How to roll back Nvidia driver to fix problems on Windows 11

If you updated to the latest graphics driver from Nvidia, and it's now causing high CPU usage, here is the fix.

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Windows 11 Nvidia roll back driver
Windows 11 Nvidia roll back driver
  • To roll back Nvidia driver on Windows 11, open Device Manager, expand the “Display adapters” category, right-click the Nvidia graphics adapter and select “Properties,” and click “Roll Back Driver” from the “Driver” tab.

On Windows 11 (or 10), if you notice the high processor usage after installing the most up-to-date release of the Nvidia driver (version 531.18), you are not the only one, but rolling back to the previous version of the driver will fix the problem. According to user reports, it appears that the driver has a bug in the Nvidia Container that results in an extra ten-plus percent of processor usage after signing in to your account or closing a game.

Although you may still be able to use the computer, the bug can cause the processor to use more energy which can result in more heat and battery draining faster. The graphics card company, Nvidia, has already acknowledged the problem and added it to the list of known bugs. Since the company is still working on an update, if you are experiencing high CPU usage, it’s recommended to roll back to the previous version of the Nvidia driver.

This guide will teach you how to restore a previously working device driver on Windows 11.

Roll back Nvidia driver version on Windows 11

To roll back the Nvidia driver to a previous version to fix high CPU usage, use these steps:

  1. Open Start on Windows 11.

  2. Search for Device Manager and click the top result to open the app.

  3. Expand the “Display adapters” category with the driver to roll back on Windows 11.

  4. Right-click the Nvidia graphics adapter and select the Properties option.

    Device Manager properties

  5. Click the Driver tab.

  6. Click the “Roll Back Driver” button.

    Windows 11 roll back driver

    Quick note: If the option is grayed out, the system doesn’t have a previous version of the driver.

  7. Select a reason for rolling back the Nvidia driver.

  8. Click the Yes button.

Once you complete the steps, the older version of the Nvidia graphics driver will be restored, and the buggy newer version will be removed, resolving the high CPU usage problem on Windows 11.

If the option to roll back is grayed out or the rolling back to the previous version of the driver doesn’t work, you may use the DDU tool to completely remove the driver and other components and then download and install an earlier version of the driver from Nvidia.

Update March 7, 2023: Nvidia has released a fix to resolve the high processor usage on Windows 11. The patch is available with the GeForce Hotfix Driver Version 531.26, according to the company’s note.

About the author
Avatar for Mauro Huculak

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].