If your graphics card is not recognized in Device Manager, you may need to reinstall the graphic driver for your computer, as the problem may be related to driver corruptions or incompatibilities.
Before proceeding, determine the exact make and model of your graphics card as well as the version of Windows you’re running on your computer. This information should be found in the user manual for your device, or can be obtained by contacting the manufacturer directly. Additionally, take note of whether you are using a dedicated or integrated graphics card.
Once you have all of the necessary info, it’s time to begin troubleshooting.
1. Power cycle your system
Start by power cycling your system; this involves shutting down your system and unplugging the power cord from the wall outlet. Wait a few minutes before plugging the power cord back in and powering your system back up. Having done this, check if the graphics card is now being recognized in Device Manager.
2. Boot into Safe Mode
If power cycling your system doesn’t do the trick, try booting into Safe Mode. From your Windows login screen, press and hold the Shift key, then selectRestart. The system will reboot into Advanced Options, where you can select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart. This will bring you to the Startup Settings page. Here, press F4 on your keyboard to enter Safe Mode. Once inSafe Mode, open Device Manager and see if the graphics card is being recognized.
3. Reinstall the graphics driver
If neither of the previous steps worked, it’s time to reinstall the graphics driver. Visit the manufacturer’s website to download the correct driver for your graphics card, making sure to use the exact versions specific to your system and your graphics card model. Next, delete the existing drivers for your graphics card from Device Manager and reboot your system. After rebooting, openDevice Manager again and reinstall the driver you just downloaded. This should resolve the issue and allow the graphics card to be recognized.
4. Manually update the driver
If the above steps still haven’t worked, you may need to manually update the driver. Microsoft provides a useful tool that can help you do this called Device Manager. To access Device Manager, type “Device Manager” into the search bar on your taskbar, then open the app. Once open, you can right-click on the graphics card that isn’t being recognized and select “Update driver.” Select the option “Search automatically for updated driver software” and follow the on-screen instructions.
5. Roll back the driver
If the driver update was unsuccessful, you may need to roll back the driver. This means reverting to a previous version of the driver, which can be done via the “Roll Back Driver” option in Device Manager. Right-click on the graphics card, select “Properties” and then select the “Driver” tab. Here, click on “Roll Back Driver.” Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
6. Check for hardware issues
Finally, if nothing has worked so far, it may be due to a hardware issue. Visually inspect your graphics card for any physical defects. Make sure all of the connectors are securely plugged in and that none of the pins are bent or broken. Additionally, test your graphics card in another system with different specifications to check whether the problem lies with the card itself. If it works in another system, the issue may be related to your machine.
These are some of the most common troubleshooting steps to help you identify and resolve the issue if your graphics card is not being recognized in Device Manager. If you’ve followed all of the steps above and are still having trouble, contact the manufacturer or a qualified technician for further assistance.