How to Check Which Graphics Card You Have in Windows 11

How to Check Which Graphics Card You Have in Windows 11

You need to know your graphics card (GPU) to check whether a game will run, download the right driver, or answer a support question. Windows 11 shows it in several places. Any one of these methods takes less than a minute.

Method 1: Task Manager (Fastest)

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Select Performance (the chart icon on the left).
3. Select GPU 0. If there's also a GPU 1, select it too.

The GPU's name appears at the top right, for example an Intel, AMD or NVIDIA model name. Below the graphs you'll see:

• Dedicated GPU memory - the card's own video memory (VRAM). Integrated GPUs show little or none.
• Shared GPU memory - system RAM the GPU can borrow.
• Driver version and driver date - useful when checking for driver updates.

Method 2: Device Manager

1. Right-click Start and choose Device Manager.
2. Expand Display adapters.

Every graphics chip in the PC is listed. If you see Microsoft Basic Display Adapter, the real driver isn't installed - Windows is using a basic one, which is why games may be slow and the screen resolution limited. Install the driver from Windows Update or the maker's site (see below).

Method 3: DirectX Diagnostic Tool (dxdiag)

1. Press Win + R, type dxdiag and press Enter.
2. Open the Display tab (on laptops there may be Display 1 and Render tabs - check both).

You'll see the card's Name, Manufacturer, Chip Type, Display Memory (VRAM) and driver details. Select Save All Information to create a text file you can send to a support technician or game developer.

Method 4: Settings

1. Open Settings > System > Display.
2. Select Advanced display.

Under Display information, Windows shows which GPU each monitor is connected to. This is handy on PCs with more than one GPU, because it tells you which one drives the screen.

Integrated vs Dedicated Graphics

• Integrated GPU - built into the processor (for example Intel UHD/Iris Xe/Arc graphics in Intel chips, or Radeon graphics in AMD chips). Uses the PC's RAM. Fine for office work, video and light games.
• Dedicated (discrete) GPU - a separate chip or card (for example NVIDIA GeForce or AMD Radeon RX) with its own video memory. Needed for demanding games, 3D and video editing.

Many laptops have both. Windows uses the integrated GPU to save battery and switches to the dedicated one for demanding apps. To choose which GPU an app uses, open Settings > System > Display > Graphics, select the app and pick a GPU preference (the exact options depend on your Windows build).

Keep the Graphics Driver Up to Date

Once you know the model:

1. Check Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates for display driver updates.
2. Or use your PC maker's support site (for laptops) or the graphics card maker's official site (for desktop cards).

Avoid third-party "driver updater" tools - see how to update drivers in Windows 11 the safe way. If the screen flickers or goes black after a driver update, see laptop screen flickering in Windows 11.

GPU Not Listed at All?

If you know the PC has a dedicated card but it doesn't appear anywhere:

• Desktop: make sure the monitor cable is plugged into the graphics card, not the motherboard's video port, and that the card has its power cables connected.
• Laptop: install the chipset and graphics drivers from the maker's support site, then restart.
• Check the second monitor too if one screen is blank - see second monitor not detected in Windows 11.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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