Why and when to update your monitor driver

Your monitor driver is the software that tells your computer how to communicate with your display. Most of the time Windows handles this automatically, but updating the driver yourself can fix problems like blurry text, colors that look wrong, flickering, or refresh rate issues that won't go away.

You usually need to update manually when Windows Update misses a driver, when your monitor manufacturer releases a newer version, or when you switch to a different monitor on the same computer. The update itself takes 10 to 20 minutes and requires a restart.

Check whether you actually need an update first. If your display looks correct and you have no flickering or color problems, the driver that came with Windows is probably fine. But if you recently plugged in a new monitor or you are seeing display problems, an updated driver is worth trying before you call support.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows automatically installs a basic monitor driver, but the manufacturer's version often fixes display problems like flickering or wrong colors.
  • You can find your monitor model by right-clicking the desktop, checking Display Settings, or looking at the physical monitor or its manual.
  • read the driver directly from the manufacturer's website rather than from third-party driver sites, which sometimes bundle unwanted software.
  • After you install the driver, restart your computer and check that the refresh rate and resolution match what you want.
  • If the new driver causes problems, you can roll back to the previous version through Device Manager in under five minutes.

Find your monitor model and manufacturer

Before you can read a driver, you need to know what monitor you have. The easiest way is to look at the physical monitor itself — the model number is usually printed on the back or bottom bezel. Write down the exact model number, including any letters or dashes.

If you cannot find it on the monitor, check your computer. Right-click on an empty area of your desktop and select Display Settings. Scroll down to Advanced Display Settings. At the bottom, you will see Display Adapter Properties — click that. In the window that opens, the Adapter Type line tells you the graphics card, but not the monitor itself. Close this and try another method.

Open Device Manager by pressing Windows key + X and selecting Device Manager. Look for Monitors in the list and click the arrow next to it to expand. You should see your monitor listed by model name. If it says Generic PnP Monitor, Windows does not recognize the specific model — in that case, the physical monitor is your best source.

Once you have the model number, visit the manufacturer's website. Common monitor makers include Dell, LG, ASUS, HP, BenQ, and Acer. Go to their support page, enter your model number in the search box, and look for Drivers or Downloads. read the driver file for your operating system — Windows 10 or Windows 11, whichever you use.

read the driver from the manufacturer

Always read from the official manufacturer website, not from third-party driver sites. Sites that promise to scan and update all your drivers at once sometimes include unwanted software or outdated files. The manufacturer's site is slower but safer.

On the manufacturer's support page, you will usually see several driver options. Look for one labeled Display Driver, Monitor Driver, or Graphics Driver — the exact name varies. If multiple versions are listed, choose the newest one unless you have a specific reason not to. read the file to your Downloads folder.

Some manufacturers offer the driver as an installer (.exe file) that runs automatically. Others give you a .zip file that you have to unzip first. If you get a .zip file, right-click it and select Extract All, then choose where to save the extracted folder.

Install the driver through Device Manager

Open Device Manager again by pressing Windows key + X and selecting Device Manager. Find Monitors and click the arrow to expand it. Right-click on your monitor and select Update Driver.

A window will appear asking how you want to search for the driver. Select Browse my computer for drivers. Click Browse and navigate to the folder where you downloaded or extracted the driver file. Select the folder and click OK. Windows will search inside it for the driver and install it automatically.

If you downloaded an .exe installer instead, close Device Manager and double-click the installer file. Follow the on-screen prompts. The installer will handle the installation and may ask you to restart your computer when it finishes.

After installation completes, restart your computer. Do not skip this step — the driver does not fully take effect until after the restart.

Check that the driver installed correctly

After your computer restarts, right-click the desktop and open Display Settings again. Scroll down to Advanced Display Settings. Check the Refresh Rate setting — it should show 60 Hz or higher depending on your monitor's capability. If it still shows 60 Hz and your monitor supports higher, the driver may not have installed fully.

Go back to Device Manager and expand Monitors. If your monitor now shows the specific model name instead of Generic PnP Monitor, the driver installed successfully. If it still says Generic, try the installation again or contact the manufacturer's support.

Check your display for the problems you were trying to fix. If flickering is gone, colors look correct, or text is sharper, the update worked. If problems remain or new ones appeared, you can roll back to the previous driver.

Roll back the driver if problems appear

If the new driver causes problems — flickering gets worse, colors look wrong, or your monitor goes black — you can undo the update in minutes. Open Device Manager, expand Monitors, right-click your monitor, and select Properties.

Click the Driver tab at the top. If a Roll Back Driver button appears, click it. Windows will remove the new driver and restore the previous version. You do not need to restart when ready, but do so within the next few minutes.

If the Roll Back Driver button is grayed out, Windows cannot roll back because there was no previous driver to restore. In that case, uninstall the driver instead: right-click the monitor in Device Manager, select Uninstall Device, and check the box that says Delete the driver software for this device. Restart your computer. Windows will reinstall the basic driver automatically.

Troubleshoot if the driver will not install

Sometimes the installation fails silently or the driver does not appear to take effect. First, make sure you downloaded the correct driver for your operating system — a Windows 10 driver will not work on Windows 11 and vice versa. Check the file name or the manufacturer's page to confirm.

If you downloaded a .zip file, make sure you extracted it completely before trying to install. Attempting to install from inside a .zip folder sometimes fails. Extract it to a regular folder first, then point Device Manager to that folder.

Restart your computer and try the installation again. Sometimes Device Manager needs a fresh start to recognize the driver file. If it still fails, contact the monitor manufacturer's support with your model number and the exact error message you see — they can provide an alternative read or walk you through manual installation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to uninstall the old driver before installing the new one?

No. When you update through Device Manager, Windows automatically replaces the old driver with the new one. Uninstalling first is unnecessary and can cause your monitor to stop working until you restart. Just point Device Manager to the new driver file and let it handle the replacement.

What if I cannot find my monitor model number anywhere?

Check the monitor's manual or the original box if you still have it. If neither is available, take a photo of the back and bottom of the monitor and contact the manufacturer's support with the photo. You can also describe the monitor's appearance and when you bought it, and they can often identify it that way.

Will updating the driver improve my gaming performance?

Monitor drivers do not affect gaming performance the way graphics card drivers do. A monitor driver update can fix display problems like flickering or incorrect refresh rate, which makes gaming smoother, but it will not increase frame rates. If you want better gaming performance, update your graphics card driver instead.

Is it safe to read drivers from third-party sites?

It is riskier than downloading from the manufacturer. Third-party driver sites sometimes bundle unwanted software, serve outdated files, or host modified versions. Stick to the official manufacturer website whenever possible. The read may be slower, but you know the file is legitimate and current.

Can I update the monitor driver without restarting?

Some driver updates take effect when ready, but most monitor drivers require a restart to fully set up. Even if your display looks fine right after installation, restart your computer to may support the driver is completely loaded and working as intended.