Sometimes taking the default GPU update route can lead to a misbehaving graphics card. This article shows you how to update your AMD drivers so that they work properly after the update in both Windows 10 and 11.
Update AMD Drivers – Basic Method
You’re probably already familiar with this, but just to be sure, we’ll quickly tell you how to update your AMD drivers the standard way. Simply open Radeon Software, click the Settings cog in the top-right corner, then “Check for Updates” on the new screen. Depending on whether you’ve selected “Recommended” or “Recommended + optional” in the Preferred Software version, you may see different software versions pop up. An optional update usually means that that version is still being tested and may not work 100 percent reliably. (On the plus side, it may be better optimized for newer games.) The Recommended update is the better option if you want stability, so just click that if you’re unsure, then follow the instructions.
Update AMD Drivers through File Explorer
If you already have your AMD GPU drivers installed on your PC and want to update them an alternative way, you can do so through Windows File Explorer. Navigate to your AMD install directory (C:\Program Files\AMD by default), then go to the folders “CIM -> Bin64.” In this folder, you’ll find an executable file called “RadeonInstaller.” Double-click this to update your drivers. (You may get an error if no updates are available.)
Update AMD Drivers Using DDU
If you find that your AMD driver updates tend not to go as planned, with your drivers crashing or otherwise not working as they should, you should clean-install the updated drivers instead. To do this, we recommend a tool called DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller). There’s an easy way to update your AMD drivers, but there’s also a more complex and comprehensive way. If you don’t experience any problems using the built-in AMD method, then you don’t need to trouble yourself with DDU, although we’ve found that every so often, buggy updates can occur. The good news is that you now know how to use DDU, which is also useful if you’re installing a new graphics card. To test your updated GPU, see our guide on how to run it through a benchmark in Windows. Also, check out our list of fixes for when your graphics card isn’t working.
