Alt+Z should open the NVIDIA overlay. If the overlay is disabled, the shortcut has changed or the app has a problem, pressing it does nothing. Start with the overlay switch and the shortcut settings, then work through the fixes that match what you see. Every step uses the current NVIDIA app on Windows.
Turn the NVIDIA overlay back on
Start here if Alt+Z does nothing on your desktop or in a game. The shortcut only works when the NVIDIA overlay is enabled.
Open the NVIDIA app and go to Settings > Features > Overlay. Turn on NVIDIA overlay. If the switch is already on, turn it off and back on.
Relaunch your game before you test Alt+Z again. NVIDIA says overlay changes take effect the next time a game launches.
If the overlay is missing or unavailable, check your PC against NVIDIA's current consumer app requirements. They list Windows 10/11 and GeForce RTX 20, 30, 40 and 50 Series GPUs. NVIDIA's NVIDIA app FAQ also lists GeForce GTX 800, 900, 1000 and 1600 Series GPUs and several GeForce MX GPUs, so check both pages if you have an older card.
Older guides point you to the In-Game Overlay or SHARE settings in GeForce Experience. GeForce Experience is no longer supported, and the NVIDIA app's NVIDIA overlay switch replaces those instructions.
Restore the opening shortcut
Click the NVIDIA Overlay button at the upper right of the NVIDIA app.
If the overlay opens, check the shortcut binding first. Click the overlay's Settings cog.
Open Shortcuts > General > Open/close the in-game overlay.
Select the shortcut field and enter Alt+Z, or pick another available combination.
Test the new shortcut on your desktop. If the field already showed Alt+Z, the binding isn't the problem, so move on to the keyboard checks below.
Tip: to restore every overlay binding at once, select Reset to defaults under Shortcuts, but know that this also wipes your other customized overlay shortcuts.
Separate GeForce NOW from the NVIDIA app shortcut
When the NVIDIA app and GeForce NOW are both installed, their opening shortcuts can overlap.
Open the local overlay with the app's NVIDIA Overlay button. Go to the Settings cog, then Shortcuts > General > Open/close the in-game overlay.
Change the NVIDIA app shortcut to Ctrl+Alt+Z, the combination NVIDIA suggests for this conflict.
Looking for the GeForce NOW streaming overlay instead? Press Ctrl+G on Windows or Cmd+G on macOS during a stream. That overlay is separate from the local NVIDIA app overlay.
Check whether Windows receives the keys
If the app button works and the binding is correct, keyboard input may be the problem. Using PowerToys to remap Alt, Z or Alt+Z? Close PowerToys and try the shortcut again.
On Windows 11, open Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard and turn on On-Screen Keyboard. On Windows 10, use Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard > Use the On-Screen Keyboard.
Select Alt and Z on the onscreen keyboard. If the overlay opens, look at your physical keyboard or your remapping settings.
If brief key presses are being ignored, turn off Filter keys on that same keyboard settings page and test again.
If none of these input checks help, update the NVIDIA app next.
Update the NVIDIA app and graphics driver
Open the NVIDIA app and let its background update checks finish. Initial setup can take several minutes, and you can report updates that stall unusually through the Send Feedback exclamation button.
To update manually, check your version under Settings > About, then click Download Now on NVIDIA's official app product page. Right-click the installer, choose Run as administrator and finish the installation.
Return to Settings > About to confirm the new version.
Update your graphics driver through Drivers > Download > Install, picking Game Ready or Studio from the driver-type dropdown. If the app can't download a driver, use Manual Driver Search on NVIDIA's official driver page to find the latest compatible Windows driver.
Add the Media Feature Pack on Windows N
This fixes an overlay that won't open because Windows 10 N or Windows 11 N is missing required media components.
On Windows 11 N, open Settings > System > Optional features.
Click View features beside Add an optional feature.
Select Media Feature Pack.
Click Next.
Click Add.
On updated Windows 10 N 22H2, open Settings > System > Optional features > Add a feature instead.
Select Media Feature Pack.
Click Add.
Restart your PC once the installation finishes.
Reinstall the NVIDIA app with the installer from NVIDIA's official product page, as NVIDIA specifically recommends after adding the pack and restarting.
On older Windows builds, the page sits under Settings > Apps > Optional features or Settings > Apps > Apps & features > Optional features. Regular Windows editions already include these media components, so skip this section on them.
Fix a blank overlay by moving the Videos folder
If the overlay opens with missing settings and your Windows Videos folder has been redirected, right-click your personal Videos folder in File Explorer.
Select Properties.
Open the Location tab.
Click Move....
Select the default destination, %USERPROFILE%\Videos.
Click OK.
Skip this workaround when Alt+Z produces no response at all, since it only targets a blank overlay with a redirected Videos folder.
Reinstall the app if the overlay still fails
Save a fresh installation for when neither Alt+Z nor the app's overlay button opens a usable overlay. The uninstall path below applies to Windows 11.
Open Settings > Apps > Installed Apps, open the three-dot menu beside NVIDIA App and select Uninstall.
Install the current NVIDIA app from NVIDIA's official product page using Download Now. Then enable NVIDIA overlay under Settings > Features > Overlay and test Alt+Z again.
Did the problem start right after a graphics driver update? Go back to the previously installed driver. In Drivers, open the previous driver's three-dot menu beneath the newest-driver information and select Reinstall. This only works if a previous driver is available.
If the failure persists, click the [!] feedback icon at the upper right of the NVIDIA app. Mention whether the app's overlay button works and whether the overlay opens blank.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to sign in to use the NVIDIA overlay?
No. Signing in to the NVIDIA app is optional for overlay use.
Can I record or take screenshots without opening the main overlay?
Yes, as long as the overlay and capture components are working. By default, Alt+F9 starts or stops recording, Alt+F1 takes a screenshot and Alt+F10 saves an Instant Replay clip. Any custom bindings you set replace these defaults.
Why does the overlay open but recording still fail?
Protected content can block recording on its own. If NVIDIA reports protected content, close the app or browser tab that is streaming it, then try recording again.
What if Media Feature Pack installation is blocked on my work PC?
Ask your device administrator to allow access to Optional features or to install the required media components. Once they're installed, restart the PC and reinstall the NVIDIA app.