If you use the NVIDIA graphics card on your PC, you’d know the importance of its Control Panel. NVIDIA Control Panel allows you to configure the settings for your NVIDIA graphics card.
However, at times, the NVIDIA Control Panel may go missing from the Start menu of your system. Due to this error, you won’t be able to make any changes in the graphics card’s settings using the NVIDIA Control Panel.
Thankfully, you can easily solve this issue and make the NVIDIA Control Panel visible with some simple troubleshooting tips.
Why NVIDIA Control Panel Missing on Windows 10?
There can be various factors that can make the NVIDIA Control Panel invisible/inactive on your system. These factors are as follows:
- Outdated graphics card driver
- Corrupted NVIDIA Control Panel
- Issues with the Windows Update
- Missing registry subkeys and values
In order to restore the NVIDIA Control Panel on Windows 10, we are discussing a few effective hacks.
How to Troubleshoot if you Find NVIDIA Control Panel Missing?
If you can’t find or access the NVIDIA Control Panel, then several applications and games will fail to function properly. So, you need to resolve this issue as early as possible. To fix this error without any professional help, you can go through the following solutions:
Unhide the NVIDIA Control Panel
In case, the Control Panel of your NVIDIA graphics card disappears, you can easily unhide it. To unhide the NVIDIA Control Panel you can follow these instructions:
Step 1
At first, press the ‘Windows’ key and the ‘R’ key together. This will launch the Run dialog box. When the Run dialog box appears, type ‘control’ and hit the Enter button. With this, the Control Panel will come up on your PC’s screen.
Step 2
Now, locate the ‘View by’ drop-down list and choose the ‘Large Icons’ option. Thereafter, choose the ‘NVIDIA Control Panel’ option. When the NVIDIA Control Panel appears on the screen, choose the ‘Desktop’ option.
Step 3
After this, click on the ‘Add Desktop Context Menu’ option. Now, right-click on the desktop. With this, you’ll see the NVIDIA Control Panel re-appearing on the desktop screen.
However, if you still can’t find the control panel, you will have to move to the other solutions.
Update Graphics Card Driver
One of the main factors that can hide your NVIDIA Control Panel is an outdated graphics card driver. If you do not update your drivers periodically, you may face a wide range of issues including this.
So, to effectively resolve the issue in question, you must update the graphics card driver. Here’s how you can do it:
Step 1
Open the Run dialog box, type ‘devmgmt.msc’ and press the Enter button. This will prompt the Device Manager to appear.
Step 2
Thereafter, you need to expand the Display adapters category by clicking on it. Now, look for your NVIDIA graphics card and right-click on it.
From there, choose the ‘Enable’ option. Right-click the graphics card once again and choose the ‘Update Driver Software’ option.
Step 3
After this, click on the ‘Search automatically for updated driver software’. This will let your device to find an updated driver version and install it.
Note: In case the NVIDIA Control Panel is still missing, you have to continue with the following step.
Step 4
Once again, click on the ‘Update driver software’ option. In the screen that comes up next, click on ‘Browse my computer for driver software’.
Now, select ‘Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer’. Thereafter, choose the latest graphics card driver and click on the ‘Next’ option.
Finally, when the entire process is complete, make sure to restart the computer.
Restart NVIDIA Services
Restarting the services is an effective way to resolve certain issues in the programs. If the NVIDIA services are corrupted somehow, the NVIDIA Control Panel can go missing from your device.
To get the control panel back, you can try restarting the NVIDIA services. Here’s what you need to do:
Step 1
At first, launch the Run dialog box, then type ‘services.msc’ and press the Enter button. Now, look for the following NVIDIA services:
NVIDIA Display Container LS
NVIDIA LocalSystem Container
NVIDIA NetworkService Container
NVIDIA Telemetry Container
Step 2
Thereafter, right-click on the NVIDIA Display Container LS. Now, click on the ‘Properties’ option. Go to the ‘Startup type’ drop-down key and choose the ‘Automatic’ option.
Thereafter, click on the ‘Stop’ option. After a few minutes, click on the ‘Start’ option to launch the service. You need to repeat this step for the rest of the services separately.
Finally, check whether the control panel is visible or still missing.
Solutions to Fix When NVIDIA Control Panel Missing Options
Sometimes, when you open the NVIDIA Control Panel, you may find all options are missing except the 3D Settings. This can cause unnecessary inconvenience while working with the graphics card. However, you can solve it easily with some simple solutions.
Restart NVIDIA Control Panel
Often, restarting the NVIDIA Control Panel can be a possible way to bring back the missing options in the NVIDIA Control Panel. Here’s how you can restart the NVIDIA Control Panel processes:
- Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys simultaneously to launch the Task Manager. You can also find it from the Start menu.
- Now, click on ‘More Details’ and select the ‘NVIDIA Control Panel’ option. Thereafter, click on the ‘End Task’ option.
Finally, check if the missing settings options have reappeared in the NVIDIA Control Panel. If you can’t see the control panel, you can move to the next solution.
Select the Default Graphics Processor in BIOS
Sometimes, it might happen that your PC is using the integrated graphics card instead of NVIDIA. In such a situation, you might face the problem regarding NVIDIA Control Panel missing options on Windows 10.
However, you can easily troubleshoot this error in the BIOS settings. So, make sure to perform the following steps very carefully:
Step 1
Begin the process by pressing the BIOS key while your system is about to start. You will find the BIOS key usually on the boot screen. The regular BIOS keys are F1, F2, Del, etc.
Step 2
Now, the option to change the default graphics card will be present under the ‘Advanced’ option. So, go to the ‘Advanced’ option with the help of the arrow keys.
Note: Depending on your device manufacturer, this can also be the ‘Advanced BIOS Features’ option.
Thereafter, choose the ‘Video Configuration’, ‘North Bridge Configuration’, ‘Internal Graphics’ or similar such options.
Step 3
Once you choose the appropriate option, look for ‘Initiate Graphic Adapter’, ‘Primary Video Controller’ or ‘Primary Video Adapter’ option. Then press the Enter key to select one of the options.
After this, choose either the ‘GFX0’, ‘PCI’ or ‘AGP’ option. The option that you choose will depend on how your graphics card is connected with your computer.
Finally, go to the Exit section and save the changes you just performed. Your device will reboot on its own. Now, check whether the issue is resolved and the NVIDIA Control Panel is showing on your Windows 10.
