NVIDIA Control Panel Missing on Windows 10

As a gamer with an NVIDIA Graphics Card, it’s important to know how to access and use the NVIDIA Control Panel. This tool allows you to adjust display settings, 3D configurations, and manage GPU Performance Counters. It can be easily accessed by right-clicking on the desktop and selecting NVIDIA Control Panel from the menu.

Recently, a significant number of NVIDIA Graphic Card users have raised concerns about the disappearance of this NVIDIA Control Panel from the Desktop Context menu. They speculate that the following can lead to this issue:

• A faulty GPU driver
• Incompatible latest updates
• Registry related issues affecting subkeys and values

A missing NVIDIA Control Panel can hinder the user from configuring the display the way it suits them. Thus, when the NVIDIA Control Panel goes missing in your system, you can be easily thrown into a turmoil. There is good news, though. This is a common issue faced by many NVIDIA Graphic Card users and we have a couple of solutions in place that can help alleviate the problem.

There is no need to panic because, in this article, we will let you know what to do if the NVIDIA Control Panel is missing on Windows 10. The solutions provided are listed based on the level of complexity. We advise applying them chronologically for effectiveness.

How to Fix Missing NVIDIA Control Panel

In the list of our solutions, we have combined both basic troubleshooting techniques, as well as, the advanced approaches. You mustn’t skip any of the advanced methods if the basic ones don’t come right.

Here is how to fix the Windows 10 NVIDIA Control Panel missing issue:

Solution #1: Reset NVIDIA Services

You can bring back the missing NVIDIA Control Panel by resetting the NVIDIA services. You can do so by following the instructions below:

1. Access the Run dialog by simultaneously pressing Win + R keys. Into the search field, type services.msc and hit the Enter button.
2. When the Services window opens, check and find NVIDIA among the running services. Select each of these services and click the Restart button.
3. Click on Start if the service isn’t running already.

If, for some reason, you see an error 14109 code stating the system could not start NVIDIA Display Container, follow these steps:

1. On the Start menu, open the Device Manager.
2. Extend the Display Adaptors category and right-click on the NVIDIA Graphic Card driver.
3. On the emerging menu, click on Uninstall device.
4. Reboot the system.

In the next start, check if this solution has managed to solve the issue and NVIDIA Control Panel is back. If not, proceed to the next fix.

Solution #2: Launch NVIDIA Control Panel Manually

Manually launching the NVIDIA Control Panel can also help solve the issue. To do so, follow the steps below:

1. Access the My Computer folder via File Explorer.
2. Go to the C drive letter where your system is installed and search for the Program Files folder.
3. Find the NVIDIA Corporation folder. If it’s not there, check it in the Program Files (x86) folder.
4. Once you have located the folder, double-click on the Control Panel Client to open. Search for the nvcplui file within and right-click on it. Select the Run as administrator option.

This should help you solve the issue. You can also use the nvcplui file to create a desktop shortcut.

Solution #3: Install the NVIDIA Control Panel Software

If the previous solution did not help fix the issue and the NVIDIA Control Panel is still missing, reinstalling the app is another way of solving it. To do so, follow these steps:

1. On the Start menu, check for the gear-shaped icon and click on it to access the Settings window.
2. Select Apps > App & Features.
3. Into the search field, insert the NVIDIA Control Panel and hit Enter. If the NVIDIA Control Panel appears to be already installed, uninstall it and proceed with the process.
4. Now, access the Microsoft Store to download the NVIDIA Control Panel.
5. Once the download is complete, double-click on the setup files and follow the installation wizard.

When done, restart the system and check if the solution helped solve the issue of missing NVIDIA Control Panel.

Solution #4: Check If the NVIDIA Control Panel Is Not Hidden

At times, the NVIDIA Control Panel may be there on your system but set to hidden. This usually occurs when a new graphics card software has been installed. You can get it back to visibility by following the steps below:

1. Go to the Control Panel by simultaneously pressing the Windows + R keys. Into the search field, type Control Panel and hit the Enter key.
2. On the emerging Control Panel window, look for the NVIDIA Control Panel and double-click on it to open.
3. At the top of the window labelled NVIDIA Control Panel, access the Desktop tab and click on it to activate the drop-down menu.
4. Make sure the following are checked:
   • Add Desktop Context Menu
   • Show Notification Tray Icon

Now, reboot the system and check in the next startup if the NVIDIA Control Panel appears in the Desktop Context Menu.

Solution #5: Use NVIDIA Support Permanent Solution

Despite other methods being able to solve the issue of missing NVIDIA Control Panel, a significant number of users indicated that the issue occurred again. In response to that, NVIDIA support came up with a permanent solution. Follow the steps below to fix the issue permanently:

1. Access File Explorer and insert the path below into the search field:
   Program Files (x86)
   NVIDIA Corporation
   Display.NvContainer

If you can’t locate the folder in the Program Files (x86), search for it in the Program Files folder.

2. Once you have landed in the Display.NvContainer folder, check for the file titled Display.NvContainer. Right-click on it and copy.
3. Access the Startup folder by simultaneously pressing Windows + R keys. Into the search field, insert shell:startup before hitting the Enter key.
4. Now, paste the copied Display.NvContainer file to the Startup folder.
5. Right-click on the just-pasted file and click Properties.
6. In the next window of Properties, access the Compatibility tab and tick the ‘Run this program as administrator’ option.
7. Click OK to apply the settings.

Restart the computer for the changes to take effect and find the missing NVIDIA Control Panel back in your system.

If the problem persists, chances are that you might be faced by a malicious software that keeps on altering the system configurations. Once these vital settings have been changed without your knowledge, the system is not able to call out some of the applications including Nvidia Control Panel. In such a scenario, it’s best to run a trusted PC repair software tool to ensure that there are no missing or corrupt system files and the computer is in optimal performance level.