Have you got questions about the Windows graphics driver? Perhaps it’s not installing properly or isn’t functioning as intended. You might need to reset your graphics card driver if you are having issues like screen flickering, blank screens, or other graphical issues. There are numerous ways to reset the graphics driver on Windows 10 and 11. It is simple to do so. This article serves as a guide on how to reset the graphics driver shortcut on a Macbook Pro and on Windows 10 and 11. Why not dive in now?
What Is a Graphics Driver?
Essentially, a graphics driver is a set of instructions that tells your computer how to interpret binary data (zeroes and ones) as pixels and moving images. Graphics drivers, also known as display drivers or video drivers, are responsible for communicating with a computer’s graphics card, a specialized piece of hardware used only for the purpose of displaying visual information. The graphics driver in your computer is the hardware responsible for displaying images on the screen. Your graphics card can only perform what it’s instructed to by the graphics driver.
It’s possible that, despite owning a computer for years, you never gave your graphics card a second thought. There’s usually no good reason to. MacOS is the operating system that Apple uses, and their computers also feature built-in graphics processors. The graphics drivers in this OS are updated in tandem with other software patches, so you don’t have to worry about it. Laptops running Windows or Chrome OS typically have a graphics card and driver pre-installed to save you the trouble of tracking them down. If you use a desktop PC running Windows, however, choosing and managing your graphics hardware is a manual process. Being able to update your graphics drivers is essential.
Major Graphics Driver Providers
If you’re buying your own graphics card and driver, you’ll likely be dealing with one of these three companies: Intel, Nvidia, or AMD. Each vendor provides graphics drivers (software) optimized for their respective graphics cards (hardware). That is to say, you wouldn’t use software from one manufacturer on hardware from another. We’ll quickly go over the three most popular brands.
#1. Intel
Intel is one of the bigger companies in California’s Silicon Valley. It was founded in 1968, and its headquarters are in Santa Clara. It’s a huge chip supplier for companies like Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Acer, which make personal computers. Though it is best known for its CPUs, Intel also produces graphics cards and the associated drivers. Intel has also been a leader in the field of computer sound cards, having created the Intel High Definition Audio standard.
#2. Nvidia
Nvidia was established in 1993 and maintains its headquarters in Santa Clara. When compared to Intel, Nvidia’s primary focus is on graphics processing units (GPUs). The Nvidia GeForce family of graphics cards is highly regarded among enthusiasts who assemble their own computers.
#3. AMD
AMD means “American Micro Devices.” Santa Clara, California, is where you’ll find it. Both AMD and Intel produce computer processors and graphics processing units, therefore, their basic products are similar. AMD markets theirs as part of the Radeon family of products.
When You Might Need to Reset Graphics Drivers
There are many reasons why you might need to reset the drivers for your graphics card. These are some of the most typical:
- To correct screen problems: A driver reset can fix screen flickering, blackouts, and other graphic errors.
- To resolve incompatibility issues: If you’re having issues running games or other apps that require a specific version of graphics card drivers, but don’t have that version installed, you may need to reset the drivers.
- Once Windows has been updated: If your graphics card driver is acting abnormally after installing recent Windows updates, trying a reset may fix the problem.
How to Reset Graphics Driver on Windows 10 and 11
There are a number of ways to reset your graphics driver on Windows 10 and 11. The following are ways to reset the graphics driver on Windows 10 and 11:
#1. Use the Keyboard Shortcut to Restart the Graphics Driver
Using the keyboard shortcut is the quickest and easiest way to reset the graphics card driver in Windows. Simply press Win + Ctrl + Shift + B to accomplish this. This key combination would quickly update your graphics driver on your Windows system. For a split second or so, your screen will flash before returning to normal.
You can continue using your device normally, as this won’t harm it or the already running programs. In addition, you do not need to log in with Windows’ administrative credentials to carry out the action. It’s possible that this keyboard shortcut won’t work in some games, so keep that in mind as well. This is because most games take over the keyboard, leaving Windows unable to use it.
#2. Reset the Graphics Card Driver Using Device Manager
You can try to reset your graphics card driver through the Device Manager if you are still having display problems after using the keyboard shortcut to do so. Device Manager is a built-in feature of all Windows editions that details the hardware installed on your computer. The graphics card driver, which can be restored if necessary, can be found here as well.
How to Reset the Graphics Card Driver Using the Device Manager
- To begin, locate the Device Manager by typing “Device Manager” into the Windows search box and then clicking on the resulting icon.
- Next, under Device Manager, find the Display Adapters sub-category and expand it.
- To access the properties of your graphics driver, right-click on the driver’s icon.
- To disable the device, go to the Driver tab in the Properties box and press the button.
- Wait a moment after confirming the deactivation operation.
- Once you’ve finished disabling the driver, right-click your graphics card driver once more to get its context menu, and then select Properties.
- To activate the device, go to the Drivers tab and press the Enable button.
- The driver must be re-enabled.
This move will reset your graphics card driver, which may fix any display problems you were having.
#3. To Reset the Graphics Driver, Uninstall It and Reinstall It
Reinstalling the graphics driver may be attempted if nothing else has been successful. Completely removing the driver from your system should fix any bugs or incompatibilities that may have been causing the display troubles.
The Windows graphics driver can be uninstalled and reinstalled in the following ways:
- To begin, locate the Device Manager by typing “Device Manager” into the Windows search box and then clicking on the resulting icon.
- The next step is to find the display adapter and open it.
- Select Uninstall the device from the menu that appears after right-clicking on your graphics card driver.
- The files will be deleted permanently once you confirm the uninstall.
- Once the driver has been uninstalled, a device reboot is required.
- If a necessary driver is not present, Windows will offer to download and install it. If that’s the case, you’ll need to visit the site of the company that made your graphics card to grab the latest drivers.
- Reboot your computer once you’ve updated the newest graphics card driver. If you were having trouble with the display before, this should take care of it.
How to Reset Graphics Driver on MacBook Pro
How can you reset the graphics driver on your MacBook Pro? You can reset the graphics driver on your MacBook Pro by turning it off, restarting it, hitting the Power button, and holding down some keys on your Mac’s keyboard.
Is there a way to completely reset the graphics settings on a MacBook? Press and hold Option, Command, P, and R as soon as you power on your Mac after shutting it off. After around 20 seconds, during which time your Mac may appear to restart, you can release the keys.
How can I reset my graphics card in the same manner?
- Open up the Device Manager.
- When Device Manager is open, go to the ‘Display Adapters’ tab.
- To remove your GPU, select it in your system tray and click the ‘Uninstall’ button.
- Simply restart the computer.
- The PC will routinely reinstall the drivers for your graphics card.
You can also read: HOW TO HARD RESET HP LAPTOP: Full Guide 2023
If the Freezing Persists, What Should I Do?
If your computer still freezes after you reset your graphics driver, the problem may be more severe. Use any of the following strategies here:
- Windows Update
- The graphics driver must be uninstalled and reinstalled.
- Update the graphics driver
#1. Windows Update
It is possible that updating Windows will fix the issue. Here are some Windows Update Instructions:
- To enter the Settings window, press the Win + I keys simultaneously.
- You should then go to the “Update & Security” tab.
- Select the “Check for updates” tab on the right side of the window.
- Give the updates time to download. Next, you should restart your computer.
- Check whether you’re still experiencing the freezing problem after making the necessary changes.
#2. Uninstall the Current Graphics Driver and Reinstall It
It’s also a good idea to remove the compromised driver to prevent any further problems. When you restart your computer, Windows will automatically install a new graphics driver.
The driver can be uninstalled in the following ways:
- To open the Run dialog box, press the Win + R key combo.
- Enter “devmgmt.msc” (without the quotations). To continue, select OK from the menu.
- Double-click the “Display adapters” section after Device Manager has opened.
- Select “Uninstall device” from the context menu after right-clicking the graphics driver.
- As soon as it’s done, restart the computer.
You Need to Update Your Graphics Driver
You might try updating the driver to see if that works instead of removing it. It’s also possible that Windows won’t reinstall the driver if you delete it. Therefore, you may need to utilize this procedure to reinstall it manually.
Follow these steps for a smoother experience:
- Right-click the Windows symbol in the system tray (the lower left corner of your screen).
- Open the “Device Manager” option.
- Click “Display adapters” to open it, then right-click your graphics driver in the new window that appears.
- The next step is to click the “Update driver” button.
- Restart your computer and see if it still freezes after that.
- The graphics driver can be updated automatically by using either NVIDIA or programs, depending on which GPU you have.
Advantages of Resetting Your Graphics Driver
Display problems such as freezing, flickering, or stuttering could be the result of a faulty graphics driver. So, if you are having these kinds of problems, one possible solution is to restart your graphics driver. If you are experiencing display problems, a quick and simple solution is to reset your graphics driver.
How Do I Update the Driver for My Mac’s Graphics?
Open the App Store and see what’s new with your apps and operating system by selecting “Apple” and then “Software Update” from the drop-down menu. Locate the driver in the list, and then click “Update” to proceed with the download and installation.
How Do I Fix a Corrupted Graphics Driver?
The Drivers Can Be Updated Through The Device Manager. As Windows 10 upgrades, it will also update your drivers automatically.
- Attempt a Driver Reinstallation.
- Try the Windows Problem-Solving Tool.
- Run a Windows Security scan to see whether your computer has any viruses.
- Windows 10 should be updated.
Is It Good to Reset the Graphics Driver?
Based on our investigation, this appears to be a very secure method. It’s as simple as restarting the driver, so any modifications you made will remain intact, and performance should return to normal.
How Do I Know if My Graphics Card Is Working On My Macbook Pro?
The Mac’s graphics processing unit’s workload can be examined. Select Window > GPU History in the Activity Monitor menu on your Mac.
How Do I Access My Graphics Card Settings on a Mac?
- Open the Preferences menu. Choose Energy Saver in the Preferences menu.
- Choose the option to conserve energy.
- Turn off AGS, or Automatic Background Switching.
- Choose Superior Efficiency.
What Is the Graphics Card on MacBook Pro?
There are typically two kinds of graphics processing units (GPU) in 15-inch MacBook Pro laptops: a discrete GPU and an integrated GPU. The separate GPU offers superior graphics performance at the expense of increased power consumption. The integrated GPU reduces power consumption, thereby extending battery life.
Final Thoughts
Having display issues in the middle of a project is the last thing you need. Follow the instructions above to reset your graphics driver and resolve any screen-related issues. Also, ensure your graphics drivers and Windows version are always up-to-date. Also, make sure that all of your hardware parts are in good shape, and check for any loose links before you start working on your PC.
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