Linux · Display & Sound
Get the right GPU driver running for your hardware
Graphics driver setup is the single biggest source of Linux desktop friction, especially on NVIDIA hardware — the open-source nouveau driver loads by default but the proprietary NVIDIA driver is usually what you actually want for full performance, hardware video decode, and multi-monitor/mixed-refresh-rate support.
How to open Display & Graphics Drivers
- Reboot after installing or switching a graphics driver — driver changes don't apply live.
- Run `nvidia-smi` (NVIDIA) or `glxinfo | grep renderer` to confirm the expected driver and GPU are reporting correctly.
- Test a demanding app or `glxgears` briefly to confirm acceleration is actually active, not just installed.
What you should know
- NVIDIA: Ubuntu/Debian — `sudo apt install nvidia-driver-<version>` or use the "Additional Drivers" GUI tool (Software & Updates); Fedora — enable RPM Fusion then `sudo dnf install akmod-nvidia`; Arch — `sudo pacman -S nvidia nvidia-utils` (or `nvidia-open` for Turing+ GPUs).
- AMD and Intel GPUs use open-source kernel drivers (amdgpu, i915) that ship with the kernel — no separate install is normally needed, just keep the kernel and mesa packages updated.
- Check what's currently loaded with `lspci -k | grep -A 3 VGA` and confirm the driver in use with `glxinfo | grep "OpenGL renderer"` (from the mesa-utils/mesa-demos package).
- Wayland sessions need a reasonably recent proprietary NVIDIA driver (535+) for full support — older NVIDIA driver versions work more reliably under the Xorg session instead.
Never mix nouveau and the proprietary NVIDIA driver — blacklist nouveau (most installers do this automatically) or you'll get boot loops or a black screen after login.
Why it matters
The wrong or missing driver shows up as tearing, capped resolution, GPU-accelerated apps falling back to software rendering, or external monitors not being detected at all — and on laptops with hybrid NVIDIA+Intel graphics (Optimus), it directly affects battery life.
Best practices
- On laptops with switchable graphics, use your distro's hybrid-graphics tool (e.g. `optimus-manager`, `envycontrol`, or GNOME's built-in "Launch using Discrete Graphics") rather than forcing one GPU globally.
- Hold off on the very latest driver release for a few days after a major distro or kernel update — driver/kernel mismatches are the most common cause of post-update black screens.
- Keep a spare TTY escape route in mind (Ctrl+Alt+F3) in case a bad driver leaves the graphical session unusable.
Common problems and fixes
- Black screen or login loop after installing the NVIDIA driver
- Boot into a TTY (Ctrl+Alt+F3), confirm nouveau is blacklisted, and check `journalctl -b -1` for the specific driver load failure before reinstalling.
- External monitor not detected or stuck at low resolution
- Run `xrandr` (Xorg) or check Settings > Displays (Wayland) — confirm the cable/port supports the resolution, and that the correct GPU output is being used on hybrid-graphics laptops.
Tips and tricks
- `inxi -G` gives a quick one-line summary of your GPU, driver, and display resolution — handy for support forum posts.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need the proprietary NVIDIA driver, or is nouveau good enough?
Nouveau is fine for basic desktop use and older cards, but lacks full 3D performance, hardware video decode, and multi-monitor variable refresh rate support — install the proprietary driver for gaming, creative work, or external displays.
Related settings
- Desktop Environment CustomizationDesktop environments (GNOME, KDE Plasma, XFCE, Cinnamon, etc.) each have their own settings apps and customization ecosystem — GNOME leans on extensions and GNOME Tweaks for anything beyond the basics, while KDE Plasma exposes most customization directly in System Settings.
- Troubleshooting Boot IssuesA Linux system that won't boot almost always still gives you a path back in — GRUB's boot menu, recovery mode, or a live USB — the key is knowing which layer is failing (bootloader, kernel, or graphical session) so you fix the right thing instead of reinstalling.