The Device Manager in Windows shows a list of all the devices connected to a system. If your graphics card is not showing up in the list, it means that it has either not been connected properly or Windows cannot detect it for some other issue. This can be a serious issue and you might not get any display from your system if you do not have a second GPU installed or your processor does not include a graphics processor on the SoC. However, there are some basic fixes that you can try and possibly get around this issue. We will list them below. If none of these fixes works, you have a dead card, and you need to get it repaired or replaced.
How to Fix GPU Not Detected Issue?
These issues can lead to your GPU not being detected by Windows:
- Improperly mounting a graphics card: Improperly mounting a graphics card is one of the most common issues users run into. Improperly mounting a card is quite unlikely to kill it, and in most cases remounting your graphics card properly can fix the issue. You need to check for the following points to ensure a proper mount:\
- The PCIe x16 expansion slot lock clicks in place as soon you push the card in.
- None of the gold pins can be seen after the card has been plugged in.
- All of the PCIe cover screws on your case have been tightened. Heavy cards may droop out of the PCIe x16 slot if you do not securely it firmly.
- All of the PCIe power connectors have been plugged in properly.
After you have ensured these points while installing a video card, try rebooting the PC and check whether your card has been detected by the Windows device manager.
- Windows cannot locate/detect graphics card drivers: Windows might not detect the graphics card drivers although the latest release from the manufacturer is installed on your system. This issue is quite common, and can be easily fixed by following these steps:
- Go to Device Manager in Windows.
- Open the Action tab, and choose the “Add Legacy Hardware” option. You will be greeted with a pop-up wizard. Click on the Next button.
- Choose the “Install the hardware I manually select from a list (Advanced)” option and hit the “Next” button.
- Choose the “Display adapters” option, and hit “Next”.
- Choose the manufacturer’s name from the list. Then, choose the exact model name of the GPU you are rocking. After you are done, hit “Next”.
- Hit “Next” again. Windows will add your graphics hardware, and the GPU should be detected by the OS now. Click “Finish” once Windows is done.
- Now, head over to the Display Adapters section in the Device Manager, and locate the particular GPU you are troubleshooting. Right-click on it, and choose the “Update” option.
- Select the “Browse my computer for drivers” option from the list that appears.
- Choose “Let me pick from the list of the available drivers on my computer” from the menu that appears. Then hit “Next”.
- After the drivers are done reinstalling, click on “Close”. Restart your computer, and you should be good to go.
- The graphics card has been disabled from Device Manager: If your graphics card has been disabled from the disable manager, you can enable it by following these steps:
- Open up the Device Manager.
- From the hardware list, locate Display Adapters, then select the graphics card you are troubleshooting. Double click on it. This will open the Properties window.
- Head over to the Drivers tab. Then click on the button “Enable Device” button. However, if you see the “Disable Device” option, it means that your graphics card is already enabled, and the issue lies elsewhere.
- Outdated graphics card drivers: Outdated graphics card drivers can also cause your graphics card to not show up on your system. However, this issue can be fixed very easily. Head over to the following websites depending on the GPU you have.
Nvidia: https://www.nvidia.com/download/index.aspx
AMD: https://www.amd.com/en/support
Intel: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download-center/home.html
Now filter for the exact chip you have and download and install the latest drivers. You can also choose to do this via Nvidia’s GeForce Experience software in case you have an Nvidia card or AMD’s Radeon Software.
These steps should help you to troubleshoot the issue of graphics cards not showing up in Device Manager.