How to Roll Back a Graphics Driver When Games Start Crashing

Your games were running fine, you installed a new graphics driver, and now they crash to the desktop, freeze, or restart your PC. That pattern is a strong clue. New drivers sometimes ship with bugs that affect certain cards, certain games, or certain Windows versions. When that happens, going back to the driver that worked is often the fastest fix.

Rolling back does not damage your PC and it does not delete your games. It simply replaces the current graphics driver with an older version. This guide covers the built-in Windows rollback option, the manual method when that button is greyed out, and how to stop Windows from reinstalling the bad driver straight away.

Quick Answer

To roll back a graphics driver when games start crashing, open Device Manager, find your graphics card under Display adapters, open its Properties, and use Roll Back Driver on the Driver tab. If that button is unavailable, uninstall the current driver and install the previous version downloaded from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel. Restart your PC afterwards and test your games before updating again.

Before You Roll Back: Confirm the Driver Is the Problem

A rollback helps most when the timing is clear. Spend two minutes checking that the crashes really did follow the driver change, so you do not chase the wrong cause.

• The crashes began on the same day you updated the driver.
• Several games crash, not just one recently patched title.
• The crashes include messages about the display driver stopping or recovering.
• Your temperatures and power supply were fine before the update.
• No other major change, such as new hardware or a Windows update, happened at the same time.

If only one game crashes, check that game’s files and updates first. If everything crashes, including older stable games, the driver moves to the top of the suspect list. It also helps to note your current driver version before you change anything. You will find it in Device Manager or your graphics control panel, and knowing it stops you from reinstalling the same faulty version by mistake.

Method 1: Use the Roll Back Button in Device Manager

Windows keeps the previous driver for a short time after an update, and the Roll Back Driver button is the quickest way to use it. This method works for NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel graphics.

1. Right-click the Start button and open Device Manager.
2. Expand the Display adapters section and double-click your graphics card.
3. Open the Driver tab and note the driver version and date listed there.
4. Select Roll Back Driver if the button is available.
5. Choose a reason when Windows asks, such as the previous version performed better.
6. Wait while Windows restores the older driver; your screen may flicker or go black briefly.
7. Restart your PC, then launch a game that was crashing and test it properly.

Microsoft documents this process in its official Windows support guidance on updating and rolling back drivers. If the button is greyed out, Windows no longer has the old driver stored, usually because the update was done as a clean install or too much time has passed. Use the manual method below instead.

Method 2: Uninstall and Install the Previous Driver Manually

The manual method gives you full control over which version you run. It takes a little longer but works in every situation, including when the rollback button is missing.

1. Download the previous driver version from your manufacturer’s official driver archive before uninstalling anything.
2. Save the installer somewhere easy to find, such as your Downloads folder.
3. Open Device Manager, right-click your graphics card, and choose Uninstall device.
4. If offered, tick the option to attempt to remove the driver for this device.
5. Restart your PC. Your display will use a basic Microsoft driver and may look low resolution; that is normal.
6. Run the older driver installer you downloaded and follow its setup steps.
7. Restart again when the install finishes, then test your games.

Download only from the official source for your card. AMD keeps older releases linked from its official AMD drivers and support download pages, and NVIDIA and Intel do the same on their own sites. Avoid driver download sites that bundle extra software.

Choosing Which Older Version to Install

Pick the version you were using before the crashes started, if you know it. If you are unsure, choose the release just before the current one, or a slightly older version known for stability. Avoid jumping back many months unless you have to, because very old drivers may lack support and security fixes for newer games. Our step-by-step guide on how to update graphics drivers safely on Windows explains how to check version numbers and release dates before you install.

Stop Windows From Reinstalling the Bad Driver

Nothing is more annoying than rolling back, fixing your games, and then finding Windows Update has quietly installed the faulty driver again. You can slow that down while you wait for a fixed release.

1. Open Windows Update settings and pause updates for one to two weeks if that option suits you.
2. After a rollback through Device Manager, Windows usually waits before offering that driver again, but check the update history to be sure.
3. Turn off automatic driver installation in your graphics app if it has an auto-update setting.
4. When a newer driver appears later, read its release notes for crash fixes before installing.
5. Keep the working driver installer saved so you can return to it quickly if needed.

Pausing updates is a short-term measure, not a permanent one. Windows security updates matter, so resume updates once a fixed driver is available or after a couple of weeks.

Test Properly After Rolling Back

A game launching successfully is a good sign, but short tests can mislead you. Some crashes only happen after twenty minutes of load, in a specific level, or when a particular effect appears.

• Play the game that crashed most often for at least one full session.
• Visit the same area or mission where crashes happened before.
• Watch for stutter, artefacts, or driver reset messages, not just full crashes.
• Check your GPU temperature during play to rule out overheating as a second problem.
• Test a second game to confirm the fix is system-wide, not game-specific luck.

If games are stable again, stay on this driver until the next release. There is no prize for running the newest version, and stability matters more than a version number.

What If Games Still Crash on the Old Driver?

If crashes continue after a clean rollback, the driver was probably not the only problem, or not the problem at all. Work through the next likely causes in a sensible order. Verify the game files in your launcher, since a corrupt file crashes regardless of driver. Check temperatures and clean dust from fans and heatsinks, because overheating causes shutdowns that look like driver faults. Remove any overclock on the GPU or memory and test at stock settings. Run a memory check if you get blue screens. Finally, look at the power supply, especially if the whole PC restarts under load with no error message.

Keep notes as you test. Writing down what you changed and what happened saves time if you later ask for help on a forum or from support, and it stops you repeating steps you already tried.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Rolling back without noting the bad version: you may reinstall the same faulty driver later by accident.
• Using driver updater tools from adverts: many install wrong or modified drivers and create new problems.
• Forgetting to restart: driver changes need a restart to load fully and test fairly.
• Installing the old driver over a broken new one: if crashes persist, uninstall first, then install cleanly.
• Pausing Windows updates forever: you lose security fixes; pause briefly, then update when a fixed driver arrives.
• Testing for only two minutes: short tests miss crashes that appear under longer load.

Conclusion

When games start crashing right after a driver update, rolling back is a safe, reversible fix that often solves the problem in minutes. Try the Device Manager rollback button first, fall back to a manual uninstall and older official driver if needed, and pause automatic updates so the bad version does not return. Test your games properly, stay on the stable driver, and update again only when a newer release addresses the crashes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will rolling back a driver delete my games or settings?

No. Rolling back only changes the graphics driver software. Your games, saves, and Windows files stay untouched. You may lose custom graphics control panel profiles, such as per-game settings or colour tweaks, so note those before you start if you use them.

Why is the Roll Back Driver button greyed out?

Windows only keeps the previous driver for a limited time and only in some update situations. A clean install, a disk cleanup, or a long delay can remove it. When the button is unavailable, uninstall the current driver and manually install an older version from the manufacturer instead.

How long should I stay on an older driver?

Stay until a newer driver is released that fixes the crashes, usually a few weeks. Check release notes before updating. There is no harm in running a stable older driver for a month or two, though very old drivers may miss support for brand new games.

Can rolling back fix blue screens as well as game crashes?

Yes, if the blue screens are caused by the graphics driver, which is a common cause when they happen during gaming. If blue screens continue on the older driver and also happen outside games, look at memory, storage, temperatures, and power as other possible causes.

Should I use a driver cleaner tool when rolling back?

For most people, the normal uninstall plus a clean install option is enough. Dedicated cleaner tools can help in stubborn cases where files are clearly corrupted, but they are advanced tools. If you use one, follow its instructions carefully and create a restore point first.