NVIDIA [GPUs (Graphics Processing Units)](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/what-is-a-graphics-card) have various uses, including gaming, 3D rendering, cryptocurrency mining, [deep learning](https://phoenixnap.com/blog/what-is-deep-learning), and [machine learning](https://phoenixnap.com/blog/machine-learning). Keeping the drivers for these GPUs up to date ensures your system performs at peak efficiency.
**In this tutorial, we will guide you through the NVIDIA driver installation process on Debian.**
- A system running Debian (the guide uses Debian 12 Bookworm).
- An [account with sudo privileges](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/create-a-sudo-user-on-debian).
- Access to the terminal window.
- (Optional) Access to a [web browser](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/web-browser-definition).
**Note:** If you are working on an older machine, use the **nvidia-detect** tool to determine the appropriate driver version. Install it with **`sudo apt nvidia-detect`** and run **`nvidia-detect`** as a command to determine the appropriate driver version.
## Install NVIDIA Drivers Via Debian Repository
The first method focuses on installing NVIDIA drivers from the Debian [repositories](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/what-is-a-repository). NVIDIA recommends using this method for [Linux](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/what-is-linux) systems due to improved interactions.
Follow the steps below to install the drivers via the Debian repository.
### Step 1: Enable Non-Free Repositories
Adjust the [APT](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/apt-package-manager) sources list to include non-free repositories before installing. To enable them, do the following in the terminal:
1\. Open the APT sources list [file](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/what-is-a-file) using a [text editor](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/best-linux-text-editors-for-coding):
```
sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list
```
2\. Add the **contrib** and **non-free** repositories to the sources list links. For example:
```
deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bullseye main contrib non-free
```
Enabling the repositories gives access to [proprietary](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/proprietary-software) drivers that are not [open source](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/what-is-open-source), including NVIDIA drivers.
3\. Press **Ctrl**+**X**, **Y**, and **Enter** to save changes and exit the [configuration file](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/config-file).
4\. Update the system repository index:
```
sudo apt update
```
The update ensures the newest data from the added repositories is available.
### Step 2: Install NVIDIA Drivers
To install the driver, see the steps below:
1\. Run the following [apt command](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/apt-linux) to install the driver:
```
sudo apt install nvidia-driver
```
The command also installs necessary [dependencies](https://phoenixnap.com/blog/software-dependencies). Press **y** and **Enter** to confirm the installation.
2\. If the system prompts that there is a conflicting driver, a restart after the installation resolves the issue.
Press **Enter** to confirm and continue the installation.
3\. Once the installation completes, [reboot your system](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/restart-linux-using-command-prompt) with:
```
sudo reboot
```
The driver loads immediately after reboot.
## Install NVIDIA Drivers Via Official nvidia.com Package
This method lets you manually download and install an NVIDIA driver package from the official [website](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/website-definition).
### Step 1: Download Drivers
To download the NVIDIA driver installer, do the following:
1\. Navigate to the [Unix driver archive](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/drivers/unix/) in a web browser and find the appropriate driver version download link. The latest production version is compatible with all modern NVIDIA GPUs.
The file is in the *~/\[username\]/Downloads* [directory](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/what-is-a-directory) of the currently logged-in user.
### Step 2: Install Driver Prerequisites
Install the driver prerequisites. Run the following in the terminal:
```
sudo apt -y install linux-headers-$(uname -r) build-essential libglvnd-dev pkg-config
```
The packages ensure that NVIDIA drivers compile successfully.
### Step 3: Disable Default Drivers
Disable the default nouveau GPU driver:
1\. Create and open a new configuration file using [nano](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/use-nano-text-editor-commands-linux):
```
sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-nouveau.conf
```
The configuration file is in the [kernel](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/what-is-a-kernel) module loading directory.
2\. Add the following lines to the file:
```
blacklist nouveau
options nouveau modeset=0
```
The file instructs the system to prevent the Nouveau kernel module from loading and disables the open-source driver.
3\. Save the changes and exit. Press **Ctrl**+**X**, **Y**, and **Enter**.
4\. Update the kernel **initramfs** with:
```
sudo update-initramfs -u
```
The rebuild takes several moments to complete. It ensures that essential drivers load and the root [filesystem](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/filesystem) mounts early in the [boot](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/boot-definition) process. It ensures the changes apply after rebooting.
### Step 4: Reboot to Multi-User Login
Since the default GPU drivers are now disabled, switching to a text-based interface lets you install NVIDIA drivers without using the [GUI](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/what-is-gui).
1\. Enable the text-based multi-user login prompt:
```
sudo systemctl set-default multi-user.target
```
The command creates a [symlink](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/symbolic-link-linux) and outputs the result.
2\. Reboot the system with:
```
systemctl reboot
```
The system restarts into the terminal without a GUI.
### Step 5: Install Nvidia Drivers
Once the system restarts, do the following:
1\. Log in as *root*.
2\. Navigate to the directory where the driver file is downloaded:
```
cd /home/[username]/Downloads
```
3\. Install the Nvidia drivers using the package you downloaded:
```
bash ./[driver file name]
```
For example:
```
bash ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-550.127.05.run
```
3\. If prompted, choose the following options during the install process:
- *The CC version check failed*: **Ignore CC version check**.
- *Install NVIDIA's 32-bit compatibility libraries*: **Yes**.
- *Rebuild initramfs*: **Yes**.
- *An incomplete installation of libglvnd was found. Do you want to install a full copy of libglvnd? This will overwrite any existing libglvnd libraries*: **Install and overwrite existing filesort installation**.
- *Would you like to run the nvidia-xconfig utility to automatically update your X configuration file so that the NVIDIA X driver will be used when you restart X? Any pre-existing X configuration file will be backed up*: **Yes**.
4\. Wait for the process to complete until it shows the installation was successful.
Press **Enter** to confirm and exit the installer. The prompt returns to the terminal.
### Step 6: Enable GUI
Re-enable the GUI to complete the process and start up the new drivers:
1\. Enable the GUI login prompt with:
```
systemctl set-default graphical.target
```
2\. Reboot your system to finish the installation:
```
reboot
```
The system starts up using the new driver.
Conclusion
This guide showed how to install the newest NVIDIA GPU drivers on Debian 12 using two different methods.
[Privacy Center](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/nvidia-drivers-debian) [Do not sell or share my personal information](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/nvidia-drivers-debian)