How to Reset Graphics Driver (Windows & Mac)

Resetting your graphics driver forces Windows or macOS to reload the video driver from scratch, which clears most display glitches, black screens, flickering, and performance hitches caused by a stuck or corrupted driver state. It is a safe, non-destructive fix that does not delete any files or settings, and it is usually the first thing to try before reinstalling drivers or updating your OS. You only need access to your keyboard and, in some cases, your mouse.

What You’ll Need

A working keyboard (the most reliable reset uses a keyboard shortcut)
Your login password if the screen is frozen at the lock screen
About 30 seconds of patience — the screen will go black briefly

Step-by-Step

Method 1: The Keyboard Shortcut (Windows 10 & 11)

Press Win + Ctrl + Shift + B all at the same time. This is the universal Windows reset shortcut.
Your screen will flicker or go black for 1–2 seconds. This is normal — the driver is being reloaded.
After the screen comes back, check if the issue (flickering, artifacts, black screen) is gone.
If nothing happens visually, press the shortcut again once. If still nothing, move to Method 2.

Method 2: Restart the Display Driver Service (Windows, when the shortcut fails)

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. If the screen is black, press Ctrl + Alt + Del and select Task Manager from the menu.
Click More details at the bottom if you only see a small window.
Go to the Processes tab and look for Windows Explorer (not the Desktop Window Manager).
Right-click Windows Explorer and choose Restart. The taskbar will disappear and reappear.
If the screen is still glitchy, in Task Manager go to the Services tab, find Display Driver Service (or NVDisplay.ContainerLocalSystem on NVIDIA, amdlog on AMD, igfxCUIService on Intel), right-click it and choose Restart. You may need admin permission — click Yes if prompted.

Method 3: Disable and Re-enable the Adapter (Windows, most thorough)

Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
Expand Display adapters. You will see your GPU name (e.g., NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, AMD Radeon, Intel UHD).
Right-click your GPU and choose Disable device. Confirm any warning. The screen may flicker or go to low resolution.
Wait 5 seconds, then right-click it again and choose Enable device.
Your screen will reset to its normal resolution. This is the most complete reset short of a reboot.

Method 4: Reset on macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel)

On Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) Macs: there is no direct driver reset shortcut. Instead, log out and back in: click the Apple menu → Log Out, then log back in. This reloads the WindowServer, which manages graphics.
If that fails, restart the Mac normally — macOS reloads all GPU drivers on boot.
On Intel Macs, you can also try Shift + Control + Option + Power to reset the SMC (System Management Controller) if you suspect a hardware-level graphics glitch, but this is not a driver reset — use it only if a normal restart did not help.

Common Mistakes

Pressing the shortcut while typing — make sure you are not in a text field, or the shortcut may trigger a different action.
Only pressing it once and giving up — some systems take 2–3 presses before the driver reloads.
Disabling the wrong device — in Device Manager, make sure you disable the GPU under “Display adapters,” not the “Monitor” or “Generic PnP Monitor.”
Forgetting to re-enable — if you disable the GPU and then close Device Manager without re-enabling, your display may stay at low resolution until you reboot.
Using this to fix a hardware failure — if your GPU is physically failing, resetting the driver will only help for a few minutes. Persistent issues after a reset point to overheating or hardware failure.

Tips

Run the reset right after a game crashes to a black screen — it often saves you from a full restart.
If you are on a laptop with dual GPUs (integrated + discrete), resetting the integrated GPU (Intel) usually fixes the screen flicker; resetting the discrete one (NVIDIA/AMD) fixes game crashes.
After a successful reset, check your display resolution is back to the recommended setting. Sometimes Windows drops to 1024×768 after a driver hiccup.
If you do this frequently (more than once a week), it may be a sign your GPU driver is outdated or corrupted — consider updating it from the manufacturer’s website.
On Windows, the shortcut also works from the lock screen and even during a game, as long as the system is not fully frozen.

Troubleshooting

The screen stays black after the reset. Wait 10 seconds. If nothing appears, press the reset shortcut again. If still black, press Ctrl + Alt + Del — if the blue security screen appears, your GPU is working; select “Task Manager” and restart Explorer. If even Ctrl+Alt+Del does nothing, hold the power button for 10 seconds to force a shutdown, then boot normally.

The shortcut does nothing at all. This usually means the driver is completely hung. Go to Method 3 (Device Manager) — if you cannot see the screen, use the keyboard: press Win + X, then press M (for Device Manager), then press Tab and use arrow keys to navigate to “Display adapters,” press Right to expand, Down to select your GPU, then press Shift + F10 (context menu), press D for Disable, wait, then repeat to Enable.

After re-enabling, the resolution is wrong. Right-click the desktop → Display settings → Display resolution → choose the recommended value. If the option is greyed out, restart the computer.

The reset works but the problem returns after 10 minutes. This indicates a corrupted driver file, not a stuck state. Download the latest driver from the GPU manufacturer (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel) and do a “clean install” — in the installer, choose “Custom” and tick “Perform a clean installation.”

On a Mac, logging out does not fix it. Restart in Safe Mode (hold Shift during boot on Intel, or press and hold the power button on Apple Silicon until “Loading startup options” appears, then select your disk and hold Shift). Safe Mode loads minimal graphics drivers. If the issue is gone in Safe Mode, it is a third-party app or a corrupted user preference, not the driver itself.

Multiple monitors — only one works after reset. Press Win + P and select “Extend.” If that does not help, go to Display settings and click “Detect” under the Multiple displays section.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will resetting my graphics driver delete my settings or files? No. It only reloads the driver software in memory. Your resolution, color profile, and game settings remain untouched.

Is it safe to press Win + Ctrl + Shift + B during a game? Yes. It will minimize or crash the game, but it will not corrupt saves or settings. It is actually the recommended fix for a game that freezes with a black screen.

How often should I reset my graphics driver? Only when you have a problem. If you need it more than once a month, update your driver or check for overheating.

Does this work on Windows 7 or 8? The shortcut works on Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11. The Device Manager method is identical across all versions.

What is the difference between resetting the driver and reinstalling it? Resetting reloads the currently installed driver from memory. Reinstalling deletes the driver files and installs a fresh copy from the installer. Reset is faster and safer; reinstall is for persistent corruption.

My screen is completely black — how do I know if the reset worked? Listen for the Windows notification sound (if you have it enabled) or check if the keyboard lights (Caps Lock) respond. If the system is responsive but the screen is black, the driver reset will usually bring it back within a few seconds.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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