Why is My Screen Glitching? 6 Ways to Fix Video Driver Problems

If your screen is flickering, games are crashing, or you’re seeing strange "static" or stretched-out shapes (called artifacts), your video driver is likely the culprit. The video driver is the software that tells your computer how to use its graphics card (GPU). When it breaks, your visual experience goes with it.

Here are 6 beginner-friendly ways to fix video driver issues and get your display back to normal.

1. The "Quick Reset" Keyboard Shortcut

Before you dig into settings, try this hidden Windows trick. It restarts your graphics drivers without closing your open programs.

The Fix: Press Win + Ctrl + Shift + B all at the same time.
What happens: Your screen will go black for a split second, you’ll hear a "beep," and the driver will reload. This often fixes minor glitches or frozen screens instantly.

2. Update via Windows Update

Microsoft often bundles stable video drivers with their regular system updates. This is the safest way for non-tech users to get a fix.

Windows 11: Go to Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates.
Pro Tip: Look under Advanced Options > Optional Updates. Sometimes the specific driver you need is hidden there.

3. Use the Device Manager

If Windows Update didn't find anything, you can force the computer to look specifically for a new video driver.

Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
Find Display adapters and click the little arrow to expand it.
Right-click your graphics card (it will say something like Intel Graphics, NVIDIA GeForce, or AMD Radeon).
Select Update driver and then click Search automatically for drivers.

4. Download Directly from the Source

Sometimes Windows is a bit behind. If you are a gamer or video editor, you should get your drivers directly from the manufacturer’s website.

For NVIDIA: Use the NVIDIA Driver Downloads page.
For AMD: Use the AMD Support page.
For Intel: Use the Intel Download Center.

Note: Most of these sites have an "Auto-Detect" tool that will scan your computer and find the right driver for you so you don't have to guess the model.

5. Roll Back a Bad Update

Did your problems start immediately after an update? Sometimes the newest driver has a bug. You can go back to the version that worked.

Go back to Device Manager (see Step 3).
Right-click your graphics card and select Properties.
Click the Driver tab.
If the button is clickable, select Roll Back Driver.

6. Perform a "Clean Install"

If your drivers are "corrupted" (broken files), simply updating them won't help. You need to wipe the slate clean.

NVIDIA/AMD: When you run the installer you downloaded from their website, look for a checkbox that says "Perform a clean installation" or "Factory Reset." This deletes the old, broken driver before putting the new one on.

How do I know if it’s the driver or the hardware?

If you see glitches even before Windows starts (like on the manufacturer's logo screen when you first turn it on), it might be a hardware problem. If the glitches only happen once you're logged in, it’s almost certainly a driver issue.

Would you like me to help you identify exactly which graphics card you have so we can find the direct download link for you?