To roll back your NVIDIA drivers on Windows, you can use the built-in Device Manager or the newer NVIDIA App. Method 1: Use Windows Device Manager
sudo apt purge 'nvidia-*' sudo apt autoremove sudo apt install nvidia-driver-470 # example older version sudo reboot
: Prioritize for next major GeForce Experience / App update cycle. nvidia drivers rollback
| Issue | Fix | |-------|-----| | DDU fails to remove all remnants | Boot into Safe Mode, disable Windows Driver Installer service. | | Rollback causes “No display” | Boot into Safe Mode, run DDU, then install the older driver. | | Linux blank screen after rollback | Switch to TTY (Ctrl+Alt+F2), purge, reinstall, or reconfigure xorg.conf . | | Windows automatically updates back to new driver | Use wushowhide.diagcab (Microsoft’s show/hide updates tool). |
| Factor | Score | |--------|-------| | User Pain Point | High — driver issues cause significant frustration | | Implementation Effort | Medium — leverages existing installer infrastructure | | Business Value | Medium — reduces support costs, improves brand trust | | Competitive Gap | High — AMD Adrenalin has basic rollback; NVIDIA lacks native solution | To roll back your NVIDIA drivers on Windows,
Rolling back an NVIDIA driver means reverting from a currently installed driver version to a previous one. This is often necessary when a new driver introduces bugs, performance regressions, system instability, or compatibility issues with specific applications or GPUs.
Use this if the Rollback button is unavailable or you want a specific older version. | | Rollback causes “No display” | Boot
If your recent update is causing crashes, lag, or graphical glitches, you can revert to a more stable version of your NVIDIA drivers. Rolling back is often a more effective first step than troubleshooting hardware . TechRadar How to Roll Back Using Device Manager This is the fastest method, but it only works if you installed the new driver without completely uninstalling the previous one. NVIDIA +1 Open Device Manager
The phrase "newer is better" doesn't always apply to software. While NVIDIA frequently releases Game Ready drivers to optimize the latest titles, these updates can occasionally introduce , visual glitches , or performance drops like stuttering and low FPS. If your PC began acting up immediately after a driver update, an NVIDIA driver rollback is often the most effective fix.