How to Install NVIDIA Driver in Debian 12 Stable [Step by Step]

Contents:

Step 3: Switch Between Intel/AMD and NVIDIA GPUs.

This is a step by step beginner’s guide shows how to install the NVIDIA graphics driver in Debian 12 stable ‘Bookworm’!

Step 1: Enable non-free Repository

Debian includes NVIDIA driver packages in its official repository. However, it’s available in the non-free repository that’s NOT enabled by default.

1. Firstly, search for and launch ‘Synaptic Package Manager‘. Then, use the tool to search & install the software-properties-gtk package (or software-properties-qt for KDE, LXQt).

First, click search icon and search software-properties-gtk package.
Then, right-click on the package in result and select ‘Mark for Installation‘
Finally, click ‘Apply‘ button to start installing the package.

Install ‘Software Properties’ via Synaptic package manager

Or, open terminal and install the tool by running command in terminal:

sudo apt install software-properties-gtk

2. Launch ‘Software & Updates‘ either from start/applications menu or ‘Activities’ overview depends on your desktop environment.

Or run sudo software-properties-gtk (or sudo software-properties-qt) in terminal to start it from command line.

3. Once it opens, make sure the first 4 repositories (main, contrib, non-free-firmware, non-free) are enabled!

Here, the ‘Non-DFSG-compatible Software (non-free)’ repository provides the NVIDIA driver package, but other 3 are required for dependencies.

Step 2: Install NVIDIA Driver packages

After enabled non-free repository, open terminal and run 2 commands one by one:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install nvidia-detect

nvidia-detect

The commands will first install the nvidia-detect package, and then run the command to identify your GPU and output recommended driver package to install.

The recommended driver package is usually ‘nvidia-driver‘.

To install the driver package, either run command:

sudo apt install nvidia-driver

Or, use Synaptic Package Manager to search that package, right-click on it and select ‘Mark for Installation’ and finally click ‘Apply’.

Click 'Reload' to refresh package cache if it don't show you nvidia-driver package.

When done installing nvidia-driver package, restart your computer.

Step 3: Switch Between Intel/AMD and NVIDIA GPUs.

Unlike Ubuntu, Debian don’t have nvidia-prime package for switching between integrated and NVIDIA GPUs in laptop/notebook. There’s however a free open-source tool ‘envycontrol‘ to make the thing easy.

1. Firstly, download the software package from its releases page (its ‘python3-envycontrol_xxx_all.deb‘):

Download Envycontrol

2. Once you downloaded the package, open terminal and run command to install it (assume you saved it in ‘Downloads’ folder):

sudo apt install ~/Downloads/python3-envycontrol*.deb

3. When done installing envycontrol, you can run one of the commands to tell which GPU to use:

Switch to integrated GPU (Intel or AMD):
```
sudo envycontrol -s integrated
```
Set hybrid mode and enable fine-grained power control:
```
sudo envycontrol -s hybrid --rtd3
```
Switch to NVIDIA and enable ForceCompositionPipeline in case of screen tearing:
```
sudo envycontrol -s nvidia --force-comp
```

When done switching GPU, remember to restart computer to apply change.

4. For GNOME desktop, user may also install the ‘GPU profile selector’ extension, by using ON/OFF switch in the link below page:

Install GPU profile selector

If you don’t see the ON/OFF switch, install browser extension via link in that page, then refresh the page.

When done, you should be able to switch GPU via the top-right corner system menu (aka Quick Settings).

Step 4: Verify

To verify which graphics card in active, either run command:

glxinfo |grep -E "OpenGL vendor|OpenGL renderer"

Or use:

envycontrol --query

For GNOME, the ‘about’ page in Settings can also tell you which GPU in use.