card no longer gets new game drivers, take a look at the models in our roundup of the best graphics cards.

Sources and methodology

Analysis of public sourcesChecked 25 October 2026

Versions

• Windows 11 and Windows 10
• NVIDIA App; AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 26.x
• Intel Arc Graphics 32.0.101.9150 (2026-10-02)

1. NVIDIA — NVIDIA App Officially Released nvidia.com
2. AMD — Get Drivers with AMD Auto-Detect and Install Tool amd.com
3. Intel — Warning: Installing This Graphics Driver From Intel May Overwrite Customizations From Your Computer Manufacturer intel.com
4. Microsoft — Automatically get recommended and updated hardware drivers support.microsoft.com
5. Microsoft — Update drivers through Device Manager in Windows support.microsoft.com

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to uninstall the old driver before installing a new one?

Usually not: the NVIDIA App and the AMD installer install the new version over the old one. A clean reinstall is for when something goes wrong: for that, AMD has the Factory Reset option in the installer and the AMD Cleanup Utility.

Which should I choose: Game Ready or Studio?

For gaming, Game Ready: NVIDIA releases these drivers for game launches. Studio drivers are designed for creative apps, where stability matters.

Recommended or optional AMD driver?

AMD calls Recommended drivers the most stable and certified by Microsoft, and Optional drivers the newest. For an everyday PC, choose Recommended.

Can I install an Intel driver on a laptop?

You can, but Intel recommends checking the laptop manufacturer’s driver first: it may be customized for that specific model. If problems start with the Intel driver, go back to the manufacturer’s driver.

Why does Windows say the best driver is already installed?

Device Manager checks only Windows sources. A newer version may be available in the NVIDIA App, AMD Software or on the manufacturer’s website.