Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minutePC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Updating the graphics driver can fix crashes caused by an outdated, damaged, or game-incompatible driver—but it will not fix every crash. Identify your GPU and PC maker first, install a compatible driver from an official source, confirm the installed version, then investigate game updates and other causes if the problem remains.
Before changing drivers, identify the crash and your PC
Note the game, the exact error message, your Windows version, and when the crashes began. Did they start after a game update or graphics-driver update? That timing can help distinguish a game-specific issue from a driver problem.
On Windows, open Device Manager → Display adapters to see the graphics device. If the computer is a laptop or an OEM prebuilt PC, identify its manufacturer and exact model too: the PC maker may supply a driver tailored to that system. Before installing anything, check the game developer’s support resources and any relevant OEM reports. Intel recommends checking whether the issue has already been reported by the developer, system maker, or Intel (Intel game troubleshooting guidance).
Choose the correct official driver source
There is no single graphics-driver version that is right for every GPU and Windows installation. Check the official download page for your exact device and operating system, along with its release notes. For a laptop or OEM PC, start with the computer maker’s support page; use a GPU vendor’s general driver when it is appropriate for that configuration.
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| Graphics hardware | Where to look | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Intel graphics | Intel Download Center and Driver & Support Assistant guidance, or the PC maker’s support page | Exact GPU and Windows support; prefer the OEM driver when appropriate. |
| NVIDIA GeForce | NVIDIA driver selection | GPU model and operating-system compatibility; consult release notes for relevant known issues. |
| AMD Radeon | AMD Drivers + Download Center | Use automatic detection or select the Radeon product manually, then confirm compatibility. |
For Intel, the manufacturer advises checking the computer maker’s site first and using Intel’s Download Center or Driver & Support Assistant when suitable. AMD’s center supports automatic detection as well as manual product selection. Do not install a package just because its date is newer: make sure it supports both your GPU and Windows version.
Install the driver and confirm it took effect
- Download the compatible package from the appropriate official source. Close games and other demanding applications before installation.
- Run the vendor’s installer and follow its prompts. Restart Windows if requested.
- To verify an Intel driver, open Device Manager → Display adapters → your Intel graphics device → Properties → Driver. Compare the displayed driver version with the package you installed, as described in Intel’s installation guidance. For other vendors, use the vendor’s driver or system information tools to confirm the installed version.
- Launch the game and check whether the same crash or error returns. If it does, record the error and whether it occurs at startup, during play, or after a particular action.
When to use a clean installation
A clean install is a recovery option when a normal driver installation fails or an existing installation may be corrupted. It is not a routine requirement for every update, and the steps differ by vendor.
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NVIDIA: use the documented manual recovery steps for a failed installation
NVIDIA’s manual recovery guidance applies to a failed NVIDIA App installation. Close open applications—including monitoring or tuning utilities and 3D-accelerated apps—then run the downloaded installer as administrator. Choose Custom (Advanced) and enable Perform a clean installation. Follow the remaining prompts. See NVIDIA’s clean-install instructions; these menu names and steps are specific to NVIDIA.
AMD: understand the rollback trade-off
When AMD’s installer detects an existing version, it may offer Clean Install. AMD says this attempts to remove detected Radeon Software and AMD driver versions before installing selected components; the process requires a reboot and may resolve some corrupted-install problems. It also removes the normal Device Manager option to roll back to the previous driver. Save your work and weigh that trade-off before choosing it. Details are in AMD’s installation guidance.
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Use cleanup utilities only for relevant installation problems
For random crashes, freezes, hangs, black screens, spontaneous reboots, or TDRs after an Intel Arc driver update, Intel’s targeted guidance recommends using Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) in Safe Mode, restarting normally, and installing an appropriate Intel driver. This is specific to the cited Arc update-related symptoms—not a default first step for every PC crash. Follow Intel’s Arc recovery guidance if it matches your case.
AMD also provides an AMD Cleanup Utility for removing AMD graphics and audio drivers and software. AMD recommends Safe Mode and says not to run the utility while Windows Update is active; a reboot is required for cleanup changes to take effect. Use the utility for a relevant cleanup need, then install a compatible driver.
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If the game still crashes after updating
Check the game and driver for known issues
Install available game updates and check the developer’s support information. Read the installed driver’s release notes for issues affecting your game or GPU. AMD advises considering an earlier compatible driver when a known issue has no workaround; do so only when the release notes or support guidance make the problem relevant, and obtain the package from an official source (AMD stability guidance).
Test other likely causes one at a time
A crash by itself does not establish that the graphics driver is responsible. If the failure continues, change one thing at a time so you can tell what matters. NVIDIA’s troubleshooting guidance includes background applications and chipset drivers; it also discusses overheating. AMD’s stability guidance covers system configuration and hardware checks.
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- Close background, monitoring, or tuning applications temporarily and retest.
- Check for relevant chipset-driver updates from the PC or motherboard maker.
- Investigate system stability, temperatures, memory, GPU seating, and power-supply concerns using support guidance for your specific system.
- If an error code or crash log points to the game, operating system, or hardware, share it with the game developer or PC/GPU manufacturer rather than repeatedly reinstalling the graphics driver.
For broader troubleshooting, consult NVIDIA’s driver troubleshooting forum guidance and AMD’s stability guide, applying only the steps relevant to your hardware and symptoms.
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