How to Find Out What Graphics Driver I Need

Each graphics card needs a different driver.

Your computer uses a graphics adapter that specifically sets aside memory for graphics intensive software, like 3D games. The adapter requires a type of software called a driver to interface properly with your computer's operating system. If the wrong driver is installed or you are using an outdated driver version, the graphics card will not work properly and you may notice serious problems when running computer games. You can easily find the current graphics driver version and upgrade the software by using the device manager feature in your operating system.

Instructions

1. Open the Start menu and navigate to the "Control Panel" window. Click "Hardware and Sound" if you are using Windows 7 or instead choose "System and Maintenance" in Windows Vista.

2. Click the "Device Manager" link. Scroll down to the device entry labeled "Sound, Video, and Game Controllers."

3. Expand the entry by clicking the "plus" symbol. Scroll down and locate the option for your graphics card. Right-click the entry and select "Properties."

4. Navigate to the "Driver" tab. Check the heading labeled "Version" to find which specific graphics driver you currently have, such as "6.0.1.5423" or something similar.

5. Click the "Update Driver" button and follow the on-screen instructions to download the latest driver version. If the Windows operating system cannot locate the driver, navigate to the graphics card manufacturer's website.

6. Click the option for your specific graphics adapter. Scroll through the list of available driver versions and choose the one that is more recent than your current version. Download the file and then follow the on-screen installation instructions.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are using an aftermarket graphics card you may have installed a software package that can also tell you the current device driver version. Open up the program and navigate to the section labeled something similar to "Display" or "Graphics." Check to see if there is a "Driver" heading that lists the current version. There may also be an option to update the driver version automatically directly from the program.

• In Windows XP you can reach the device manager option by clicking "Performance and Maintenance" and in the Control Panel. Click "System" and then navigate to the "Hardware" tab. Click "Device Manager."

References

• Microsoft: Opening Device Manager in Windows 7
• Microsoft: Opening Device Manager in Windows Vista
• Microsoft: Using Device Manager in Windows XP

Resources

• Nvidia: Download Drivers
• AMD: Download Graphics Drivers