It’s time to update the graphics card in Windows PC if you are experiencing stuttering, lagging, FPS drops while playing the game.
A graphics driver is an essential component of a PC. It helps it draw every pixel on the computer screen be it text or image. The graphics driver controls what you view on the websites, in your videos, and in your games. Hence, it’s crucial that you update the graphics driver to get the best performance out of your PC.
With the updated graphics driver, the screen resolution will become much clearer. You will also enjoy using your Cox plans to watch all of your favorite series on popular streaming platforms like Netflix in crisp quality. Also, you will have an absolute blast while playing multiplayer games online with your friends.
UPDATE YOUR DRIVERS
in Windows 11, 10 and 7
Use Driver Easy to update all the missing & outdated device drivers on PC for free.
In this article, we have explained how to update the graphics driver in Windows 10 and Windows 7 PC having NVIDIA & AMD GPUs.
Related: How To Update Games on PS4 (Auto & Manual)
How to automatically upgrade your graphics drivers
Before we explain the manual method to update video cards, you must know that manually upgrading graphics driver is very complicated.
Even the most tech-savvy find it hard to update GPU drivers manually. It’s because GPU manufacturers regularly release updates every month so it’s become quite messy.
To keep this process simple, straightforward, and automated, we suggest you download Driver updater software for Windows 10 and 7.
The Driver Easy is the one tool that goes way beyond keeping your graphics driver updated. This tool automatically checks outdated system drivers i.e. sound, network, printer, scanner, etc, and installs the latest version on your PC.
Download Driver Easy Free Trial and update your graphics drivers today.
How to Update Your Graphics Driver in Windows Manually
Updating your graphics driver can be tricky. But there is nothing to worry about. As long as you follow the steps correctly, you should be fine.
One of the easiest ways to update graphics drivers is to use a tool called Windows Update. This tool will already be preinstalled in Windows 7 and Windows 10.
The drivers that you will find in Windows Update will be certified by WHQL or Windows Hardware Quality Labs. And although these drivers may not be the latest ones, they will certainly be stable.
Related: Explaining The Max, Safe Normal GPU Temperature Range While Gaming
Update Graphics Driver on Windows 10 Via Windows Update
Windows Update is a useful feature that will help you update the graphics driver on Windows 10. You donβt really have to do much in order to search for the relevant drivers. Just do the following:
- Click on the Start Menu.
- Hit Settings.
- When a new screen appears, press Windows Update & Security.
- All of the updates will appear here.
- If the GPU drivers are found, they will be installed automatically.
Using Windows Update to Update Graphics Driver on Windows 7
Itβs pretty simple to update your graphics driver on Windows 7 by using Windows Update. All you have to do is perform the following steps. If you donβt follow the steps carefully, you wonβt be able to see the result that you want.
- Hit the Start Menu and go to Control Panel.
- Head over to System and Security and then click Windows Update.
- Press Check for Updates if you donβt see any results.
- This will make the OS search for new drivers.
- Check for graphics card drivers that mention the name of the manufacturer, such as AMD and NVIDIA.
- These drivers will either appear in the main menu or you will have to find them in Optional Upgrades.
- If you see the drivers, select one and click Install.
Windows Device Manager Can Do the Trick
In many cases, Windows update is unable to find the latest graphics drivers. Now, this doesnβt have to do anything with the manufacturers. They are always hard at work, releasing a new version of the drivers.
But you should know that it takes time for them to pass the Microsoft certification process. Hence, the latest versions of the graphics drivers are not so readily available.
In that case, you should preferably opt for the Windows Device Manager to upgrade to the latest GPU driver. But hold up! Before you think about doing anything, it is strongly suggested that you make a system recovery point.
Whyβs this important, you wonder? Well, it is because it will back up your current drivers. And if something goes wrong, you will easily be able to return to the previous condition.
Related: What is the Safe GPU Temperature While Mining?
To create a backup on Windows 10 PC:
- Hover your mouse on the Computer and right-click.
- Now, go to Properties. A box will open.
- Go to System Protection.
- Once there, hit Create, and then do exactly what the instructions say.
- Once the process is complete, you will have a backup ready
Using Windows Device Manager to Update GPU Drivers on Windows 10
Hereβs how you can update GPU drivers on Windows 10 via Windows Device Manager:
- Open Start Menu and enter Device Manager.
- Search for an entry thatβs related to the driver. It could be NVIDIA GeForce or AMD Radeon.
- Once located, double-click on it.
- You will notice a Driver tab. Right-click on it and then hit Update Driver.
- Now press Search Automatically for Updated Driver Software. This will find an update for you.
- If nothing happens, repeat the first three steps, and this time, select Browse My Computer for Driver Software
- Once a driver is located, it may have its own installer.
- If you donβt find anything, go through your download directory and search for a file ending in .inf.
- Hit Have Disk and then press Browse.
- Once you do that, locate the driver.
- After you have found it hit Next, and it will install.
- Congratulations, you have downloaded the driver!
Update GPU Drivers on Windows 7 via Windows Device Manager
You have to follow the steps below to update graphics drivers on Windows 7 by using Windows Device Manager:
- Hover your mouse to Computer, right-click, hit Properties, and go to Device Manager.
- Look for the option that says Audio, Video, and Game Controller.
- You will have to search for entries by the name of graphics, NVIDIA, or AMD.
- Once you find it, double-click, go to the Drivers tab, and hit Update Driver.
- Choose Search Automatically for Updated Driver Software.
- If nothing shows up, repeat the first three steps and this time, select Browse My Computer for Driver Software.
- Windows will now ask you the location where the driver is located.
- When you find the right driver, and it didnβt come with the installer, then simply extract the file.
- Look for the file that ends in .inf.
- Now hit Let Me Pick from a List of Available Drivers on My Computer.
- Hit Have Disk, then press Browse, select the .inf file.
- Press Install, and thatβs it, you will have the driver installed
How to Upgrade Graphics Card Driver for NVIDIA
NVIDIA is one of the top companies that is popular for its amazing services. It will keep your system updated with the latest drivers by sending you an alert whenever a new driver is available for you. But how can you upgrade the graphic card driver for NVIDIA?
Well, NVIDIA will scan the hardware configuration of your system along with the version of the current driver that you are using. It will then suggest the updated version of the driver that you can install.
How To Update GPU Drivers For AMD Video Card
If you have Windows 7 or 10, you can use the AMD Driver auto-detect tool to update the drivers of your system.
So, how can you update the graphics card driver for AMD? Well, this tool will figure out the model of the AMD graphics driver that is being used along with the type of operating system you have.
Once it detects that, the tool will show you the list of all the updated drivers that are compatible with your system which you can easily install.
How do I know if my graphics driver is up-to-date?
If you want to check whether you have the latest graphics card drivers on your PC. Simply go to the Device Manager and look at the Driver tab.
If the Driver Date is only a month or two old, then youβre in good shape. If itβs older than that, you might want to look for an updated graphics driver for your video card.