Windows 11 can tell you exactly which graphics card (GPU) your PC has, how much video memory it has, and which driver it’s running, without installing anything. Task Manager is the fastest place to look, and a few other built-in tools fill in the details. This guide also explains integrated vs. dedicated graphics and how to check your video memory (VRAM).
Quick answer
Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager, select Performance, and click GPU 0 (and GPU 1 if you have two). The graphics card’s name is at the top right, with dedicated memory, driver version, and DirectX version listed below the graphs.
Method 1: Task Manager (name, memory, usage)
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc.
- Select Performance in the left pane.
- Click each GPU entry. Read the model name at the top right.
- Below the graphs, look at Dedicated GPU memory, Driver version, and DirectX version.
Task Manager also shows live GPU usage and, for many cards, temperature. For more on that, see checking GPU temperature on Windows 11.
Method 2: Device Manager
Right-click Start, choose Device Manager, and expand Display adapters. Every GPU in the PC is listed. If you only see “Microsoft Basic Display Adapter”, Windows doesn’t have the right driver installed yet.
Method 3: DirectX Diagnostic Tool
Press Windows+R, type dxdiag, and press Enter. Open the Display tab (there may be a Display 1 and Display 2, or a Render tab) to see the card’s name, manufacturer, display memory, and driver date. Select Save All Information to create a text report you can share with support.
Method 4: Settings
Go to Settings > System > Display > Advanced display. Under Display information, you’ll see which GPU each monitor is connected to.
Method 5: PowerShell
Open Terminal and run Get-CimInstance Win32_VideoController | Select-Object Name, DriverVersion. This lists every GPU and its driver version, which is handy for remote support or scripts.
Method 6: System Information
Press Windows+R, type msinfo32, and go to Components > Display. You’ll see each adapter’s name, driver files, and resolution. It’s slower to open than Task Manager but useful when you need everything in one report.
Method 7: Your GPU maker’s app
If the driver came from the GPU maker, its app shows the exact model and offers driver updates: the NVIDIA App for GeForce cards, AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition for Radeon, or Intel’s graphics app for Intel Arc and Iris graphics. Laptop makers such as Lenovo, HP, and Dell also list the graphics hardware in their support apps.
Integrated vs. dedicated graphics
| Integrated GPU | Dedicated GPU | |
|---|---|---|
| Examples | Intel Iris Xe, Intel Arc (integrated), AMD Radeon Graphics, Qualcomm Adreno | NVIDIA GeForce RTX, AMD Radeon RX, Intel Arc A-series cards |
| Memory | Shares system RAM | Has its own VRAM |
| Best for | Everyday use, video, light games | Gaming, 3D, video editing, AI tools |
Many laptops have both. Windows uses the integrated GPU to save battery and switches to the dedicated one for demanding apps. To choose per app, go to Settings > System > Display > Graphics, pick the app, and set it to High performance.
How to check your video memory (VRAM)
- In Task Manager > Performance > GPU, read Dedicated GPU memory; that’s your VRAM.
- Shared GPU memory is system RAM Windows can lend to the GPU, usually up to half of your RAM. It’s much slower than VRAM.
- In dxdiag, Display Memory adds both together, so it looks bigger than the card’s real VRAM.
Integrated graphics show little or no dedicated memory; that’s normal. You can’t add VRAM to a dedicated card, though some laptops let you raise the integrated graphics allocation in the BIOS; see increasing VRAM in Windows 11.
Troubleshooting
- No GPU in Task Manager: Install the driver from NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, or your PC maker. Our guide to checking your graphics driver in Windows 11 shows how to confirm it’s current.
- The dedicated GPU is missing on a laptop: It may be disabled in Device Manager or in the maker’s control app. Check for a down arrow on its icon.
- Two identical entries: Usually one physical GPU plus a virtual or remote display adapter; that’s normal.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I have two GPUs?
Most laptops and many desktops pair an integrated GPU in the processor with a dedicated card, switching between them automatically.
Is this the same on Windows 10?
Very close. See checking your GPU on Windows 10.
How do I know if my GPU is good enough for a game?
Compare the name from Task Manager with the game’s minimum and recommended requirements, and check that your VRAM meets them too.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.