A graphics driver is special software that controls how graphics components work with Windows PC games. NVIDIA, Intel, and AMD regularly release new graphical drivers for their various graphics adapter models. The driver for your PC’s graphics adapter will probably get outdated relatively quickly if you don’t update it. It’s important to update graphical drivers because outmoded ones can cause many PC gaming issues. Updating graphics drivers can also enhance PC gaming performance. These are ways you can update graphics drivers for Windows PC gaming.
Download Drivers From the AMD/NVIDIA Websites
The latest AMD and NVIDIA drivers are available for downloading from their respective websites. You can download files from those sites that enable you to install the latest graphics drivers for your GPU. Manually updating graphics drivers this way can be a little slower than other methods, but it’s a relatively straightforward method.
The Display tab
You’ll need to know your PC’s graphics card model for this method. To check that, press the Windows logo + S key, type in the dxdiag keyword, and select the matching dxdiag search result. This will open the DirectX Diagnostic Tool with a Display tab that tells you what your PC’s graphics card model is. You can then update graphics drivers by downloading them from the NVIDIA/AMD sites like this.
- First, go to the AMD or NVIDIA page for graphics driver downloads within your web browser.
- Select the graphics card for your PC shown within the DirectX Diagnostic Tool and click Find or Submit.
The NVIDIA driver download page
- Click View > Download for your GPU’s latest graphics driver on the NVIDIA site. Or click your PC’s platform and Download on the AMD site.
The Download option for a driver
- Use the Windows logo + E hotkey to activate File Explorer and navigate to whatever folder includes the downloaded NVIDIA or AMD driver package.
- Double-click on the downloaded NVIDIA/AMD file to bring up a setup window for installing the driver.
- Go through the options in the setup window to install the driver.
- Restart your PC to complete the driver update.
Use the AMD Driver Auto-Detect and Install Tool
The AMD Driver Auto-Detect and Install Tool is a utility for updating AMD graphics card drivers. This tool will scan your PC and provide a list of recommended AMD driver updates for your graphics card. You can download that tool from this AMD page, which also includes step-by-step instructions for utilizing it.
The AMD Software Installer window
Use GeForce Experience
GeForce Experience is software you can update graphics drivers for NVIDIA GPUs. It’s usually pre-installed on PCs that have NVIDIA graphics cards. However, you can download its installer file from this GeForce Experience page. This is how you can update NVIDIA graphics drivers with GeForce Experience.
- Right-click the system tray icon for NVIDIA Settings to select GeForce Experience.
- Click the Drivers tab to see if there’s an update available for your PC.
GeForce Experience
- Select Download for a graphics driver update shown. Or click Check for updates if the tab doesn’t show there’s a newer driver available for your graphics card.
The Drivers tab
Utilize the Intel Driver & Support Assistant Tool
The Intel Driver & Support Assistant Tool is a utility with which you can update Intel graphics drivers and others. It’s similar to the AMD utility as it will check your PC and tell you if there are any available driver updates for it. Check out this Intel support page for details about how to utilize that tool, which also includes a download link for it.
Install New Drivers With a Third-Party Driver Updater Tool
Third-party driver updaters are software packages that enable you to update all kinds of drivers. This software scans your PC and provides options for downloading new drivers from databases. Many of those software packages are freely available. This is how you can update graphics drivers with IObit Driver Booster 12 Free.
- Click the Free Download button on this IObit Driver page.
- Double-click the driver_booster_setup file in the folder that includes it.
- Click Install to add the software.
- Run IObit Driver Booster.
- Press Scan in the software.
- Unselect all device checkboxes if you prefer to update only your PC’s graphics driver.
- Select the checkbox for your display adapter and click Update.
Driver Booster
- Restart Windows when prompted.
Why Windows Device Manager isn’t Any Good for Updating Drivers
The Device Manager tool in Windows includes an Updater driver option. However, this option only scans your computer for driver packages on it. It’s of little use for updating graphics drivers for PC gaming because it doesn’t scan online databases. This tool will usually say, “Windows has determined the best driver for this device is already installed,” even when new graphics drivers are available for your PC’s GPU.
The Update driver option
So, make sure you update graphics drivers with one of the methods above for better PC gaming. You should update a driver for a newer GPU model at least twice a year. Updating graphics drivers can enhance your Windows PC gaming experience with higher frame rates, better game stability, and the latest graphical technologies.
