Motherboard Not Detecting GPU: Let’s Fix It! [2023]

A graphics card or GPU is one of the most crucial components in a system, especially for gaming and content creation. Along with that, the motherboard also plays a vital role in the overall performance since it will operate that graphics card, overclock it, and let it give its true potential. Everything seems good up to this point, but the problem arrives when a motherboard not detecting GPU, which is bad news. But again, you will face this issue most of the time when you pair an external graphics card with the motherboard. So don’t worry; rather, read this post until the end and resolve this issue.  

If we deep dive into the issue, it happens in two ways. Firstly, you may have bought a new graphics card that is not being detected by the motherboard or system. On the other hand, if you haven’t purchased either a new board or card, and the issue occurred suddenly—initially, both components were working fine. Well, in both cases, you must follow a simple set of methods and steps to work out this issue. But before that, make sure to try your best to figure out the real reason behind the issue. For your information, we have discussed everything related to this problem, so keep reading the post. 

Why is my motherboard not detecting my GPU?

There could be several reasons why the graphics card isn’t connecting with the motherboard. We will discuss each problem individually and try our best to find the solution. The problem occurring may be due to the following:

• Incorrect BIOS settings
• Faulty or damaged graphics card
• Hardware incompatibility or GPU socket issues
• Unsuitable power supply
• Faulty drivers 

Let’s figure out the solution to each problem and solve the issue!

Motherboard Not Detecting GPU: Possible Solutions

Method 1: Check GPU Compatibility 

GPU compatibility is another factor to consider when the card isn’t operating properly or isn’t connecting with the motherboard. If you have purchased a brand-new graphics card, but the board is quite old, the chances are that the motherboard is not suitable for the graphics card. For this, you can take help from the PCI Express slot given on the board to connect the graphics card. You must check the PCIe type like x16, x8, or x4 together with its generation like 3.0 or 4.0. Check whether the card supports these connections or not.

If the card supports these expansion slots but does not connect with the board, then you must check the card’s installation and cable management around the graphics card. First of all, make sure that the GPU is positioned correctly on the PCIe x16 lane. After that, check the condition of the cables, especially whether they are bent or torn up or not. If yes, there is a possibility that the card wasn’t connected as per requirements. In such a case, make sure to replace the cables with new ones so the card can get enough power.

Method 2: Check Whether the Card is Enabled or Not 

First of all, you have to check whether the graphics card is allowed to work, I mean, enabled or not. This statement may sound very basic, but you have to double-check this factor before heading into other solutions. To check this, follow the following steps:

Step 1: Go to the Search menu in Windows > enter Device Manager.

Step 2: Figure out the Display adaptors > Double-click to expand it.

Step 3: Right-click on the Graphics Card > ensure to Enable it.

Method 3: Set your GPU as Default

After enabling the graphics card, the next thing you have to do is to set it as a default graphics card. Remember, the method we are discussing below is applied only to Nvidia’s card, so that it may be different for other brands. So without wasting more time, let’s set an NVIDIA card as a default one. The steps include:

Step 1: Right-click on your Desktop > open the NVIDIA Control Panel. 

Step 2: Select 3D Settings > Manage 3D Settings > select Program Settings tab. 

Step 3: Select the Program you want from the drop-down menu under the hood of the Select a program to customize section.

Step 4: Choose the graphics card you want to use from the drop-down menu from the ”Select the preferred graphics processor for this program” section.

Once the above process is done, close the opened panels and run different applications on the Nvidia graphics. Then, repeat this process for other applications. 

Method 4: Uninstall or Reinstall Faulty Drivers

Another solution if the mother circuit doesn’t detect the GPU is by uninstalling or re-installing the graphics card drivers. For instance, if you have already installed the latest drivers using Windows automatic driver update or manual installation method, you have to uninstall it since it may be causing the issue. In contrast, if you haven’t updated the GPU drivers for months, there are some chances the problem is happening due to outdated drivers. You can try it out by installing the latest drivers.

Method 5: Restore the Default BIOS settings 

We often update the BIOS/UEFI settings on the motherboard to get the most out of the computing system. But sometimes, it just doesn’t work out for several reasons. If the same is happening to you, you have to restore the default BIOS setting to remove the issue. The steps include:

Step 1: Press the Power Button to turn on your system.

Step 2: Press Delete, Esc, F1, F2, F8, F10, or F12, depending upon your system and motherboard, to get into BIOS.

Step 3: Find out the BIOS menu.

Step 4: Look for Restore to Default > Enter it.

In this way, you will be able to restore the BIOS to its default formation. If there were some issues with the BIOS setting, they would have been resolved up to this point.

Method 6: Make Sure that GPU isn’t damaged

If the motherboard cannot detect the graphics card, there are some strong reasons that the card may be damaged. This method is only for those users whose GPU suddenly stopped working, but it was running when they used it for the last time. For your information, there are several symptoms of dying or damaged graphics cards. You have to check whether you were facing some issues like graphical glitches, strange fan noise, extreme thermal mismanagement, unnecessary graphics fps drop, or a blue screen of death. 

If you’re facing them, all of the above clues tell us that there may be some issues with the graphics card. In these cases, you have to check the graphics card physically. For that, turn off the computer, detach all the cables, and carefully remove the card from the slot. Check whether there are some physical damages on the card. If yes, you must purchase a new one to keep everything flowing at the average pace. You must check the best gaming GPUs to choose one with the best high-graphics performance and overclocking capabilities. 

Method 7: Pair a Suitable Power Supply Unit

The PSU or power supply unit is one of the most crucial system elements since it transmits power to all the other elements. The graphics card is one of them since it can overclock depending on the power input. Suppose there is an unsuitable or underpowered PSU in your system. In that case, it will not be able to provide enough power to the GPU, which will definitely affect the overall graphics performance. In short, you have to check the connected elements inside the PC, calculate their power usage, and pair a suitable power supply unit. 

For more information, you must check the different types of power supply units for a better understanding of the topic. Moreover, you must read the above-mentioned post so you can explore all the topics related to power supplies. I suggest you purchase a good-quality power supply since it will help you expand your system or even pair any type of processor and graphics card without any issues. In addition, you must go for the best brands like EVGA, Corsair, SeaSonic, and Cooler Master while keeping your budget in mind.

Conclusion

Most of the time, if you have been using a very old PC or just purchased a new motherboard or a graphics card, you may face some issues where the motherboard not detecting GPU. In this scenario, there are several solutions to this problem depending on your mobo and GPU. Well, you must start by checking whether the card is enabled and set as default or not. If yes, but you’re still facing the same issue, check the BIOS settings or uninstall the fault driver updates. In the end, you must pair a suitable PSU to solve this issue.