Cleaning your graphics card driver typically refers to the process of completely removing the current software before installing a new version. This helps prevent conflicts and ensures a fresh installation.
Why Clean Your Graphics Card Driver?
Outdated or corrupted drivers can cause various issues, including:
- Performance problems
- Graphical glitches or artifacts
- Crashes or system instability
- Compatibility issues with new games or software
Completely uninstalling the old driver before installing a new one, often referred to as "cleaning," is a recommended troubleshooting step and standard practice when upgrading drivers.
Cleaning Your Graphics Card Driver Using Device Manager (Windows)
Based on the provided reference, one method to clean your graphics card driver in Windows involves using the built-in Device Manager tool. Here are the steps:
- Access the Start Menu: Click the Start button in Windows.
- Open Device Manager: Type
Device Managerand press Enter. - Locate Display Adapters: In the Device Manager window, expand the Display Adapters section.
- Find Your Graphics Card: You will see your graphics card model listed here (e.g., NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080, AMD Radeon RX 6800, Intel UHD Graphics).
- Open Properties: Right-click on your graphics card model.
- Go to the Driver Tab: In the context menu that appears, choose Properties. In the Properties window, click on the Driver tab.
- Uninstall the Driver: On the Driver tab, click the Uninstall Device button.
- Remove Driver Software: A confirmation dialog will appear. Select the check box that says "Attempt to remove the driver software for this device" (or similar wording, depending on Windows version). This is crucial for "cleaning" the driver.
- Confirm Uninstall: Click OK (or Uninstall) to proceed.
Windows will now remove the graphics driver software from your system. You may be prompted to restart your computer to complete the process. After restarting, Windows might install a generic display driver, or you can proceed to install the latest driver downloaded from your graphics card manufacturer's website (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel).
While Device Manager is a valid method described in the reference, dedicated third-party tools like Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) are also popular for a more thorough removal process. However, the reference specifically outlines the Device Manager steps.
