3 Ways to Reset a Graphics Driver

Plus what to do these don’t work

If you’re experiencing a black, flickering, or frozen screen, the issue may derive from your graphics driver. If your Windows PC doesn’t detect and fix the problem, here’s how to reset your graphics driver manually.

This tutorial will explain what a graphics driver is and how you can reset it on Windows 10 and 11.

What is a Graphics Driver, and Why Should You Reset It?

A graphics driver is software that enables your graphics card to interact with your display monitor. In other words, it converts the digital code from yourgraphics cardinto the visual display you see on your screen. These exist for all major GPU manufacturers, including AMD, NVIDIA, and Intel.

Like all software, your graphics driver may experience a glitch and begin malfunctioning. This can result in your display flickering, stuttering, freezing, or going entirely black. In this case, resetting your graphics driver is often enough to solve the issue and get everything working.

1. How to Restart Graphics Drivers the Quick Way

To reset your graphics driver quickly, you can press theWindows key+Ctrl+Shift+B. Your screen will briefly go black, and you will hear a beep, then it will return to normal.

The actual effect of this keyboard shortcut is unclear, but it is thought toqueue telemetry data to send to Windowsabout ablack screen errorthat the user has experienced. The side effect is that it causes your graphics driver to reset.

2. How to Reset Graphics Drivers the Foolproof Way

While the above shortcut is great in a pinch, it may not always reset your graphics driver. Here’s the proper way to reset your graphics driver:

After a few seconds, your driver should reset, and all driver issues should be resolved. If not, proceed to the next step.

3. How to Reinstall Your Graphics Drivers

If simply resetting your graphics driver was unsuccessful, you can troubleshoot the issue by completely reinstalling your driver software. The process is the same regardless of which GPU you have (for instance, if you have an NVIDIA graphics card, there’s no need to use the NVIDIA Control Panel).

To reinstall your video drivers:

What Should You Do If the Problem Persists?

Hopefully, this guide has fixed your display issues. However, if Windows 10 or 11 keeps freezing up after reinstalling your driver software, there may be a deeper problem.Try these troubleshooting stepsto discover and fix the issue.

Jake Harfield is an Australian freelance writer whose passion is finding out how different technologies work. He has written for several online publications, focusing on explaining what he has learned to help others with their tech problems. He’s an avid hiker and birder, and in his spare time you’ll find him in the Aussie bush listening to the birdsong.Read Jake’s Full Bio

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3 Ways to Reset a Graphics Driver#

What is a Graphics Driver, and Why Should You Reset It?#

1. How to Restart Graphics Drivers the Quick Way#

2. How to Reset Graphics Drivers the Foolproof Way#

3. How to Reinstall Your Graphics Drivers#

What Should You Do If the Problem Persists?#