FIX · DRIVER UPDATES · CHECKED ON DRIVER 621.14
Do NPI settings survive a driver update?
Usually yes for a normal driver update, no for a clean installation. NVIDIA's installer warns that "Perform a clean installation" returns all NVIDIA settings to defaults and removes profiles you created, and a normal upgrade generally keeps your changes while NVIDIA refreshes its own predefined profiles. We could not test updates on a PC, so export all customized profiles before every update and re-import the file if anything is missing.
What survives, by update type
We cannot install drivers and diff the database, because our test machines have no NVIDIA GPU. The installer refuses to run without NVIDIA hardware, and the database folder never gets created. LAB · DRIVER PACKAGE · F41 So this table says what NVIDIA documents, what users report, and what to do, with each source labelled.
| Update type | What NVIDIA says | What users report | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal upgrade (express install, or through the NVIDIA App) | No official statement on exact behaviour. NVIDIA refreshes its predefined profiles with the new driver. | Mostly kept; some users report losing settings after a normal upgrade. | Export first, spot-check three key settings afterwards. |
| Custom install, Perform a clean installation | The installer warns that NVIDIA settings are restored to defaults and profiles you created are removed. | Matches the warning. | Export first and re-import afterwards. |
| DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) then install | Not an NVIDIA tool, so NVIDIA says nothing. | Settings are lost, as with a clean install. | Same as clean install. |
| Downgrade | No official statement. | Reports are mixed. | Export first; consider a clean install and re-import. |
| Windows reinstall | Not applicable. | Everything is lost. | Keep your .nip files outside the system drive. |
Behind the first row sits one mechanism: your changes and NVIDIA’s predefined values live in the same profiles. When a new driver arrives, NVIDIA replaces its own predefined values and leaves yours. OFFICIAL · NVIDIA NVAPI docs NPI’s own README recommends exporting before a driver update. CODE · NPI 2994194
Why some settings come back changed
NVIDIA refreshes its predefined profiles with each driver and can push updates over the air between drivers. We compared the profile databases inside three public drivers. From 621.01 to 621.14 one profile was added and four changed. From 610.47 to 621.14, 178 profiles were added, 5 were removed and 2,511 changed, and NVIDIA removed the 3D Vision data: 24,220 stereo records in 610.47, 1 in 621.14. LAB · DRIVER PACKAGE · F47
Two changes in that span matter to NPI users. Smooth Motion was restricted for some games in 610.47 and unrestricted for 28 of them in 621.14, among them Cyberpunk 2077, Fortnite and Valorant. NVIDIA also widened Counter-Strike 2’s Smooth Motion APIs from DX12 to DX12 and DX11, and disallowed RTX HDR for ten more non-game programs. LAB · DRIVER PACKAGE · F47 If a feature behaves differently after an update, check the game’s own profile first.
NVIDIA sometimes renames a predefined profile, which breaks a .nip import that names the old profile. NPI’s import report then suggests editing the profile name in the file.
CODE · NPI 2994194 The NVIDIA App can also write to the same profiles after an update; see NPI vs the NVIDIA App.
The 2-minute routine
The export dialog and import modes are explained on the .nip files page. Use Merge so you keep anything the new driver added.
Re-apply automatically (optional)
NPI can import a file from the command line, which lets a script or a scheduled task re-apply your backup. On its own -silentImport means Replace; add -mergeImport for Merge.
CODE · NPI 2994194 In our lab, -silentImport imported with no window and exit code 0, and -mergeImport gave the normal success message.
LAB · CLI · F21
PS> & 'C:\Tools\NVIDIA Profile Inspector\nvidiaProfileInspector.exe' -silentImport -mergeImport 'C:\Users\you\Documents\NPI Backups\all_profiles.nip'
The download is a longer version that checks both paths exist. We have not run it as a scheduled task, so run it by hand once first.
Settings people report losing
Users most often name Resizable BAR, DLSS overrides and frame caps. COMMUNITY We have not reproduced a loss, so we cannot say which of them survives which update. What we can say is how to check each in a minute: open the game’s profile, read the row (↗ for ReBAR, ↗ for the DLSS preset, ↗ for the cap) and compare it with your backup in NIP Studio. Guides for each: ReBAR, DLSS override.
When the driver itself breaks NPI
A new driver branch has broken NPI before, with crashes or odd values after an update; the fixes arrived as NPI updates, often as pre-releases first. Check the releases page for a newer build, try the pre-release channel, and read the errors page for the exact message. We have not tested NPI 2.x on current drivers; its start-up error without a driver is explained on the requirements page.
Questions people ask
Do NPI settings reset after a driver update?
A normal update generally keeps your changes, but users sometimes report losing settings, which is why NPI's own README recommends exporting before an update. A clean installation resets them by design. We could not test updates on real PCs, so back up first.
Does a clean install delete NVIDIA profiles?
NVIDIA's installer says it does: choosing Perform a clean installation restores NVIDIA settings to defaults and removes profiles you created. Predefined profiles come back with the new driver.
Should I export my profiles before updating drivers?
Yes. Export all customized profiles, keep the file outside NPI's folder, and note your driver version. It takes a minute and it is the only undo that does not depend on memory.
Can I re-apply my settings automatically?
Yes, with an NPI import on the command line. Use -silentImport together with -mergeImport so existing values are kept. We provide a script, but we have not run it as a scheduled task, so test it by hand once.
Does updating through the NVIDIA App keep my settings?
The App installs the same driver, so the same rules apply. The App can also write to the same profiles after an update, so check your key settings once it finishes.
Sources
- NPI README github.com · accessed 8 Nov 2026 · upstream
- NPI command-line handling (AppBootstrapper github.com · accessed 8 Nov 2026 · upstream
- NVIDIA game ready driver release notes and articles (timeline) nvidia.com · accessed 8 Nov 2026 · official
- TechPowerUp forum thread on losing NVIDIA settings techpowerup.com · accessed 8 Nov 2026 · community
- AVSIM thread avsim.com · accessed 8 Nov 2026 · community