5 Ways to Fix Nvidia GPU Boost when It's Not Working Correctly

Try these quick solutions to enable Nvidia GPU boost

Fix

Reading time icon 4 min. read

Calendar icon Updated on

by Megan Moore 

updated on

Share this article

Readers help support Windows Report. We may get a commission if you buy through our links. Tooltip Icon

Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial team Read more

Key notes

  • Nvidia GPU boost optimizes gaming and PC performance by using more energy, power, and resources from your PC.
  • The boost feature may not be working because of corrupted or damaged graphics card drivers.
  • Users can enable the GPU boost in Nvidia's Control Panel and by switching to High-Performance Nvidia Processor.

Graphics cards allow your PC to render images on your display. However, some users have reported that their Nvidia GPU boost is not working correctly or crashes their PC. Try these five solutions to fix this problem quickly.

There have been reports of some Nvidia RTX models not working while gaming or not responding to a GPU boost.

Nvidia’s GPU boost makes it possible to use every bit of PC power from the graphics card for maximum frame rates while gaming. If you’re interested in our suggestions on the best Nvidia drivers for Windows 11, we have a guide.

Why is the Nvidia GPU boost not working?

If the Nvidia GPU is not working on your PC or your game crashes when it’s enabled, it could mean that the drivers are corrupted or damaged. Also, if the driver is outdated, then it could introduce issues when enabling high-performance mode.

If using a laptop and it’s not plugged into a charger, then your PC may be preventing the Nvidia GPU boost from operating properly.

How do I fix the Nvidia GPU boost if it’s not working?

1. Update drivers

  1. Click on Start and search Control Panel, then hit Enter.
  2. Select Hardware and Sound, then click on Device Manager. Open device manager.
  3. Click on Display adapters to reveal your graphics card drivers.
  4. Right-click on the Nvidia GPU driver and select Update driver. Update Nvidia GPU driver if boost not working.
  5. Click Search automatically for drivers. Search automatically for drivers.

If your Nvidia GPU driver is out of date, then the GPU boost may not work properly. Try updating your drivers to see if that solves the problem. If not, try the next solution below.

You can update drivers manually, only if you have complete knowledge of the drivers your PC requires. The best alternative to that is the driver updater tool.

Often, your computer system might not be able to update the generic drivers for your hardware and peripherals correctly. There are vital differences between a generic driver and a manufacturer’s driver. Finding the correct driver versions for every hardware component can become tiresome.That’s why a dependable updater can help you find and update your drivers automatically. We strongly suggest the Outbyte Driver Updater, and here’s how to do it:
  1. Download and install the Outbyte Driver Updater app.
  2. Launch the software and wait for the app to detect all incompatible drivers.
  3. Now, it will show you a list of all outdated drivers to select the ones to Update or Ignore.
    OutByte Driver Updater Scan
  4. Click on Update & Apply Selected to download and install the latest versions.
  5. Restart your PC to ensure the applied changes.
Outbyte Driver Updater

Outbyte Driver Updater

Maintain your device healthy by letting OutByte Driver Updater find the latest driver options.
Free trial Download now
Disclaimer: You may need to upgrade the app from the free version to perform specific actions.

2. Uninstall and reinstall drivers

  1. Click on Start and search Control Panel then hit Enter.
  2. Select Hardware and Sound then click on Device Manager. Open device manager.
  3. Click on Display adapters to reveal your graphics card drivers.
  4. Right-click on the Nvidia GPU driver and select Uninstall device. Uninstall nvidia gpu driver if boost not working.
  5. Select Uninstall again then restart your PC.
  6. Go to Nvidia’s driver download page and enter your PC information then click Search. search for nvidia driver.
  7. Select Download to download and install the driver. Download nvidia driver.

If your Nvidia GPU driver is corrupted or damaged, then doing a complete reinstall of the driver may solve the problem if the GPU boost is not working. You can find the driver for your PC from the Nvidia driver download homepage.

3. Turn on Low Latency mode

  1. Click on Start and search Nvidia Control Panel then hit Enter.
  2. Under 3D Settings, select Manage 3D settings. manage 3d settings in nvidia.
  3. Scroll through the settings and locate Low Latency Mode and click on the dropdown menu.
  4. Select Ultra. ultra low latency nvidia.

If your Nvidia GPU boost is not working, reducing latency may help kick it into gear and improve performance.

4. Check for updates

  1. Click on Start and open Settings (or press Windows + I).
  2. Select Windows Update then Check for updates. check for updates if nvidia gpu boost not working.
  3. Perform any available updates.

If your Windows 10 or 11 is out of date, then a number of issues may arise including the Nvidia GPU boost not working properly. Make sure your PC is up to date to avoid any issues and get the best performance while gaming.

5. Connect to a charger

If using a laptop and the Nvidia GPU boost is not working, your PC may be blocking high-performance mode, so it doesn’t drain the battery quickly. Using a laptop connected to the charger will provide an optimized gaming experience and maintain the health of your battery.

plug pc into charger.

Ensure your PC is connected to a power cable and is charging. If you’re having issues with your laptop not charging on Windows 10 or 11, we offer a guide for that as well.

How do I enable Nvidia GPU boost?

  1. Click on Start and search Nvidia Control Panel, then hit Enter.
  2. Under 3D Settings, select Manage 3D settings. manage 3d settings in nvidia.
  3. In the Global Settings tab, open the dropdown menu under Preferred graphics processor.
  4. Change to High-performance NVIDIA processor. change to high performance nvidia processor.

If there’s extra power available on your PC, then the Nvidia GPU will boost for optimized frame rates and improve gaming performance. Configuring your graphics card to high performance helps your PC prioritize integrated graphics to maximize frame rates.

Remember that errors such as You are not currently using a display attached to an Nvidia GPU will prevent you from using this feature, but we have a guide that shows you how to fix it.

We hope one of the above solutions helped you fix your Nvidia GPU boost if it’s not working. Let us know in the comments below which step worked for you.

More about the topics: nvidia, NVIDIA driver

Megan Moore

Megan Moore Shield

Megan is a Windows enthusiast and an avid writer. With an interest and fascination in all things tech, she enjoys staying up to date on exciting new developments in the computer and gaming world. When not falling down a rabbit hole of tech news and information, she enjoys painting, watching movies, and taking her dramatic husky for long walks.