Do you want to reset your graphics driver and restore it to its default settings? There is nothing worse than having your computer’s graphics start acting up when you are not expecting it. This is a frustrating experience, and sometimes it can even be a little scary.
But don’t worry, resetting your graphics driver is actually very easy, and in this article, I’ll show you exactly how to go through the process.
Before we proceed to the rest of this article, let me give you a quick explanation of what a graphics driver is and why you might need to reset it. A graphics driver is a piece of software that allows your computer to communicate with your graphics card. It’s important because it lets your graphics card display images on your screen.
However, there are times when things can go wrong with your graphics driver. It can become corrupted, or it might not be compatible with your computer’s hardware. If this happens, you may notice that strange graphical artifacts appear on your screen, or your computer may crash.
Fortunately, there is an easy way to fix these types of problems: simply resetting your graphics driver. Hopefully, by doing this you will be able to restore your driver to its default state and fix any issues you’re experiencing.
But how do you reset your graphics driver? It’s actually very simple, and there are three different ways you can do it.
They are as follows;
- Updating Windows
- Uninstalling and then reinstalling the graphics driver
- Updating the graphics driver
- Changing the graphics settings
So, without further ado, let’s get started…
Benefits of Resetting Graphics Drivers
If we talk about the benefits of resetting your graphics drivers, then there are many of them. Probably the most common benefit for computer owners is that it improves the performance of your computer.
In addition to this benefit, it can also help solve any problems that you may be having with your graphics driver. Problems such as black screens, crashes, and other issues are some examples.
The following are some benefits that you might experience when you reset your graphics drivers.
- An improved frame rate when playing games
- Better performance in general
- Stability improvements
- Fixes some graphic glitches
and many more!
How to Reset Graphics Driver
Resetting your graphics driver is a four-step process (although, in most cases, the issue will be resolved even after using the first method). First, you need to update Windows. Next, you need to uninstall and then reinstall the graphics driver. Finally, you need to update the graphics driver.
Let’s take a look at each of these steps in more detail…
1. Updating Windows
If you are experiencing problems with your graphics driver, one of the first things you should try is updating Windows. Typically, Microsoft releases updates for its Windows operating system that include fixes for commonly encountered driver problems.
The easiest way to update Windows is to right-click on the Start button and select the “Settings” option. Alternately, you can press the “Windows Key + I” shortcut to open the Settings page.
When the Settings window has opened, select the “Windows Update” option near the bottom left corner of the page. This can be found both on the bottom left-hand side of the page as well as on the top right-hand side of the page.
When you are at the Windows Update page, click on the “Check for updates” button. This will trigger a scan to see if any updates are available. When the scan completes, you will be able to see if any updates need to be installed.
✍️ Author’s Note;
You won’t notice the changes immediately after installing updates, however, it is generally necessary to restart your computer in order for them to work.
After the process has been completed, restart your computer.
If you’re still experiencing the freezing issue and if it hasn’t been resolved yet, then you should move on to the next method.
2. Reinstalling Graphics Driver
If you are still experiencing problems with your graphics driver, then you may need to uninstall it and then reinstall it. This will ensure that you have a clean installation of the driver, which can fix many common issues.
The first step in uninstalling your graphics drivers is to open the Device Manager. You can do this by right-clicking on the Start button and selecting the “Device Manager” option from the drop-down list. You can also search for the “Device Manager” option in the Windows search bar and choose that option.
After opening the Device Manager window, you will need to find “Display adapters” in the left-hand sidebar area and expand it. Here you will see a list of all the graphics cards that are installed on your computer.
To uninstall your graphics card, right-click on it and select the “Uninstall device” option from the menu. When prompted, confirm that you want to uninstall the device, and then restart your computer when it asks you to.
After your computer has restarted, you can then install the latest drivers for your graphics card. You can usually do this by visiting the website of your graphics card manufacturer and downloading the latest drivers from there.
Possibly after you’ve uninstalled your graphics driver and then reinstalled it, you might see an improvement in performance.
3. Updating Graphics Driver
If you are still encountering issues, then you may need to update your graphics driver. This can be done in one of two ways; either manually or automatically.
The manual method involves visiting the website of your graphics card manufacturer and downloading the latest drivers from there. Once you have downloaded the drivers, you will need to install them on your computer.
Another method includes visiting the “Device Manager” as we did in the previous method. But this time, instead of uninstalling the driver, you will need to right-click on it and select the “Update driver” option from the menu.
When prompted, choose the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option. This will allow Windows to search online for the latest drivers and install them automatically.
After the process has been completed, restart your computer and see if the problem has been fixed. If not, then you may need to try a different method.
4. Changing the Graphics Settings
Lastly, if you are still experiencing issues, you may need to change the graphics settings on your computer. If you want to do this, you will need to go to the “Control Panel” and then choose the “Display” option.
To do this, you need to first click on the start menu, and then you need to search for the “Display” option. Once you’ve done this, you need to click on the appropriate option from there.
As soon as the display page is open, you need to select the “Advanced Display Settings” option which is found after scrolling down a bit.
Under the Advanced display settings, you will need to change the graphics settings for your computer. You will have to experiment with these settings to find out which one works best for you.
Still, Facing this Issue? Use a Different Graphics Card!
If you have tried all of the above methods and you are still experiencing problems, then you may need to use a different graphics card. Depending on the situation, this may involve buying a new graphics card or borrowing one from a friend or family member.
Installing a new graphics card can be a difficult process, so it is best to consult with someone who has previous experience in this field. Alternatively, you can take your computer to a local repair shop and they will be able to help you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are you still having some questions related to resetting your graphics driver? Below you will find some frequently asked questions that might help you figure it out.
Q: What is a graphics driver?
You can think of a graphics driver as a piece of software that allows your computer to talk to your graphics card. In order for your computer to be able to display images on your screen, this type of communication is crucial.
Q: Do I need to update my graphics driver?
It is only necessary to update your graphics driver when you are experiencing problems with your current driver or if you want to take advantage of the latest features and improvements.
However, if your computer is working fine, then you do not need to update your driver.
Q: Why can’t I find my graphics driver?
If you have trouble finding your graphics driver, it might be because it is not compatible with the operating system you are using.
In addition, you could also try visiting the official website of your graphics card’s manufacturer and try downloading the updated drivers from there.
Q. I updated my graphics driver and now my computer won’t start. How can I fix this?
This issue is most likely caused by your new driver not being compatible with the operating system of your computer. In order to resolve this issue, you should revert back to the previous driver you were using.
You need to uninstall the latest driver update from the startup menu in order to resolve this issue. If you want to uninstall the driver, you will need to go into “Safe Mode” and select “Reset > Uninstall updates.” After uninstalling the driver, you should be able to start your computer again without any problems.
Q: What are the risks of updating my graphics driver?
The risks of updating your graphics driver include potential instability, reduced performance, and crashing your computer. If you are installing drivers from reputable sources, you can minimize the risks of this happening.
Moreover, it is also a good idea to create a backup of your system before installing any new drivers.
Wrapping Up!
To sum it up, resetting your graphics driver can provide you with many benefits. It can help improve the performance of your computer, fix any graphical glitches, and even solve some crashes. However, it is important to note that there are some risks involved in updating your graphics driver.
Before installing any drivers make sure you are installing them from reputable sources, and always make a backup of your system before doing so. With that being said, resetting your graphics driver can be a great way to really make your computer perform at its best.
If you have any questions, please feel free to post them in the comment box below.
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