How to Install NVIDIA Graphics Drivers on Linux
Steps to install NVIDIA's proprietary drivers on the most common distributions.
By default, Linux uses Nouveau (a free driver) for NVIDIA cards — functional, but noticeably lower performance than the official proprietary driver for games and demanding tasks.
The most important rule in this guide: pick ONE installation method and stick with it. Mixing several different methods (the graphical one, the manual one with .run, and the terminal one) on the same system is the most common cause of broken graphics systems. If you already tried one method, clean it up (see below) before trying another.
Recommended method: automatic (the simplest and most reliable)
ubuntu-drivers devices
sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall
sudo reboot
Detects your exact GPU and the recommended driver, installing it without you having to choose anything manually.
Graphical interface alternative (equally reliable)
Search for "Software & Updates" → "Additional Drivers" tab → select the driver marked as "proprietary, tested" → Apply changes.
Verify it works
nvidia-smi
If it shows information about your card (model, temperature, usage), the proprietary driver is active and working correctly.
If you need to change versions or remove the driver
sudo apt purge 'nvidia-*'
sudo apt update
sudo apt autoremove
sudo reboot
Clean up completely before installing a different version — avoid mixing remnants of a previous installation with the new one.
Tip: if you have a laptop with dual graphics (integrated Intel/AMD + dedicated NVIDIA), look into "PRIME" to understand how Linux decides which one to use at any given moment — it can affect both performance and battery life.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my screen go black after installing the NVIDIA driver?
It is usually due to having mixed different installation methods, or a conflict with the Nouveau driver that wasn't properly disabled. Purge all nvidia-* packages and start fresh with a single method.
How do I check that the proprietary driver is genuinely active?
Run 'nvidia-smi' in the terminal — if it shows information about your graphics card (model, temperature, processes), the driver is active and working.
Should I always use the proprietary driver instead of Nouveau?
For games and demanding tasks (video editing, AI), yes — Nouveau offers noticeably lower performance. For very basic desktop use, Nouveau can be enough.