How do I manually download NVIDIA drivers?

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It is recommended that you install an NVIDIA display driver that NVIDIA Nsight 4.7 requires. See the release notes for more information.

If you have an NVIDIA graphics card installed on your target machine, you probably already have an NVIDIA display driver. However, NVIDIA® Nsight™ Visual Studio Edition requires an updated version of the driver in order to function properly. Please see the latest release notes for instructions on compatible driver versions:

To Install the NVIDIA Display Driver:

1. Run the NVIDIA Display Driver installer.
   The Display Driver Installer appears.
   

2. Follow installer directions until final screen. Do not reboot.

   

3. When prompted, select No, I will restart my computer later.
4. Click Finish.

See Also

NVIDIA GameWorks Documentation Rev. 1.0.150630 ©2015. NVIDIA Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Click the Search button to perform your search.

	NVIDIA Recommended
WHQL	WHQL Certified Windows Hardware Quality Labs testing or WHQL Testing is a testing process which involves running a series of tests on third-party (i.e. non-Microsoft) hardware or software, and then submitting the log files from these tests to Microsoft for review. The procedure may also include Microsoft running their own tests on a wide range of equipment, like different hardware and different Microsoft Windows editions.
BETA	Beta Release Beta drivers are provided by NVIDIA as preview releases for quick bug fixes and access to new features. Beta drivers are under qualification testing, and may include significant issues. It is the end user's responsibility to protect system and data when using Beta drivers with NVIDIA products. It is strongly recommended that end users back up all the data prior to using Beta drivers from this site. Please ensure that newer Recommended/Certified drivers are not already posted on NVIDIA.com prior to installation and usage of Beta drivers. Beta drivers posted do not carry any warranties nor support services.
NFB	New Feature Branch The ‘Quadro New Feature’ driver is from the most recent driver release branch, and contains the latest new features and functionality. It has been tested for workstation environments with reduced product support, and is recommended only for those users who need specific features that are mentioned in the respective release highlights or release notes.
SD	Studio Driver Studio Drivers provide the best possible experience for key major creative applications. NVIDIA does extensive testing which focuses on the top creative applications and ensures the highest levels of performance, stability, and functionality are provided.
NFB	New Feature Branch New Feature Branch (NFB) [formerly known as Linux Short Lived Branch (SLB)] New Feature Branch Linux drivers provide early adopters and bleeding edge developers access to the latest driver features before they are integrated into the Production Branches.
PB / LLB	Production Branch Production Branch (PB) [formerly known as Linux Long Lived Branch (LLB)] Production Branch Linux drivers provide ISV certification and optimal stability and performance for Unix customers. This driver is most commonly deployed at enterprises, providing support for the sustained bug fix and security updates commonly required.

• You can download Nvidia drivers right from the Nvidia website, or using an app called Nvidia GeForce Experience.
• If you have an Nvidia GeForce card, you can install the GeForce Experience app to automatically install the right Nvidia drivers. 
• If you have a different kind of Nvidia card or don't want to use the Experience app, you can manually download drivers from the Nvidia website. 
• Before you download new Nvidia drivers, use the Windows Device Manager to find out what graphics card you have installed.

For years, Nvidia has been a leader in the field of computer graphics. Many of the most powerful computers on the market use Nvidia graphics cards.

And like any part of your computer, the software on your Nvidia cards — also known as their "drivers" — occasionally need to be upgraded. Keeping your graphics card updated is vital, as outdated drivers can cause all sorts of glitches and bugs.

Luckily, you don't need to pull the card out of your computer to update its drivers. You can just download new drivers, much like you would update a regular app.

There are two ways to download Nvidia drivers and keep your system up to date, but before you get started, you need to know what kind of Nvidia card is installed on your computer. 

How to find what kind of Nvidia graphics card you have

1. Right-click the Windows icon in the bottom-left corner of the screen, and select "Device Manager" in the pop-up that appears.

2. In the Device Manager, find the "Display Adapters" line and click the arrow next to it. This will show you all the graphics cards currently active on your computer.

3. You should see the name of your graphics card. Write it down for reference. If it doesn't say "Nvidia" — it might say "Intel" or "AMD" instead — then you don't have an Nvidia card, and will need to download your drivers in a different way.

How to download Nvidia drivers

In all cases, note that when you download and install Nvidia drivers, your screen may turn black or flash erratically. This is normal — the graphics card is testing out the new drivers, which can sometimes cause temporary visual glitches.

If you have an Nvidia Ge Force card

When you looked at your graphics card, was it called an Nvidia "GeForce"? If so, Nvidia offers a free app that will download all the drivers you need automatically, similar to the way Windows keeps your other computer files up to date. 

Here's how to use GeForce Experience:

1. Open the Nvidia website in a browser.

2. In the navigation menu across the top of the webpage, click "Drivers" and then click "GeForce Drivers."

3. In the "Automatic Driver Updates" section, click "Download Now" to download the GeForce Experience app. 

4. Install the program, and then open it and let it identify what kind of graphics card you have. It should now download new drivers whenever they're available, and let you know how to install them — usually, this is as simple as clicking one button.

In some cases, the GeForce Experience app might have come pre-installed on your computer. If this is the case, find the app by searching for it, and then see if it has any drivers ready to download or install. 

If you have another Nvidia card

If you don't have an Nvidia GeForce graphics card, or simply don't want to install the GeForce Experience app, you can check for and download drivers manually. 

1. Open the Nvidia website in a browser.

2. In the navigation menu across the top of the webpage, click "Drivers" and then click "All Nvidia Drivers."

3. In the Nvidia Driver Download form, search for your video card. Enter the product type (such as GeForce, Titan, or Quattro), product series, and specific product name. You should be able to get all this information from the Windows Device Manager. 

4. When you're done, click "Search."

5. When the search results appear, click "Download" to save the file to your computer. When the download is complete, you can open the file to install it. 

If you're offered more than one kind of driver — "Game Ready," sometimes called "WHQL," or "Studio," you should usually choose the Game Ready/WHQL driver. This will help all programs run better, but focuses on video games

If you're a creative professional who uses their computer primarily for graphic or video editing software, and you don't play games, pick the Studio driver. 

The Game Ready drivers will work with both games and graphics software, but the Studio drivers can sometimes cause issues with games. 

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Dave Johnson

Freelance Writer

Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.

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