How To Fix NVIDIA Control Panel Missing Options [12 FIXES]

Your NVIDIA graphics card comes with the NVIDIA Control Panel, a subtle yet effective tool for graphic settings or personalizing your gaming experience. However, some users often face the “NVIDIA Control Panel missing options”; it tells you that your system or graphics card is experiencing technical faults.

Key Takeaways

• You might find the options missing from the NVIDIA Control Panel due to an outdated or incompatible driver, faulty connector or display port, or disabled NVIDIA services.
• You can fix the NVIDIA Control Panel missing options issue by checking the connection cord, updating or reinstalling the driver, enabling or restarting all the services, or manually launching the Control Panel.
• Always download the correct update files based on your NVIDIA graphics card driver version.

How To Fix NVIDIA Control Panel Missing Options?

Let’s look at several methods to help fix the issue, such as updating NVIDIA drivers, reinstalling them, and more. Additionally, check out this guide on lowering GPU temperature:

1. Check The Display Connection
2. Try VGA To HDMI Converter
3. Re-Enable The Graphics Card
4. Check And Enable All NVIDIA Services
5. Update Your NVIDIA Graphics Card’s Driver
6. Reinstall Your NVIDIA Graphics Card’s Driver
7. Use File Explorer To Launch The NVIDIA Control Panel
8. Copy NVDisplay.Container File Into Startup Folder
9. Reinstall The NVIDIA Control Panel
10. Restart The NVIDIA Services
11. Unhide NVIDIA Control Panel

Check The Display Connection

Your computer has two display ports: “NVIDIA Hardware” and “Intel-Integrated Graphics.” The NVIDIA Control Panel won’t be able to detect the graphics card if your monitor is plugged into the wrong display port.

Before going into technical fixes, ensure the ports are working fine and that you have connected the monitor to the NVIDIA (discrete) port. After you’ve fixed the connection, restart your computer to ensure everything is working.

Try VGA To HDMI Converter

If the problem continues even after you have connected the display cable to the correct port, try switching the display adapter or using a converter in this case. “VGA“ to “HDMI Converter” enables you to use the HDMI ports of your system.

Re-Enable The Graphics Card

Your NVIDIA graphics card may become inactive or corrupt if you recently updated your Windows or due to third-party software installation. As a result, NVIDIA settings might not be shown in the “Control Panel.” To workaround this troubleshooting method, follow the steps below.

1. Go to “Device Manager.” 

   

2. Open the “Display Adapters” section to find your “NVIDIA Graphics Card.”
3. To “Disable Device,” right-click the graphics card.

   

4. Restart your computer to apply changes, and again open the “Device Manager.”
5. Jump to the “Display Adapters” section and choose “Enable Device” from the context menu of the graphics card that appears when you right-click it.

To save the settings, restart your computer and check if the NVIDIA GeForce Control Panel missing options have appeared.

Related: How To Fix Nvidia Control Panel Crashing

Check And Enable All NVIDIA Services

You might have deactivated some of the NVIDIA services, which can cause this error in Windows 10 or 11. Hence, you can get all the options back by enabling and running all NVIDIA services.

Your computer and the NVIDIA Control Panel won’t be able to detect the graphics card if one or more of them quit functioning. You need to enable all NVIDIA-related services to resolve this issue, or if the services are already enabled, then try restarting them, which are as follows:

• NVIDIA LocalSystem Container
• NVIDIA Display Container LS
• NVIDIA NetworkService Container
• NVIDIA Telemetry Container

To enable NVIDIA-related services, follow these steps:

1. To access the “Run” shortcut, press the “Windows+R” keys on the keyboard.

   

2. Type “services.msc” in it and press “OK” to open the “Services” tab.

   

3. You will find “NVIDIA Services” at the bottom.

   

4. Double-click on the “NVIDIA Service” that you find there.
5. When choosing the “Startup Type” for the service, choose “Automatic.”
6. Click “Start” to run the services if not running.
7. You can save the NVIDIA service settings by clicking the “Apply” option and “OK” to close the window.

   

8. The “Services” window can be closed by clicking “OK.”
9. Repeat the steps to activate all NVIDIA services listed above.
10. Lastly, restart your computer to apply the changes.

Also Read: How To Fix NVIDIA User Account Is Locked

Update Your NVIDIA Graphics Card’s Driver

The issue may persist due to an incompatible or outdated NVIDIA driver. Updating drivers will make the options visible again if this is the case. You can update the graphics driver manually or through third-party software.

Here’s how to update the driver manually:

1. Launch the “DirectX Diagnostic Tool.”
2. You may obtain your NVIDIA graphics card information by choosing the “Display” tab.
3. Now, look for the driver’s date and version information to evaluate whether a driver update is required.

   

4. Note your graphics card’s model information under the “Display” tab.
5. Go to your browser, open the “NVIDIA Driver Official Website,” and download the driver according to your product.

   

6. In the drop-down menu, choose the series and model of your graphics card.
7. Choose your computer’s or laptop’s operating system.
8. Furthermore, select the “Download” type and press the “Search” button
9. Look for the most recent version of the “NVIDIA Driver Package” and click the “Download” button.
10. Go to the “Downloads Folder” in “File Explorer,” where you usually download the setups in your system.
11. Now right-click on the “NVIDIA Driver Package” and choose “Run As Administrator.”

    

12. The “Extraction Path” window will appear. Click “OK.”
13. Choose “NVIDIA Graphics Driver” in the “NVIDIA Installation” window.
14. After that, click on “Agree and Continue” to proceed.

    

15. To begin with the installation, select “Express (Recommended)” and click “Next.”
16. To complete the setup and apply changes properly to your system, select “Restart Now” from the menu.

Reinstall Your NVIDIA Graphics Card’s Driver

If you already have the latest driver installed on your NVIDIA graphics card, reinstall it using the given steps. 

1. Launch “Device Manager” and open “Display Adapters” to see the devices.

   

2. Right-click your “NVIDIA Graphics Card” and choose “Uninstall.”

   

3. You must select “Delete The Driver Software For This Device” when the confirmation window opens.

   

4. For confirmation, click the “Uninstall“ button again, and when the procedure is complete, restart your computer.

Also Check: Skyrim Not Detecting Nvidia Graphics Card

Use File Explorer To Launch The NVIDIA Control Panel

Another way to eliminate the trouble is to open it using “File Explorer” through a file named “nvcplui.exe.” 

1. Click “Desktop,” located at the Window’s top.
2. Choose the “Show Notification Tray” and “Add Desktop Context Menu Icons” to add them back to the desktop context menu and system tray.

To access the control panel immediately, you can also make a desktop shortcut of the “nvcplui” file when you right-click it and select desktop.

The other two folders are listed below, where you may find the “nvcplui.exe” if you’re unable to locate it in your system’s File Explorer:

• C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Control Panel Client
• C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\NVIDIACorp.NVIDIAControlPanel_8.1.962.0_x64__56jybvy8sckqj

If you cannot find the file in the “Control Panel Client,” it is inside the above “WindowsApps” folder path. 

Also Read: Nvidia Display Driver Failed To Start

Copy NVDisplay.Container File Into Startup Folder

“NVDisplay.Container” is the file’s name for the “NVIDIA Display Container LS Service.” NVIDIA Control Panel missing performance options can also be restored by placing that file in the “Windows Startup” folder.

1. Open “Run” and type “services.msc” in the box. Click “OK,” and you will see “NVIDIA Services.”
2. To open the “NVIDIA Display Container LS Service” window, double-click on it.
3. Use the “Ctrl+C” shortcut to copy the executable path provided in that window.

   

4. Open “File Explorer” and jump to “C: Drive.”
5. To paste the path you copied into the folder address box, use the shortcut “Ctrl+V” and then hit “Enter.”
6. Open the context menu of the “Display.NvContainer” file and select “Copy.”

   

7. Enter “shell: startup” in the “Run” box.

   

8. Paste the file using the “Ctrl+V” hotkey inside the “Startup” folder.

   

9. Now choose “Properties” by right-clicking the “Display.NvContainer” file.
10. Click “Apply” after choosing “Run As An Administrator” in the “Compatibility” section.

    

Reinstall The NVIDIA Control Panel

It is another potential fix to the problem you’re facing. The NVIDIA Control Panel can be reinstalled after uninstalling through the Settings as per the following steps.

1. Launch “Windows Settings” and open “Apps.”

   

2. Then “Apps & Features” to check the list of software installed in your system.
3. When you find the “NVIDIA Control Panel” application, select “Uninstall” from the menu that appears by clicking three dots on the screen.

   

4. After uninstalling, restart your computer.
5. Go to the “Start” menu and launch “Microsoft Store.”

   

6. Click the search box of “Microsoft Store” and enter “NVIDIA Control Panel.”
7. You need to choose the “NVIDIA Control Panel” from the list that appears after searching.
8. To reinstall the application, click the “Get” button.

   

Also Check: What Is VSync?

Restart The NVIDIA Services

Restarting the driver services will usually fix issues with the desktop context menu not showing the NVIDIA Control Panel. 

1. Launch “Run,” type “services.msc” in it, and hit “OK” to jump to “Services.”

   

2. Restart the “NVIDIA Services” that will appear after running the above-given command.

   

Unhide NVIDIA Control Panel

The NVIDIA Control Panel might have been hidden due to a setting change during the software update for your NVIDIA graphics card. Use these steps to restore the NVIDIA Control Panel.

1. Open “Control Panel.”

   

2.  Find and double-click the “NVIDIA Control Panel.”
   

   

3.  In the “NVIDIA Control Panel” window, find “Desktop” in the options.
4. Now choose the two options from the drop-down: “Show Notification Tray” and “Add Desktop Context Menu.”

   

5. Return to the “Desktop” and check if the context menu displays “NVIDIA Control Panel.”

A Solution From The NVIDIA Support

When none of those mentioned above solutions fixes your issue, use this method provided by NVIDIA support when a customer faced a similar problem.

1. Enter “This PC” and select “Local Disk (C:)” or the location of your files.
2. Open “Program Files (x86)” or “Program Files,” then the “NVIDIA Corporation” folder and the “Display.Nvcontainer” folder.
3. You can find the “NVDisplay.Container” file in the “Display.Nvcontainer Folder.”
4. You need to copy this file. Select it, and press “Ctrl+C.”

   

5. You need to access the “Startup” folder, which can be done by executing the command “shell: startup” in the “Run” menu.

   

6. The startup folder will appear; now, you need to paste the “NVDisplay.Container” file here, and for this, press “Ctrl+V.”

   

7. Go to the “NVDisplay.Container” file’s properties by right-clicking it and choosing the “Properties” option.
8. Now open the “Compatibility” tab, and choose “Run As Administrator.” Check the box to grant admin access to the “NVDisplay.Container” file.

   

9. To apply the settings, click “OK.”