A broken graphics driver turns into flickering, freezing, blank screens, game crashes, browser video glitches, and display corruption fast. Start with the no-install reset, then move through Windows Update, Device Manager, rollback, reinstall, vendor tools, and clean installs in that order. The steps below use current Windows 10 and Windows 11 paths from the verified research.
1. Reset the graphics driver when the screen freezes
For a sudden black, blank, or frozen display, press Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B.
A successful reset gives you a beep or screen flicker. This changes nothing on disk, so make it the first move before installing or removing drivers.
If Windows responds again, continue at Start > Settings > Windows Update.
2. Get graphics driver updates from Windows Update
What this fixes: missing, outdated, or recommended hardware drivers delivered through Windows Update.
On Windows 11, go to Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.
Install the available updates.
Select Restart when Windows asks.
For optional drivers on Windows 11, open Start > Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates.
Select the available driver updates, then choose Download and install.
Restart the PC after the driver installs.
On Windows 10, use Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates. For optional drivers, use Advanced options > View optional updates.
Windows 10 itself reached end of support on October 14, 2025, so move to Windows 11 when the hardware allows. If you stay on Windows 10, version 22H2 (Home, Professional, Pro Education, or Workstations), you can still enroll in consumer Extended Security Updates through October 12, 2027, at no cost if you sync your PC settings, for 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or a one-time $30 purchase, and the driver steps above keep working either way.
3. Use Device Manager for a direct display adapter update
Device Manager is the direct route when Windows still sees the display adapter and you want to install a driver the PC already has, or one you downloaded from the GPU or PC maker.
Right-click Start, open Device Manager, expand Display adapters, right-click the GPU, choose Update driver, then select Search automatically for updated driver software.
Starting with Windows 10 version 2004, that search only looks at the local computer, so treat it as a local check rather than a second online source.
When it finds nothing, Device Manager shows Search for updated drivers on Windows Update, which opens Settings, and the manual drivers Microsoft distributes sit under Optional updates > Driver updates.
To install a driver package you already downloaded, choose Browse my computer for drivers instead.
Choose Close when it finishes, and restart if Windows prompts you.
Some driver changes require administrator permission.
4. Roll back a graphics driver that broke the display
- 1.Right-click Start and open Device Manager.
- 2.Expand Display adapters.
- 3.Right-click the GPU and choose Properties.
- 4.Open the Driver tab.
- 5.Select Roll Back Driver.
- 6.Choose a reason, select Yes, and restart if prompted.
Use rollback when Windows still has a previous driver package available; otherwise, reinstall the display adapter next.
5. Reinstall the display adapter when the driver is corrupted
Open Start, search for Device Manager, and open it.
Expand Display adapters.
Right-click the GPU and choose Uninstall.
Restart the PC so Windows reinstalls the display adapter.
Alternatively, return to Device Manager, open Action, and choose Scan for hardware changes.
6. Install the latest driver from NVIDIA AMD Intel or your PC maker
What this fixes: graphics driver problems that Windows Update and Device Manager do not resolve.
For NVIDIA, open the official NVIDIA driver page, choose the product type, product series, product, operating system, download type, and language, then select Search and download the matching driver.
For AMD Radeon graphics, open AMD Drivers and Support, then choose Auto-Detect and Install Driver Updates or search and browse products manually.
For Intel graphics, install Intel Driver & Support Assistant, open its dashboard, choose available updates, then select Download all or an individual update and install it.
For a Dell PC, open SupportAssist from the Start menu, go to Home > Update software > Start, then follow the prompts.
For an HP PC, open HP Support Assistant, go to My Dashboard, choose your computer, open Updates, select available updates, and install them.
For a Lenovo PC, open Lenovo Vantage, go to System Update, choose Check for Updates, then install the selected updates.
7. Clean install the graphics driver when normal updates fail
For NVIDIA GeForce, download the latest Game Ready Driver, right-click the installer, choose Run as administrator, select NVIDIA Graphics Driver and NVIDIA App, choose AGREE AND CONTINUE, select Custom (Advanced), choose Perform a clean installation, continue, and reboot.
For AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition, run the AMD Software Installer, choose Factory Reset (Optional) during setup, and continue. This removes prior AMD Software Package versions, temporarily pauses Windows Updates, restarts, and continues installation.
For AMD systems that need a deeper cleanup, run amdcleanuputility.exe, choose Yes to reboot into safe mode or No for normal mode, select OK, choose Finish, then select Yes to reboot.
For Intel graphics, download the correct Intel graphics driver, run the .exe, agree to the license, check execute a clean installation, select Start, and reboot if prompted.
For Intel graphics that still fail after a normal clean install, reboot into Windows safe mode, run Display Driver Uninstaller, set Device type to GPU, select the device, then choose Clean and restart or Clean and Shutdown.
8. Fix graphics glitches inside games browsers and Office apps
For Windows 11 per-app GPU settings, go to Start > Settings > System > Display > Graphics, select the app or game, choose Options, pick Let Windows decide (Power saving), Power saving, or High performance, then select Save.
For Windows 11 game issues, open Graphics > Default settings and use the Optimizations for windowed games switch. Per app, use Don’t use Auto HDR when Auto HDR is part of the problem.
For Chrome, enter chrome://settings/system in the address bar, toggle Use graphics acceleration when available, then restart the browser.
For Microsoft Edge, enter edge://settings/system (the longer edge://settings/system/systemSubPage#GraphicsAcceleration address opens the same page), toggle Use graphics acceleration when available, then restart the browser.
For Firefox, open the Firefox menu, choose Settings > General > Performance, uncheck Use recommended performance settings, uncheck Use hardware acceleration when available, then exit and restart Firefox.
For WebGL-specific Firefox crashes or rendering corruption, enter about:config, choose Accept the Risk and Continue, search for webgl.disabled, and toggle it to true.
For PowerPoint slide-show problems in the Windows desktop app (PowerPoint for Microsoft 365, 2024, 2021, 2019, or 2016), open File > Options > Advanced > Display, then use Disable Slide Show hardware graphics acceleration to troubleshoot acceleration-related slide-show issues. PowerPoint for the web has no equivalent option.
Treat browser acceleration changes as a diagnostic workaround, since disabling acceleration reduces performance.
9. Check whether work or school policies control driver updates
On a work or school PC, an administrator controls whether Windows Update includes drivers, so the normal Windows Update or vendor-app route gives you different choices.
The consumer check remains Start > Settings > Windows Update.
When drivers keep disappearing or being replaced, the managed setting to ask about is Do not include drivers with Windows Updates.
Current Windows 10 and Windows 11 instructions use Windows Update and Optional updates, not old Windows Update website paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I update graphics drivers through Windows Update or the GPU maker?
Start with Windows Update because it is the built-in route for recommended hardware drivers. Use NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, or your PC maker’s driver tool when Windows Update and Device Manager do not fix the problem.
Is rolling back a graphics driver better than reinstalling it?
Rollback is the right move when the problem started after a driver update and Windows still has the older package. Reinstalling fits corrupted, missing, or broken display adapter entries.
Will a clean graphics driver install erase my settings?
Yes, for some tools. AMD Factory Reset removes prior AMD Software Package versions and cannot roll back to the previously installed drivers afterward. Intel clean installation restores Intel settings to defaults.
Can browser video glitches be a graphics driver problem?
Yes. Chrome, Edge, and Firefox all have graphics acceleration settings that can trigger or work around display and video problems after driver changes.
