{"id":6772,"date":"2025-06-25T08:16:07","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T08:16:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/?p=6772"},"modified":"2025-06-25T08:16:07","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T08:16:07","slug":"how-to-update-video-drivers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/how-to-update-video-drivers\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Graphics Driver Might Be the Bottleneck\u2014Here\u2019s How to Fix It"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Glitches during video calls, lag in remote desktop sessions, or display issues in mission-critical apps\u2014sound familiar? For many users and IT teams, the culprit is often ignored: outdated <\/span><b>video drivers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Knowing <\/span><b>how to update video drivers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is vital for anyone managing systems at scale or securing endpoints. Whether you&#8217;re a <\/span><b>cybersecurity lead<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>IT manager<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, or <\/span><b>tech-savvy business owner<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, this quick guide will help you ensure smooth display performance and eliminate potential vulnerabilities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s walk through the most effective ways to update your drivers using <\/span><b>Device Manager<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, manufacturer software, and direct downloads.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Are Video Drivers and Why Do They Matter?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>Video drivers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (also known as <\/span><b>graphics drivers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) are software that enable your operating system to communicate with the <\/span><b>Display Adapter<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014your computer&#8217;s GPU.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Updated video drivers can:<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Improve graphics performance and frame rates<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fix display glitches and freezing issues<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Support new applications and APIs (e.g., DirectX 12)<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Patch security flaws in GPU firmware<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Outdated drivers are a <\/span><b>hidden threat vector<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014particularly in enterprise environments where GPU resources are used for AI, VDI, or rendering tasks.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Method 1: How to Update Video Drivers via Device Manager<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using <\/span><b>Device Manager<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is the default method on Windows systems.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Here\u2019s how to do it:<\/b><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Press <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Windows + X<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and select <\/span><b>Device Manager<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Expand <\/span><b>Display Adapters<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Right-click your graphics card (e.g., Intel HD Graphics, NVIDIA, AMD) and click <\/span><b>Update driver<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose <\/span><b>Search automatically for drivers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Windows will attempt to find the latest driver version.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While this is quick, it&#8217;s not always the most up-to-date source\u2014especially for gaming GPUs or high-performance workstations.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Method 2: Use Manufacturer Tools for Accurate Graphics Driver Update<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For reliability and the latest features, use tools from your GPU\u2019s manufacturer:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>\u2705 NVIDIA:<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use <\/span><b>GeForce Experience<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for automatic updates.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visit<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nvidia.com\/Download\/index.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NVIDIA Driver Downloads<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>\u2705 AMD:<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use <\/span><b>AMD Radeon Software<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for updates and optimization.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visit AMD Drivers Support<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>\u2705 Intel:<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use <\/span><b>Intel Driver &amp; Support Assistant (DSA)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visit Intel Downloads<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These tools detect your exact GPU model and install the correct driver package, reducing the risk of mismatches.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Method 3: Manually Download Drivers from Vendor Sites<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re managing enterprise devices or need fine-tuned control:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visit the manufacturer\u2019s official driver page.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Locate your GPU model (check under <\/span><b>Display Adapter<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Device Manager).<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Download the correct version based on your OS.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Run the installer and follow on-screen instructions.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reboot the system.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><b>Tip for IT Teams<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Save downloaded packages and deploy them across multiple devices using scripts or configuration tools.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Method 4: Update Drivers via Windows Update<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While <\/span><b>Windows Update<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> isn\u2019t always cutting-edge for video drivers, it can be helpful in certain cases:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Navigate to <\/span><b>Settings &gt; Windows Update &gt; Optional updates<\/b><b>\n<p><\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look for <\/span><b>graphics driver updates<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under the list<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Apply and restart<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is useful for general-purpose machines that don&#8217;t require the latest GPU optimizations.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>When Should You Update Your Video Drivers?<\/b><\/h2>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Scenario<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Recommendation<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regular business use<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every 3\u20136 months<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gaming or GPU-intensive apps<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Monthly or with every new driver release<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Troubleshooting display issues<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Immediately<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Security patch release<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Immediately<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For enterprise settings, schedule <\/span><b>quarterly driver audits<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> using an RMM platform to stay compliant and secure.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Troubleshooting Common Video Driver Issues<\/b><\/h2>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Issue<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Fix<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Black screen after update<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Boot into Safe Mode and roll back the driver<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Driver didn\u2019t install correctly<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use vendor\u2019s clean install tool<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">App crashes or lags<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reinstall driver or install previous stable version<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Device Manager shows \u201cMicrosoft Basic Display\u201d<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reinstall correct GPU driver manually<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Always <\/span><b>backup your current driver<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> before installing a new version\u2014especially for mission-critical devices.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Cybersecurity Benefits of Keeping Video Drivers Updated<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Outdated drivers are not just a performance risk\u2014they\u2019re a <\/span><b>security liability<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Hackers have exploited vulnerabilities in GPU firmware to gain root access and bypass traditional security controls.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Why IT and Security Teams Should Care:<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prevent zero-day exploits linked to GPU vulnerabilities<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure compatibility with latest <\/span><b>endpoint protection<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tools<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Secure VDI, GPU compute, and rendering workflows<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Include <\/span><b>Graphics Driver Update<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> policies in your organization\u2019s security playbook.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Actionable Tips for IT Managers<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Create a driver update checklist<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for all endpoints.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Use RMM software<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for real-time driver monitoring and deployment.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schedule <\/span><b>driver patching alongside OS updates<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whitelist and digitally sign all update packages for enterprise rollout.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>FAQs About Updating Video Drivers<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><b>1. How do I check my current video driver version?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go to <\/span><b>Device Manager &gt; Display Adapter &gt; Properties &gt; Driver tab<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>2. Is it safe to update video drivers?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, if downloaded from official sources like NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>3. Can I roll back a driver?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes. In Device Manager, under your GPU&#8217;s <\/span><b>Driver tab<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, click <\/span><b>Roll Back Driver<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> if the new version causes issues.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>4. Do I need to uninstall old drivers first?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not always. Most installer packages automatically overwrite previous versions. But for major GPU upgrades, a clean install is ideal.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>5. Can video drivers impact security?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Absolutely. Exploits targeting GPU drivers can bypass sandboxing and compromise the system. Always keep them current.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Conclusion: Stay Sharp, Stay Secure\u2014Keep Your Video Drivers Updated<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understanding <\/span><b>how to update video drivers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is more than a routine task\u2014it\u2019s part of maintaining a <\/span><b>secure, high-performing, and reliable system<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. For businesses and tech professionals, driver management is key to avoiding downtime and staying ahead of both bugs and breaches.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\ud83d\udd27 <\/span><b>Don\u2019t leave performance and security to chance.<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Keep your drivers, endpoints, and policies in sync\u2014automate your defense and maintenance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\ud83d\udc49<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/signup\/\"> <b>Sign up now on Itarian<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for streamlined IT management, security, and compliance.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Glitches during video calls, lag in remote desktop sessions, or display issues in mission-critical apps\u2014sound familiar? For many users and IT teams, the culprit is often ignored: outdated video drivers. Knowing how to update video drivers is vital for anyone managing systems at scale or securing endpoints. Whether you&#8217;re a cybersecurity lead, IT manager, or&hellip; <span class=\"readmore\"><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":6782,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ticketing-system","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6772","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6772"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6772\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6802,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6772\/revisions\/6802"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6782"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6772"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6772"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6772"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}