How to Update GPU Drivers the Right Way: NVIDIA, AMD and Intel (2026 Guide)

How to update GPU drivers is something most PC gamers get completely wrong. They open Device Manager, click Update Driver, and assume they are done.

That method installs a generic driver that often is not the latest version, skips important optimizations, and leaves old driver files sitting on your system causing conflicts that look exactly like a hardware problem.

On Steam forums a player with an RX 570 asked how to update drivers properly. The top answer was direct: “Each time you wish to change versions, use the DDU app and wipe out the AMD GPU driver fully. Then reboot and install the latest one. This ensures less problems as it has not left old stuff on the system and the driver has not gone through an update process based on the current driver.”

Another player upgrading from an RTX 1060 to an RTX 4060 Ti asked if DDU was necessary. The community responded immediately: “If going from AMD to NVIDIA or NVIDIA to AMD, use DDU to clean out all the drivers after swapping the GPU, before installing the new driver.”

That advice is exactly right. And this guide walks you through every scenario: the quick update when things are working fine, the clean install when they are not, and everything in between.

Updating your GPU drivers takes five minutes and can improve gaming FPS by 5 to 15 percent in newly released games. NVIDIA and AMD optimize drivers for specific titles, and missing these updates means missing free performance. This guide shows you exactly how to do it right.

Why GPU Drivers Matter for Gaming Performance

Your GPU is a piece of hardware. Drivers are the software that tells it what to do. Without drivers your GPU produces nothing. With old or corrupted drivers it produces less than it should.

Here is what happens when you update GPU drivers:

Performance optimizations for new games. Both NVIDIA and AMD release Game Ready and Game Optimized drivers one to two days before major game launches. These include specific optimizations that can improve FPS by 5 to 15 percent in the new title. Missing these updates means playing on day one with unoptimized performance.

Bug fixes for existing problems. Stuttering, black screens, crashes, low GPU usage, and frame drops are frequently caused by driver bugs that get fixed in updates. What looks like a hardware bottleneck is sometimes a driver problem that a ten-minute update resolves for free.

DLSS and FSR model updates. NVIDIA ships updated DLSS AI models via driver updates. The DLSS 4.5 Transformer model improvement that arrived in early 2026 came through a driver update. If you are not updating drivers you are not getting the best version of DLSS. Read our DLSS 4 guide for more on this.

New feature support. DirectX 12 Ultimate features, ray tracing improvements, and performance tuning tools all require up-to-date drivers to function correctly.

How to Check Your Current Driver Version

Before updating, check what you currently have installed.

Method 1: Device Manager (30 seconds)

1. Press Windows + X
2. Click Device Manager
3. Expand Display Adapters
4. Right-click your GPU
5. Click Properties
6. Go to the Driver tab
7. The Driver Version and Driver Date are shown

Method 2: GPU Software (More Accurate)

For NVIDIA: Open the NVIDIA App or NVIDIA Control Panel, go to Help, System Information. Your driver version is listed.

For AMD: Open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition, go to Home. Your driver version is shown in the top right corner.

Method 3: GPU-Z (Most Detailed)

Download GPU-Z from techpowerup.com and open it. The Driver Version field shows your exact installed version. Our complete GPU-Z guide covers every piece of information GPU-Z shows and what it means.

Method 1: Quick Update for NVIDIA (Recommended for Most)

This is the fastest and most reliable method for NVIDIA users in 2026. The old GeForce Experience app has been replaced by the newer NVIDIA App.

Using the NVIDIA App (Recommended):

1. Download the NVIDIA App from nvidia.com
2. Install and open it
3. Click the Drivers tab on the left sidebar
4. Click Check for Updates
5. If an update is available click Download
6. After downloading click Install
7. Choose Express Installation for a standard update
8. Restart your PC when prompted

The NVIDIA App handles driver updates automatically and also lets you override DLSS model versions across all your games from one place.

Manual Download from nvidia.com:

If you prefer manual control:

1. Go to nvidia.com/drivers
2. Use the manual search dropdowns to select your GPU model and operating system
3. Click Find
4. Download the latest Game Ready Driver
5. Run the installer
6. Select Express Installation for a standard update or Custom Installation to choose a clean install option within the installer

Important note about the NVIDIA installer clean install option:

When you choose Custom Installation in the NVIDIA installer, you see a checkbox that says Perform a clean installation. This is a partial clean install: it removes previous NVIDIA driver files but is not as thorough as DDU. It works for routine updates. Use DDU (covered below) when you need a complete clean slate.

Method 2: Quick Update for AMD

AMD’s driver update process in 2026 goes through AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition.

Using AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition (Recommended):

1. If you do not have it, download from amd.com/en/support
2. Open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition
3. Go to the Home tab
4. Check the driver version shown in the top right
5. Click Check for Updates if shown, or go to Settings, System, Software
6. If an update is available click Download
7. After downloading click Install
8. Restart your PC when prompted

Manual Download from amd.com:

1. Go to amd.com/en/support
2. Select your GPU from the dropdown menus
3. It is vital that you do NOT use the auto-detect and install tool. Instead, scroll down to Graphics and find your GPU from the list manually
4. Download the full Adrenalin driver package
5. Run the installer and follow the prompts
6. Restart your PC when prompted

Important for AMD RX 9000 series owners: Make sure you are on driver version 25.3.1 or later to access FSR 4. Driver version 25.9.1 or later for 90 plus games with FSR 4 support. Read our complete FSR 4 guide for full details.

Method 3: Quick Update for Intel Arc

Intel Arc drivers update through the Intel Graphics Command Center or Intel Arc Control software.

1. Download Intel Arc Control from the Microsoft Store or intel.com
2. Open it and go to the System tab
3. Click Check for Updates
4. Download and install any available updates
5. Restart your PC

Alternatively download drivers manually from intel.com/download-center and select your Arc GPU from the product finder.

When You Need a Clean Install with DDU

A clean install removes every trace of your current GPU driver before installing a fresh one. It takes about 15 minutes but solves problems that a standard update never will.

How to Clean Install GPU Drivers with DDU: Complete Guide

DDU stands for Display Driver Uninstaller. It is a free tool maintained by Wagnardsoft since 2012 and is recommended by NVIDIA and AMD community managers on their official forums. The latest version as of 2026 is V18.1.3.8.

DDU is completely safe. It only removes display driver files, registry entries, and related software. It does not touch Windows system files, personal data, or other hardware drivers. The worst possible outcome from using DDU is a low-resolution display until you install new drivers.

Before you start: Download everything first

You need two things downloaded before running DDU, because you will disconnect from the internet during the process:

1. Your new GPU driver already downloaded but not installed:
   • NVIDIA: nvidia.com/drivers: use the manual product search, not auto-detect
   • AMD: amd.com/en/support: scroll to Graphics, find your GPU manually, download the full Adrenalin package, not the auto-detect installer
   • Intel Arc: intel.com/download-center
2. DDU itself downloaded from guru3d.com

Step 1: Create a System Restore Point (Optional but Recommended)

Press Windows + S, search for Create a restore point, open it, click Create, name it “Before DDU clean install.” This gives you a safety net.

Step 2: Disconnect from the Internet

Either unplug your ethernet cable or turn off WiFi. This prevents Windows from automatically downloading and installing a generic driver while DDU is running.

Step 3: Boot into Safe Mode

Safe Mode loads Windows with minimal drivers which means your GPU driver is not loaded and DDU can remove all its files without any being locked.

Method A: Windows 11 Safe Mode:

1. Press Windows + R, type msconfig, press Enter
2. Click the Boot tab
3. Check Safe boot and select Minimal
4. Click OK and restart
5. Windows will boot into Safe Mode

Important: Remember to uncheck Safe boot in msconfig after you have finished with DDU. Some users forget and stay stuck in Safe Mode.

Method B: Alternative Windows 11 Safe Mode:

1. Hold Shift and click Restart from the Start menu
2. Go to Troubleshoot, Advanced Options, Startup Settings
3. Click Restart
4. Press 4 to boot into Safe Mode

Step 4: Run DDU

1. Open the DDU file you downloaded (it extracts itself)
2. Run Display Driver Uninstaller.exe
3. On the right side, set the first dropdown to GPU
4. Set the second dropdown to your GPU brand: NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel
5. Click Clean and restart

DDU will remove all driver files, registry entries, and related software, then restart your PC automatically.

Step 5: Install Fresh Drivers

After restarting Windows will be running on a basic Microsoft display driver. Your screen may look low resolution. This is normal.

1. Do NOT connect to the internet yet
2. Run the driver installer you downloaded in Step 1
3. For NVIDIA: choose Custom Installation and tick Perform a clean installation
4. For AMD: run the full Adrenalin package installer normally
5. Follow the installation prompts
6. Restart when prompted

Step 6: Re-enable Safe Boot and Reconnect

1. Press Windows + R, type msconfig, Boot tab, uncheck Safe boot, click OK
2. Reconnect your internet cable or turn WiFi back on
3. Your drivers are now cleanly installed

Windows 11 24H2 PIN issue:

If you are on Windows 11 24H2 and your PIN does not work in Safe Mode, this is a known issue documented in the latest DDU changelog. Go to Settings, Accounts, Sign-in options, under Additional Settings, turn off “For improved security, only allow Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts on this device.” Then use your account password instead of PIN in Safe Mode.

How to Roll Back GPU Drivers

Sometimes a new driver causes problems. Rolling back is faster than a DDU clean install and should be your first attempt before going the full DDU route.

Method 1: Device Manager Rollback

1. Press Windows + X, click Device Manager
2. Expand Display Adapters
3. Right-click your GPU, click Properties
4. Go to the Driver tab
5. Click Roll Back Driver if available
6. Select a reason and click Yes
7. Restart your PC

The Roll Back option is only available if Windows saved the previous driver. It disappears after some time or if Windows cleaned up old driver packages.

Method 2: NVIDIA Previous Driver

1. Go to nvidia.com/drivers
2. Search for your GPU model
3. Click View all drivers or check the Beta and Previous Drivers option
4. Download the previous stable version
5. Use DDU to clean install the older version

Method 3: AMD Adrenalin Previous Driver

1. Open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition
2. Go to Settings, System
3. Under Software, click Factory Reset if rolling back to a clean state, or manually download the previous driver version from amd.com

How Often Should You Update GPU Drivers?

The one situation where you should NOT update immediately:

When a new driver releases and community reports on r/nvidia or r/AMD show widespread problems: crashes, black screens, game-specific bugs: wait two to three days for a hotfix. NVIDIA and AMD occasionally release problematic drivers. Letting other people beta-test them first and waiting for the hotfix saves you the trouble of a rollback.

GPU Driver Update and Bottleneck Performance

Outdated or corrupted GPU drivers directly cause symptoms that look identical to hardware bottlenecks. Before spending money on a CPU or GPU upgrade, update your drivers and do a DDU clean install if needed.

Corrupted driver files can cause GPU usage to drop to 50 to 70 percent even when the hardware is capable of more. This looks like a CPU bottleneck but is actually a software problem. A ten-minute DDU clean install sometimes recovers FPS that was lost for months.

After updating your drivers, use our free PC Bottleneck Calculator to confirm whether any remaining performance gap is a genuine hardware mismatch or something that can still be addressed through software. If your GPU usage is still low after a clean driver install, our Why Is My GPU Usage Low guide covers every other cause in detail.

For monitoring your GPU usage and driver performance during gaming, our MSI Afterburner guide and HWiNFO64 guide show exactly which sensors to watch and what healthy numbers look like.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I update GPU drivers in Windows 11? The best method is through your GPU manufacturer’s software. For NVIDIA, use the NVIDIA App. For AMD, use AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition. Both have a Check for Updates button that downloads and installs the latest driver in a few clicks. Avoid updating through Windows Update or Device Manager as these often install older generic drivers.

Is it safe to update GPU drivers? Yes. Driver updates are safe and reversible. You can always roll back to a previous version through Device Manager or by reinstalling an older driver. The only time updates cause problems is when a specific driver release has bugs, which you can check for on r/nvidia or r/AMD before updating.

Should I use DDU every time I update drivers? No. DDU is for specific situations: switching GPU brands, fixing persistent problems, or doing a periodic deep clean every six to twelve months. For routine monthly driver updates, a standard express install through NVIDIA App or AMD Adrenalin is completely fine.

What is DDU and is it safe? DDU stands for Display Driver Uninstaller. It completely removes all GPU driver files and registry entries before a fresh install. It is safe: it does not touch system files or personal data. It has been maintained since 2012 and is recommended by NVIDIA and AMD community managers. Download it from guru3d.com.

Why is my GPU usage low after updating drivers? Low GPU usage after a driver update is usually caused by the update process leaving corrupted driver files. Run a DDU clean install to completely remove the old driver and install fresh. If GPU usage is still low after a clean install, the issue is likely a CPU bottleneck. Use our PC Bottleneck Calculator to check.

Do I need to update GPU drivers if my games run fine? You should still update periodically. Drivers contain security patches, performance optimizations for new games, and bug fixes for issues you might not have noticed. Updating every one to two months is a reasonable cadence. Always update before playing a major new game release.

How do I install GPU drivers after replacing my GPU? If replacing with the same brand, DDU clean install is recommended. If switching brands from AMD to NVIDIA or NVIDIA to AMD, DDU clean install is mandatory. Install the new GPU physically, boot Windows, run DDU in Safe Mode to remove old drivers, then install the correct drivers for your new card.

Can outdated GPU drivers cause stuttering or low FPS? Yes. Outdated or corrupted drivers are a common cause of stuttering, unexpected FPS drops, and low GPU usage that looks like a hardware bottleneck. Updating to the latest driver or doing a DDU clean install is always the first free fix to try before assuming you need a hardware upgrade.

What is the difference between NVIDIA Game Ready Drivers and Studio Drivers? Game Ready Drivers are optimized for gaming performance and are the correct choice for gamers. They are released more frequently with game-specific optimizations. Studio Drivers are optimized for creative applications like video editing and 3D rendering. They are more stable but lag behind on gaming-specific optimizations. Always use Game Ready Drivers for gaming.

One Last Thing

Updating GPU drivers is the fastest free performance fix available before any hardware upgrade. Five minutes of work. Free. Often recovers FPS that has been lost to driver issues for months without the owner realizing it.

The right method depends on your situation. Routine update through NVIDIA App or AMD Adrenalin handles 90 percent of cases. DDU clean install handles the other 10 percent when things are broken or a major change is happening.

When in doubt: always update drivers before diagnosing a hardware bottleneck. Many so-called bottlenecks disappear after a clean driver install.

And when you want to confirm whether any remaining performance gap is a genuine hardware issue, our free PC Bottleneck Calculator gives you the exact answer in 30 seconds.

Did a driver update or clean install fix a performance problem you had? Drop a comment below with your GPU and what changed. Real experiences help everyone.