How to Update AMD Graphics Drivers in Windows

AMD is one of the behemoths of graphics on PC. Granted, Nvidia is miles ahead in terms of actual sales, but if you want great value for the money and comparable performance, then AMD could be the way to go. Updating graphics drivers should usually be a simple process, but there are certainly better and worse ways to do it.

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.

Also read: AMD Radeon Software Settings – What Do They All Mean?

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).

1. Download the latest version of DDU and extract it to a location of your choice. Next, boot to Windows Safe Mode. (The simplest method is to hold the Shift key while clicking the “Restart” button in Windows 10 and 11, then go to “Troubleshoot -> Advanced options -> See more recovery options -> Start-up Settings -> Restart.”)
2. Select “Enable Safe Mode” and make sure your PC is disconnected from the Internet.
3. Once in Safe Mode, open Display Driver Uninstaller. In the “Select device type” drop-down, select GPU, and in the drop-down below, make sure it says “AMD.”

4. Go to Options in DDU, and under “AMD Specific Options,” make sure all the boxes are ticked.

5. Finally, click “Clean and restart” and let DDU work its magic.
6. Once your PC reboots, Windows should start. (It may be in low-resolution – don’t panic!) Go to the AMD drivers page in your browser and select the drivers corresponding to your graphics card (Alternatively, you can download the Auto-Detect tool near the top of the page, which will detect your GPU and the correct drivers for you.)

7. Click “Submit” once you’ve entered your GPU information. On the next page, select the relevant driver you want to download. (You usually have two options here – the higher version number being the less stable “Optional” driver we talked about earlier.)

8. Select the one you want, and you should now have a squeaky-clean AMD GPU driver ready to go!

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.