Figuring out what graphics card you’ve got in your Windows 11 PC shouldn’t be too much of a drama, but sometimes it feels a bit more complicated than it needs to be. Maybe you’re troubleshooting graphics glitches, eyeing an upgrade, or just plain curious about what’s under the hood. Either way, getting the right info quick as a flash can save a lot of guesswork. Good news is, Windows 11 has a built-in, pretty straightforward way to check, but it’s easy to miss a step or get lost in the menus—especially if you’re not used to fiddling in Settings. So, this walk-through should make things clearer—at least enough to get the info you need without pulling your hair out.
How to Check Your Graphics Card in Windows 11
Navigate through the Settings app
First up, you gotta get to the right spot. Open Settings either by clicking the Start menu and then the gear icon, or just hit Windows + I. From there, the path’s hidden in plain sight, but it’s not too bad. Click on System. That’s where most of the core info about your PC lives.
Head over to Display info
Inside System, find and click on Display. Usually, it’s the second option down on the left sidebar. This section controls how your screen looks. Scroll down a bit—you’ll see an option for Advanced display. On some setups, it might be called something slightly different, but it’s there.
Look into Advanced display settings
Click on Advanced display. Often, this opens a new window or dropdown with details about your monitor and graphics setup. Look for the section called Display information. That’s where you’ll see info like Graphics card name, usually the model of your GPU, along with other specs.
Note: Sometimes, Windows doesn’t update this info immediately if you’ve recently swapped hardware or updated drivers. On some PCs, the info might be a bit light on, and you might need a different approach.
Alternative method: Use Device Manager for more details
This one’s a bit old school, but reliable. Hit Windows + S to search, then type “Device Manager.” Open it up and expand Display adapters. You should see the name of your graphics card there. If you’ve got integrated and dedicated GPUs, both might show up—so you’ll see two entries. Right-click on the one you’re interested in and choose Properties for more details or to update the driver if needed.
This way’s handy because it gives you a more in-depth look, especially if Windows’ display info is a bit light or out of date. Plus, it’s quicker if you already know where to look.
Extra tips – third-party tools if needed
Sometimes, Windows just won’t cut it, or you want more info like VRAM, driver version, or temps. Check out tools like GPU-Z or Speccy. They’re free and do a pretty good job of showing everything—sort of like a report from your hardware itself. Not everyone needs that, but if you want detailed specs, they’re worth a go.
And if you’re keen to tweak or troubleshoot, make sure your GPU drivers are up to date. Sometimes issues pop up because of outdated drivers, not the hardware. You can update through Device Manager or head straight to Nvidia, AMD, or Intel’s site.
Odd thing I’ve run into before—on some systems, the display info won’t refresh right away or shows outdated info until you reboot or reset some display settings. That’s a bit weird, but a restart usually sorts it out.
Wrap-up
Getting the specs from Windows 11 isn’t a big deal once you know where to look. Usually, the Display settings or Device Manager will do the trick. If Windows is playing up, third-party tools can fill in the gaps—that’s handy. Just keep your drivers up-to-date, especially if you’re troubleshooting or gaming. Because, of course, Windows likes to make things a little more complicated than they need to be.
Summary
- Open Settings and go to System
- Click on Display, then Advanced display
- Check the Display information for your graphics card details
- Alternatively, use Device Manager under Display adapters
- For more info, give third-party tools like GPU-Z or Speccy a burl
Wrap-up
Honestly, it’s not too bad once you get the hang of the menus. Knowing what GPU you’ve got can save heaps of frustration, especially if you’re troubleshooting or planning an upgrade. Hopefully, this saves you a bit of time and gets your system ready for whatever’s next. Cheers!