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How to uninstall AMD drivers and install NVIDIA drivers

6 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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Graphics cards are the deciding factor in the gaming and design industry. Their performance dictates how many pixels we see on our screens and the resolution.

When it comes to gaming, we always want the most frames and the highest settings to get fully immersed in the awesome world of the games we play.

Now, when we talk about graphic design, a powerful GPU will render models and actions faster and smoother, which will result in a shorter time for testing and ultimately, less time spent working.

All in all, a high-end GPU will make wonders. But what GPU do we really need? Is it an AMD card, or anNVIDIAone?

The answer varies, but lately,NVIDIAgained so much ground over AMD it’s not even funny. At the moment, theNVIDIARTX series is the most stable and the beefiest GPU on the market.

As a result, many AMD users decided to switch toNVIDIAdue to more stabledrivers, no compatibility issues, and overall a huge performance leap.

Should I uninstall NVIDIA drivers before installing AMD?

Changing graphics cards might seem complicated, but it is actually as simple as changing a lightbulb. You need to take out the older GPU from the motherboard and replace it with the newer one.

This seemed pretty simple, right? Well, there’s a small catch. Since the latest technologies utilize lots of software to optimize the processes, they have many specific programs running in the background.

So, if you’re asking yourselfDo I need to uninstallNVIDIAdriversbefore installing AMD, or vice versa, the answer is no. You can install them after, and this goes for all the other software from the previous GPU.

In this article, we’ll show you exactly what to do after installing a brand new GPU into your PC. It’s pretty simple, and if you follow our steps thoroughly there shouldn’t be any problem.

How do I switch from AMD to NVIDIA?

How do I switch from AMD to NVIDIA?

1. Uninstall the old GPU drivers

Uninstalldriversusing the Device Manager

If you keep asking yourself the following question:Should I uninstall AMDdriversbefore installingNVIDIAones?The short answer is definitely yes.

Fortunately, Windows gives you a way to manually uninstall thedrivers. All you have to do is go to the Device Manager and uninstall the olderdrivers.

However, this does not get rid of the other files tied to the older GPU that is still running in the background. They need to be removed because they can cause crashes and stability issues.

Also, make sure thatthe NVIDIA driver is compatible with your Windows versionor you will be back to square one.

Uninstalldriversusing a specialized tool

Do not hesitate to use an uninstaller that gets rid of all those files we talked about earlier. This will make sure no previous program will interfere and mess things up.

The program we have in mind is pretty straightforward, and it works for all GPU manufacturers. Additionally, it can also uninstall audiodrivers, which suffer from the same problem when you change brands.

Now that we’ve shown you how to uninstall the previousdriversand the files related to the old GPU, you need to learn how to install and update your newestdriversas well.

⇒Get Display Driver Uninstaller

2. Install and update your GPU drivers

Update the drivers manually

The days of having to use CDs to install the GPU drivers are long gone. Nowadays, Windows 10 will make sure you can use your card right away, without haveing to install the driver yourself.

Once you install your newest GPU to your motherboard, your Windows will automatically install the defaultdriverfor it, so don’t worry about not having any video signal or not being able to use your PC, since it won’t be the case.

Even if you don’t have to install the drivers from scratch, You do need to update them to the latest version, since the default firmware driver is usually there to help the hard work so you can download the latest ones.

What you need to do next is simply use the Device Manager to update them to the latest version, thus making sure that your GPU uses its full potential.

Update yourdriverswith a specialized software

Device Manager is not the best way to keep everything up to date on your computer, so we suggest seeking other ways to do it.

One simpler and more secure method of updating yourdriversis using specialized software to do it automatically for you.

The tool will periodically scan your hardware, including the GPU, for the newest availabledrivers, and it will install them accordingly. Its database gets updated constantly with the newestdriverversions.

⇒Get Outbyte Driver Updater

That’s about it for this article. We hope we managed to give an honest answer to you if you were wondering if it isnecessary to uninstall AMDdriversbefore installingNVIDIAones.

Since you’re not here to settle with less than what your computer is capable of, don’t hesitate to take a closer look at thisguide on how to use AMD and NVIDIA GPUs in one PC.

Feel free to give us other tips or talk about your experience with the subject in the comment section below. We’d be more than glad to hear from you!

More about the topics:amd,NVIDIA driver

Loredana Harsana

Windows Software Expert

Loredana is a passionate writer with a keen interest in PC software and technology. She started off writing about mobile phones back when Samsung Galaxy S II was on top of the world and she fell in love with tech of all sorts.

Whenever she’s not at her work desk, you’ll find her enjoying refreshing tea flavors, spilling stories on paper, and listening to the radio.

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Loredana Harsana

Windows Software Expert

Loredana is a tech enthusiast who tackles mobility, privacy, and networking in easy-to follow guides for everyone.