Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU), safety, usage, and compatibility.
Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) is a Windows utility that completely removes AMD, NVIDIA, and Intel graphics drivers and their leftovers (registry keys, driver store, files and folders). Use it when the standard uninstall fails, when switching GPU brands (e.g. AMD to NVIDIA), or when troubleshooting driver install failures, crashes, black screens, or performance issues caused by corrupted or conflicting driver remnants. After using DDU you must reinstall your driver manually.
Yes. DDU is safe when used as intended: for removing graphics drivers and leftovers. Use it in Safe Mode (strongly recommended), create a system restore point before running it, and follow the recommended workflow. Download only from the official source or trusted mirrors and verify checksums when available.
When used in Safe Mode and according to the recommended steps, DDU does not damage Windows. It only removes driver-related components. Creating a restore point before use lets you revert if anything goes wrong. Use at your own risk and follow the guides.
Safe Mode is strongly recommended for the most reliable cleanup. In Normal Mode, active driver services can interfere; if you use Normal Mode, close all other applications and run DDU twice (clean and restart, then clean and restart again) for better results.
Windows (especially Windows 10/11) can automatically download and install drivers via Windows Update. Disconnecting Wi‑Fi and Ethernet prevents this so that after DDU cleans your system, you install the driver you chose (from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) instead of whatever Windows pushes. Reconnect after your driver install is complete.
No. You do not need to uninstall the driver before using DDU. DDU will remove the driver and leftovers. Just download the new driver in advance (do not install it yet), then run DDU and install the new driver after cleanup.
Tools that modify drivers and registry are sometimes flagged by heuristics or behavior-based detection. DDU is not malware. To avoid false positives: download from the official source (Wagnardsoft) or trusted mirrors, verify the file with the published checksum (e.g. SHA-256), and add an exclusion for the DDU folder in your security software.
No. DDU only removes drivers and leftovers. After cleanup you must manually download and install the driver you want from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel (or your OEM if required).
Yes. You can run DDU more than once. This is useful if you have multiple GPUs (clean each vendor separately), if a previous cleanup was incomplete, or if remnants are still causing issues. Always use Safe Mode when possible.
Yes, when those issues are caused by corrupted or conflicting graphics drivers. DDU removes the old driver and leftovers so you can do a clean install. It does not fix hardware faults or non-driver-related problems.
Yes. DDU supports Windows 7 through Windows 11, including Windows 11 24H2. Use the latest DDU version for the best compatibility with current Windows and driver behavior.
No. DDU is a Windows-only utility. Linux and macOS use different driver architectures and management; DDU is not available or supported on those platforms.
Yes. DDU removes vendor-specific settings and profiles (e.g. from the NVIDIA or AMD control panel). After a clean install you may need to reconfigure options such as refresh rate, color settings, SLI/CrossFire, or other custom preferences.
Some laptops and OEM systems use custom GPU hardware IDs and may require drivers from the manufacturer (Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc.) instead of the generic NVIDIA/AMD/Intel package. Check your OEM support site; if they provide a graphics driver, use that one after DDU. For most systems, the vendor’s standard driver is fine.
DDU includes basic support for cleaning Realtek audio drivers where applicable. This is secondary to the main GPU focus. Use it only when you need to remove Realtek audio leftovers in line with the tool’s options.
DDU is developed by Wagnard (Wagnardsoft). It is not affiliated with AMD, NVIDIA, or Intel. Those companies did not create, endorse, or have any responsibility for this tool. Use at your own risk.