How to Upgrade Drivers for a Video Card

Changes to your operating system or new software may cause conflicts with your video card or video card driver. If the manufacturer of your video card has created a new driver, you may solve the problem by installing it. You might also upgrade the driver to take advantage of a new video format.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Video Cards

Finding out What Video Card You Have

1. Right-click on My Computer.

2. Select Properties.

3. Click on the Device Manager tab.

4. Click on the plus sign to the left of "Display adapters." The name of the driver appears. Make a note of it.

Finding and Downloading a Newer Driver

1. Go directly to the Web site of your driver's manufacturer.

2. Click on the link for your video card, brand of video card or brand of video chip (if you don't have a separate video card).

3. Follow instructions to download the driver.

4. Save the file on your computer's desktop.

Installing the New Driver

1. Find the existing driver in the Device Manager, as before. Right-click on it and select Remove.

2. Double-click on the icon for the downloaded file.

3. Follow installation instructions.

4. Restart the computer.

Tips & Warnings

• Only download a later version of your video card's driver. Don't try the driver for another card; you may see unpredictable results.

• Attempting to change video drivers could make your computer inoperable. Get professional help if you need it.