Usually, the graphics driver of your PC is equipped to troubleshoot such issues. It first displays an error message and then automatically restarts the graphics driver to solve the issue and displays the original graphics again. If your PC does not reset the graphics drivers automatically, you will have to resort to a manual resetting procedure. Here you will get a detailed guide on the procedure.
What Is A Graphics Driver?
The graphics driver is a software program that controls the whole aspect of the graphics set-up including the monitor, the software that displays graphics etc. In other words, the graphics driver enables your computer to convert the binary codes into graphics, and your monitor displays the graphics to you. That means the Graphics driver directs the graphics card to complete its work properly. It is needed to display pictures, videos and even animated icons sometimes!
What Happens When The Graphics Driver Malfunctions?
As you already understand, the graphics driver is the sole software that manages everything related to the display on your computer. If it malfunctions, the main effect will be poor-quality visual displays including-
A sudden black screen- If the graphics driver malfunctions, you may encounter a sudden black screen. Your computer screen may turn pitch black during a gaming session or while displaying videos or pictures. App crashing- Another thing you may commonly experience after the graphics driver malfunctions is the app crash. It is also common for gaming apps and other apps that require visual elements to a large extent. The app may never open or can crash in between. In other words, the app may get closed automatically while it is open on your Often the games don’t start after your GPU becomes faulty. Visual bugs- After the graphic driver malfunction, the computer also develops multiple visual buses. You may experience poor-quality visual graphics including mission icons or missing smaller visual elements. Sometimes, you can also experience visible screen tears or screen distortions while gaming or doing other words.
Why Reset Graphics Driver?
If your Graphics driver has crashed or is malfunctioning, it is time to reset it. Resetting will allow the GPU to get back to its clean state. While resetting, you delete the current GPU and reinstall it with a cleaner and more updated version that does not contain the bugs. In other words, resetting allows you to troubleshoot the issues related to the faulty GPU. Sometimes, the GPU starts to malfunction due to the corrupted cache it develops. It may happen due to the extreme load that your device puts on the GPU during extension gaming sessions. In such cases, also resetting allows you to get a clean and more updated graphics driver that can work properly.
How To Reset Graphics Driver Manually?
1. Using Keyboard Shortcut
To reset the graphics driver, you need to press the windows key, Ctrl, Shift and B keys together. After a few seconds, your computer screen will start to flicker and may turn black for a few seconds before returning to its normal state.
2. Resetting Using The Task Manager
First, press the Shift, Ctrl and Esc keys to open the Task Manager. Click on the “process” tab in the new window under the File Now, in the next window, click on “Background Processes” on the left panel under the header “Apps.” In the new window, try locating files with the name either “AMD” or “NVIDIA “or the brand’s graphics card on your computer. Beside the file, click on “End Task,” which appears on the right side of the file. Repeat this for all the graphics card-related files (or files with the word Nvidia or AMD”. It will reset your drivers. Wait till your computer screen flickers for some time. After all the files are deleted the task is complete.
3. Reset It From The Device Manager
There is another way to reset the graphics driver. You must disable the GPU and then enable it again through Device Manager.
First, press the Windows and X keys together to open a pop-up menu. Next, from that menu, select Device Manager In the new window, select “Display Adapters.” Wait till the graphics drivers are displayed on the screen. Now, right-click on the Graphics Driver to open a pop-up menu. From the menu click on “Disable Driver” to disable the GPU. If there are more than one Graphics Drivers for your computer, repeat the process for each driver file to disable each one. Now, restart your device to complete the disabling task. Again press the Windows and X keys together to open Device Manager. After that, click on “Display Adapters” again to display the disabled GPU files. Now, right-click on a GPU file and select “Enable Driver” from the pop-up menu to enable it. Follow the same process if your computer has multiple Graphics Drivers. Restart your computer again to complete the reset process.
4. Uninstalling And Reinstalling The Driver
Uninstalling and reinstalling the Graphics rivers is also a clever way of resetting it. If the usual trick does not yield the desired results, you can try this method too-
First, press the Windows and X keys to open the Device Manager. Under the new window, click on “Display Adapters” to expand it. Locate each graphics driver file here. Right-click on a graphics driver to open the pop-up menu. Now, click on “Uninstall Device.” If a pop-up box appears, tick beside “Delete the driver software for this device” and then click on “Uninstall.” Follow the same method to uninstall each driver file. Restart your device. If you have Windows 10 or 11 OS, your device will automatically reinstall the drivers. Alternatively, visit the website of the graphics card manufacturer from your device. Now, download the graphics card driver software (applicable to your computer OS and model number). After downloading, follow the instructions to install the graphics driver to its latest update.
Restore The Graphics Driver To Its Default Version
You can also try restoring the GPU to its factory or default version to reset it. Here is how to do this-
1. For NVIDIA Graphics Card
Right-click on any space on your desktop screen to open the pop-up menu. Click on “NVIDIA Control Panel” from the menu to expand it. In the new window. Click on “Manage 3D Settings.” In the next window, navigate to the lower right section and click on “”
2. For AMD Graphics Card
First right click on any empty space on the screen to open the pop-up menu. From the menu. Click on “AMD Radeon Settings” In the new window, Click on “Preferences,” located at the bottom. Click on “Restore Factory Settings” in the new window to restore the driver.
3. For Intel Graphics
If your device comes with Intel Graphics Driver right, click on the screen to open the pop-up menu. Now, click on “Graphics Properties.” In the new window, click on “3D“, which has an icon of a 3d cube. In the next window, click on “Restore Defaults,” located at the bottom. After you restore the driver to its default version, restart your device again to get the best results.
Advantages Of Resetting Graphics Driver!
There are multiple advantages, including-
An updated GPU– After resetting the graphics driver, it gets updated to the latest version, which is more advanced and capable. Hence, you can experience better visual elements without frequent crashes. Removal of cache– If you use the GPU extensively (i.e., for gaming), it may develop a large number of cached files. Such files often lead the GPU to malfunction. Resetting allows you to remove those unnecessary cached files, resulting in a more comparative and cleaner GPU. Removal of bugs- Resetting the graphic driver also removes the visual bugs that lead to poor graphical elements on your
What To Remember Before Resetting Graphics Card?
Resetting the Graphics Driver is not a difficult task. But, you need to maintain a few precautions-
If you are resetting the GPU, never keep any unfinished work open on the device, For example, an unsaved open doc file or any other unfinished work. After you reset the GPU, you may lose all the unsaved data. Hence, close all the other windows and apps and save any opened files before you start the procedure. The shortcut method with the keyboard is very easy. But, it is advised that you not use that shortcut repeatedly or frequently. Such frequent use can lead to a blocked system. Hence, try other methods also. After resetting the GPU, you may find that other drivers have frozen. In this case, you may need to disable or enable those frozen drivers to ensure the device works smoothly again. Here is how to do this- Press the Windows and the R keys together to open the Run Now, in the dialogue box, type “msc“ Press Enter key Wait till the OS searches and finds the frozen drivers. Now, disable that driver and enable that again to unfreeze it.
What Else Can Cause Poor-Quality Graphics?
1. Corrupt Display Drivers
You have tried resetting the graphics driver, but nothing works. Your computer’s display driver has become corrupted, resulting in poor-quality graphics. In this case, resetting the GPU will not work as it cannot repair the display driver. So, the best way is to reset the display driver. Here is how to do this-
2. Update Windows
Sometimes, faulty or poor-quality graphics are a result of an outdated OS. If the OS is not updated to its latest version, it can develop bugs and other issues that frequently cause the screen to freeze. So, if you have tried resetting the graphics driver, but it does not work, check the windows update status again. Probably the OS needs some upgrades. Here is the guide to upgrading the OS-
3. Update Graphics Driver
Why not try to update the GPU instead of resetting it? Probably the Driver is outdated and needs an update only to remove the bugs of the current update you have. To update, follow this procedure-
Conclusion
If you are experiencing a frozen screen or poor-quality graphics on your computer, the Graphics Driver is probably not working properly. In such a case, resetting the driver can help. You may use this article as a guide to solve the issue and get the best PC experience with optimal graphics. Comment * Name * Email * Website
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