Fix: Nvidia driver crash in Windows 10
- Nvidia is a world-leader when it comes to GPU manufacturing and design.
- If you experience crashes with your Nvidia driver, then simply follow the solutions we've listed below.
- To learn more about Nvidia and their products, you should visit our dedicated Nvidia Hub.
- To learn more about how you can fix common PC issues, visit our website's Troubleshooting section.
Many Windows 10 users enjoy in multimedia on daily basis, however, you might experience certain issues with multimedia if your graphic card driver crashes.
Many users reported Nvidia driver crashes on Windows 10, so today we’re going to resolve this issue.
Here are some more examples of this issue:
- Nvidia driver keeps crashing Windows 10
- Nvidia driver problems Windows 10 – Crashing isn’t the only problem you can experience with Nvidia drivers in Windows 10. However, the solutions presented below will help you in most cases.
- Windows 10 Nvidia driver black screen – Black screen is, along with crashing, one of the most common issues one can experience with Nvidia drivers.
- Nvidia driver crashing Windows 7 – Although we’re talking about Windows 10 here, you can apply these solutions to Windows 7, as well.
- Nvidia driver crash during installation – If the driver actually crashes during the installation process, try some of the solutions below.
How do I fix Nvidia driver crashes?
Table of contents:
- Remove your currently installed drivers and install the latest version
- Stop automatic driver updates and download an older version of Nvidia drivers
- Uninstall your antivirus
- Download display drivers from your laptop manufacturer
- Disable iGPU in BIOS
- Disable Vsync and select Maximum Performance in Nvidia Control Panel
- Disable ATKFUSService
- Use MSI Afterburner to underclock your graphic card
- Clean your graphic card
1. Remove your currently installed drivers and install the latest version
If Nvidia driver keeps crashing on Windows 10, perhaps the best solution is to completely remove the problematic driver and install the latest version.
There is also a possibility that the NVIDIA driver is not compatible with your Windows version.
In this case, we recommend you use a third-party driver updater that is doing all the work for you in seconds. A professional tool not only does it update any driver on your PC, but it also fixes those that are either broken or missing altogether as well.
All you need is a stable Internet connection, and a few minutes of your time, since the entire update and fix process is pretty much automated from the moment you launch the program.
2. Stop automatic driver updates and download an older version of Nvidia drivers
- Press Windows Key + S and type System.
- Choose System from the menu.
- Click Advanced system settings on the left.
- Go to Hardware tab and click on Device Installation Settings.
- Device installation settings window will open. Select No (your device might not work as expected).
- Click Save Changes.
In certain cases, older drivers can work better than the latest version, so you should try downloading an older Nvidia driver, maybe even the version for Windows 8.
Many users are encountering several issues with this in Windows 10, so here is the expert fix for you!
Before you download the older version of Nvidia driver, you should stop automatic driver updates.
After you’ve disabled automatic driver updates, you can remove your current driver and install an older Nvidia driver. For more information on how to uninstall graphic card drivers, have a look at our previous solution.
3. Uninstall your antivirus
In some cases, your antivirus software might cause Nvidia drivers to crash, so if you’re having any problems with Nvidia drivers, you might want to disable or uninstall your antivirus software.
Users report that Avast 2016 causes Nvidia drivers to crash, but feel free to try this solution even if you’re using different antivirus software.
On the other hand, if you do value digital security, then instead of removing your antivirus, you should try changing it with one that is less prone to errors.
There are a lot of options for Windows 10 compatible antivirus software that offer great protection without negatively impacting your user experience.
4. Download display drivers from your laptop manufacturer
If you’re having Nvidia driver crashes on your laptop, it’s advised you uninstall your current drivers and download the latest ones from your laptop manufacturer.
Few users reported that installing drivers from their laptop manufacturer’s website fixed Nvidia driver crashes, so if you own a laptop, make sure to download display drivers from your laptop manufacturer.
5. Disable iGPU in BIOS
- While your computer boots, keep pressing Del or F2 in order to access BIOS. Sometimes it might be a different key, so you’ll have to repeat this step a few times.
- When BIOS opens, you need to locate iGPU, or integrated graphic card, option and disable it.
- Save changes and restart.
Sometimes Nvidia driver crashes can be caused by your integrated graphic card, therefore make sure to disable it from BIOS.
6. Disable Vsync and select Maximum Performance in Nvidia Control Panel
- Open Nvidia Control Panel.
- When Nvidia Control Panel opens, click on Manage 3D settings.
- Set Power Settings to Maximum Performance and turn off Vertical sync.
- Click Apply to save changes.
Users reported that Nvidia driver crashes can be solved by changing a few options in Nvidia Control Panel. It’s also advised that you set your power options to High Performance by following these steps:
- Press Windows Key + S and enter Power Options. Select Power Options from the list.
- When Power Options window opens, select High performance.
7. Disable ATKFUSService
According to users, ATKFUSService can sometimes cause Nvidia drivers to crash, therefore it might be best for you to disable this service. To do that follow these steps:
- Press Windows Key + R and enter services.msc.
- Click OK or press Enter.
- When Services window opens, locate ATKFUSService and double click it.
- Go to Startup type section and select Manual or Disabled from the list.
- Click Apply and OK to save changes.
8. Use MSI Afterburner to underclock your graphic card
Users reported that sometimes your GPU memory frequency doesn’t match your RAM frequency and that can cause Nvidia driver to crash.
To fix this issue, some users suggest underclocking your graphic card by lowering its memory frequency. This is an advanced process, and if you’re not careful, you can cause permanent damage to your computer.
Bear in mind that you’re underclocking your graphic card at your own risk.
9. Clean your graphic card
Sometimes Nvidia driver crashes can be caused if your graphic card is overheating. In order to fix this, it’s advised that your open your computer case, remove your graphic card and clean it from dust.
We have to mention that by doing this you might break your computer’s warranty. To avoid that, you can install software that cools your computer, thus solving many possible issues from one installation.
Nvidia driver crashes are usually related to driver incompatibility, and if you have any issues with Nvidia drivers, feel free to try some of our solutions.
