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To reset your graphics card instantly, press Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B. Windows restarts the graphics driver, the screen goes black for about one second and you hear a beep. This keyboard shortcut refreshes the graphics card without closing apps or restarting the PC.
What does resetting a graphics card mean?
Resetting a graphics card means one of 3 things: restarting the graphics driver, restoring the GPU’s settings to default, or reinstalling the driver from scratch. Each level fixes deeper problems than the one before.
What are the ways to reset a graphics card?
There are 5 ways to reset a graphics card, ordered from quickest to most thorough:
| Method | Time | Fixes |
|---|---|---|
| Win + Ctrl + Shift + B | 2 seconds | Frozen or black screen, flicker |
| Disable and enable in Device Manager | 1 minute | GPU stuck in a bad state |
| Reset NVIDIA or AMD settings | 2 minutes | Wrong color, scaling, game profiles |
| Reset overclock software | 2 minutes | Crashes and artifacts after tuning |
| Clean driver reinstall with DDU | 15 minutes | Corrupted drivers, persistent crashes |
How do you restart the GPU driver with a keyboard shortcut?
You restart the GPU driver by pressing Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B at the same time. The shortcut works on Windows 10 and Windows 11 with NVIDIA, AMD and Intel graphics. Use it when the screen freezes, goes black or flickers but the PC is still running.
How do you reset a graphics card in Device Manager?
You reset a graphics card in Device Manager in 4 steps:
- Right-click Start and open Device Manager.
- Expand Display adapters.
- Right-click your graphics card and choose Disable device; the screen may flicker.
- Right-click it again and choose Enable device.
How do you reset NVIDIA and AMD graphics settings?
You reset graphics settings in the driver software:
- NVIDIA Control Panel: open Manage 3D settings and click Restore. In the NVIDIA App, open Graphics > Global Settings and use Restore defaults.
- AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition: open Settings (gear) > System and choose Factory Reset, or Performance > Tuning > Reset for clocks.
- Intel Graphics Software: open Settings and select Restore defaults.
How do you reset a GPU overclock?
You reset a GPU overclock by opening MSI Afterburner, ASUS GPU Tweak or your card’s tuning tool and clicking Reset (the circular arrow in Afterburner). Remove the tool from Windows startup if you do not want custom clocks applied again. Learn more in what overclocking a GPU does.
How do you fully reset a graphics card driver with DDU?
You fully reset a graphics card driver with Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) in 5 steps:
- Download the latest driver for your GPU and DDU.
- Disconnect from the internet so Windows does not install a driver automatically.
- Restart into Safe Mode and run DDU.
- Select GPU, your brand, and click Clean and restart.
- Install the new driver and reconnect to the internet.
The full driver process is in how to update GPU drivers.
When should you reset your graphics card?
You should reset your graphics card when you see a frozen or black screen, flickering, GPU artifacting, crashes after a driver update, or performance that suddenly drops. If a reset does not help, try reseating the GPU and checking GPU health.
FAQ
Does Win + Ctrl + Shift + B delete anything?
No. The shortcut only restarts the graphics driver. It does not close apps or delete settings.
How do you restart a GPU without restarting the PC?
Press Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B, or disable and enable the GPU in Device Manager.
Will resetting the GPU fix black screens?
Often yes. A driver restart fixes black screens caused by driver hangs. Black screens at boot need hardware checks.
Related guides
- GPU Problems & Fixes
- How to Update GPU Drivers
- How to Reseat a GPU
- How to See What Graphics Card You Have
