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If you want to run programs that require GPU acceleration (like AI software) on your computer, you may need to install CUDA.

CUDA is a tool from NVIDIA that allows your graphics card to do more work. This article will guide you step-by-step on how to install CUDA 12.6 and the corresponding cuDNN 9.8 on Windows 10.

Why choose CUDA 12.6 instead of 12.8? Because 12.8 is the latest version, and some software might not be adapted to it yet, which can lead to compatibility issues. On the other hand, 12.6 is a relatively stable and not outdated version. Of course, if you want 12.4 or 12.8, the installation method is similar, and you can adjust the version number by referring to this tutorial.

Don't worry, even if you're a complete beginner, you can get it done by following the steps! Let's get started!

Step 1: Check if Your Graphics Card is NVIDIA ​

  1. Open Device Manager

    • Right-click on the "Start" button in the lower-left corner of the desktop (the Windows icon).
    • In the pop-up menu, select "Windows Administrative Tools - Computer Management" to open a window.

  2. Find Graphics Card Information

    • In the Computer Management window, click "Device Manager" on the left, find "Display adapters" on the right, and click the small arrow in front of it to expand.

    • See if there is "NVIDIA" in the list, such as "NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660" or similar.

    • If yes, congratulations, your graphics card is NVIDIA, and you can continue. If not (e.g., it shows "Intel" or "AMD"), then CUDA cannot be used, and this tutorial ends here.

Step 2: Check and Update Graphics Card Driver Version ​

  1. Open NVIDIA Management Software

    • If you have installed the graphics card driver, there might be a green "NVIDIA" icon in the taskbar (next to the time) in the lower-right corner of the desktop. Right-click it and select "NVIDIA GeForce Experience" to open it.

    • If not, skip to step 3 to download it manually.

  2. Check and Update Driver Version

    • After opening, click "Drivers" in the upper-left corner.
    • It will display the current driver version (e.g., "546.33"). If there is a new version, there will be a "Download" button.
    • Click "Download" and follow the prompts to install. Restart your computer after installation.

  3. No Software? Manually Download the Driver

    • Open your browser and enter the URL: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/drivers/ to download the driver update software, and then install it.
    • Open it after installation and follow the instructions to check for driver updates.

Step 3: Check if CUDA is Already Installed and Determine the Maximum Supported Version ​

  1. Open Command Prompt (CMD)
    • Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to bring up the "Run" window.
    • Type cmd and press Enter to open a black command prompt window.

  1. Check CUDA Version
    • In the command prompt, type: nvcc -V

Press Enter. If it shows something like Cuda compilation tools, release 12.6, V12.6.xxx, it means CUDA is already installed, and the version is 12.6. If it shows "is not recognized as an internal or external command", it means it hasn't been installed, and you should continue with the installation.

  1. View the Maximum Supported CUDA Version
    • In the command prompt, type: nvidia-smi

Press Enter. A table will be displayed, with "CUDA Version" in the upper-right corner (e.g., 12.6 or higher). This indicates the highest version supported by your driver. As long as it is 12.6 or higher, you can install the CUDA 12.6 we want.

Step 4: Download and Install CUDA 12.6 ​

  1. Download CUDA 12.6

  1. Install CUDA (Custom Mode)

    • Double-click the downloaded file. A window will pop up, agree to the terms, and click Next.

    • Select "Custom (Advanced)" installation and click "Next".

    • In the option list, only check the first row "CUDA", and uncheck all other options to avoid conflicts.

  • Then click the + sign in front of CUDA and uncheck Visual Studio Integration, otherwise the installation may fail.

  • Click "Next" and follow the prompts to complete the installation. The default path is C:\Program Files\NVIDIA GPU Computing Toolkit\CUDA\v12.6.

  1. What if there is an error?

    • If the installation is interrupted and displays "Not installed" or "Failed", the options may not have been selected correctly. Re-run the installer, select custom installation, make sure only the first line "CUDA" is selected, all others are unchecked, and open CUDA to uncheck Visual Studio Integration.
    • If the error persists, skip to the next step to install Visual Studio.

Step 5: Install Visual Studio (If CUDA Installation Fails) ​

If you unchecked Visual Studio Integration in the previous step, there should be no errors. If an error occurs, please install Visual Studio as instructed here.

  1. Download Visual Studio Community Edition

  2. Install C++ Development Environment

    • Double-click the installer. After the window pops up, select "Desktop development with C++".
    • Click "Install". It may take several tens of minutes. Restart your computer after installation.

  1. Reinstall CUDA 12.6
    • Go back to Step 4, rerun the CUDA installer, and select "Runtime" only in custom mode. This time it should be successful.

Step 6: Verify CUDA Installation and Configure Environment Variables ​

  1. Check if Installation is Successful

    • Open CMD (Windows key + R, type cmd).
    • Type: nvcc -V If it shows Cuda compilation tools, release 12.6, V12.6.xxx, it means the installation was successful. If it says "is not recognized as an internal or external command", you need to add environment variables.

  2. Add CUDA to Environment Variables

    • Right-click "This PC", select "Properties" > "Advanced system settings" > "Environment Variables".
    • In the "Path" of "System variables", click "New" and enter:
      C:\Program Files\NVIDIA GPU Computing Toolkit\CUDA\v12.6\bin
C:\Program Files\NVIDIA GPU Computing Toolkit\CUDA\v12.6\lib
C:\Program Files\NVIDIA GPU Computing Toolkit\CUDA\v12.6\include
C:\Program Files\NVIDIA GPU Computing Toolkit\CUDA\v12.6\libnvvp
    • Click "OK" to save and close all windows.
    • Reopen CMD and type nvcc -V. You should be able to see the version information now.

Step 7: Install cuDNN 9.8 ​

  1. Download cuDNN 9.8

  1. Install cuDNN
    • Double-click the downloaded .exe file and follow the prompts to install.

If cuDNN cannot be used in the program after installation, you can open the installation directory, the default is C:\Program Files\NVIDIA\CUDNN\v9.8, copy the 3 folders lib, bin, and include, copy them to C:\Program Files\NVIDIA GPU Computing Toolkit\CUDA\v12.6 to overwrite.

Finally: You're Done! ​

CUDA 12.6 and cuDNN 9.8 are now installed! You can start running programs that require GPU support. If there are software instructions (such as running python script.py), go to the project folder in CMD and try entering the corresponding command.