Another Windows 11 bug is causing headaches for Nvidia GPU owners

Woman perplexed at something on her computer screen
(Image credit: Shutterstock / aslysun)

Another week, another Windows 11 22H2 bug – and once again it’s Nvidia graphics cards bearing the brunt of the issues. 

After an update-induced frame rate problem was recently patched by Nvidia, Reddit users are now reporting yet more performance-related issues and a quirky new bug that inverts the 3D readings for Nvidia GPUs in Task Manager (H/T Neowin). 

Idle graphics cards are showing close to 100% usage in Task Manager despite ticking over at perfectly cool temperatures, leaving users at best confused and at worst terrified for the wellbeing of their pricey GPUs.

The post below, from Redditor washed_king_jos, shows the bug in action: 

Reddit post showing Windows 11 Nvidia bug

(Image credit: washed_king_jos)

Analysis: don't panic

The good news is that the bug is indeed a bug – if your readings are being affected, there’s nothing wrong with your Nvidia graphics card. It looks like the issue is affecting older-generation cards, too, as well as the shiny new Nvidia Lovelace RTX 4000 series of GPUs (which, to be fair, only currently includes the RTX 4090).

Some users have suggested turning off GPU Hardware Scheduling under GPU Settings in Windows to get rid of the frustrating visual quirk, and while this tactic would work, we’d suggest leaving the feature enabled as it’s not actually doing any harm to your graphics card. 

It’s not yet clear whether the issue is arising due to a fault in Windows 11 22H2 or Nvidia’s own driver update (522.25), but in any case, the safest course of action is to wait until either party rolls out a fix.

For more Windows 11 22H2-related news, check out our report on another bug that's preventing some users from being able to safely eject their USB devices, as well as our breakdown of which PCs actually qualify for Windows 11

Axel Metz
Senior Staff Writer

Axel is a London-based Senior Staff Writer at TechRadar, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest movies as part of the site's daily news output. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion. 

Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme.