Get the NVIDIA RTX 3060 driver
Download the RTX 3060 driver from nvidia.com or the NVIDIA app. For the desktop card choose GeForce RTX 30 Series, then RTX 3060. Game Ready 621.01 (October 21, 2026) is the newest. RTX 3060 laptops use the separate notebook file or the laptop maker's version.
Checked October 30, 2026 against the manufacturer's own pages.
Driver downloads
| Driver | Version | Released | Size | Windows | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GeForce Game Ready Driver, RTX 3060 desktop | 621.01 | October 21, 2026 | 1.04 GB | Windows 10 64-bit and Windows 11 | Download from nvidia.com |
| GeForce Game Ready Driver, RTX 3060 Laptop GPU | 621.01 | October 21, 2026 | 1.04 GB | Windows 10 64-bit and Windows 11 | Download from nvidia.com |
| NVIDIA Studio Driver, RTX 3060 desktop | 617.42 | October 6, 2026 | 990.86 MB | Windows 10 64-bit and Windows 11 | Download from nvidia.com |
Values copied from the manufacturer's page on October 30, 2026. The file always downloads from the manufacturer, never from this site.
Hardware IDs on this page
| Hardware ID | Device name |
|---|---|
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_2503 | GA106 [GeForce RTX 3060] |
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_2504 | GA106 [GeForce RTX 3060 Lite Hash Rate] |
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_2509 | GA106 [GeForce RTX 3060 12GB Rev. 2] |
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_2544 | GA106 [GeForce RTX 3060] |
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_2487 | GA104 [GeForce RTX 3060] |
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_2521 | GA106M [GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU] |
Match the first line of Hardware Ids in Device Manager (Properties, Details) against this list. Names come from the public PCI ID Repository.
The short version
What to install and where it comes from. Every link goes to the manufacturer or Microsoft, never to a copy.
Official files only, nothing bundled
Step by step
Find out which 3060 you have
In Device Manager, open Display adapters, then the card's Properties, Details tab, Hardware Ids. A DEV_2487 line means the 8GB card on the GA104 chip. DEV_2503, 2504, 2509 or 2544 means the GA106 card. DEV_2520, 2521, 2560 or 2561 is a laptop part.
Desktop: use the product list
On nvidia.com/drivers choose GeForce, GeForce RTX 30 Series, GeForce RTX 3060, then Windows 11. Pick Game Ready or Studio and download.
Laptop: look at the maker first
Check your laptop maker's support page for the exact model. If nothing newer is offered, use NVIDIA's notebook list and choose GeForce RTX 30 Series (Notebooks), then RTX 3060 Laptop GPU.
Install with Express
Run the installer and keep Express. Your screen will flash once or twice. Restart afterwards.
Check the version
Return to Device Manager, open the Driver tab and compare the version with NVIDIA's details page.
Two chips share the RTX 3060 name
The first RTX 3060 cards carried 12 GB of memory on the GA106 chip. A later 8 GB version appeared on the larger GA104 chip, and the public PCI ID Repository lists it as device 2487. Both read as GeForce RTX 3060 in Windows once the driver is in, so the name alone does not separate them. The device code does. This matters when a PC maker or a seller describes the card loosely: the hardware ID is the only dependable check.
The extra variants in the ID list
The repository also shows an RTX 3060 Lite Hash Rate card at 2504 and a 12GB Rev. 2 at 2509. They take the same desktop driver. Another entry, 252F, is marked as an engineering sample and will not show up on a retail card.
Desktop and laptop are different packages
The RTX 3060 Laptop GPU appears under its own entry in NVIDIA’s notebook list, and the file is named for notebooks. Laptop device codes in the repository are 2520, 2521, 2560 and 2561. A laptop often has an Intel or AMD graphics chip as well, so the NVIDIA part may only power up for games. If a game runs slowly on a laptop after an update, open Windows Settings, System, Display, Graphics and set the game to High performance, which points it at the RTX chip.
A problem worth knowing
After a driver update the screen can go black for a moment while the display wakes. Wait a minute before forcing a restart. If the screen stays black, boot into Safe mode, open Device Manager and use Roll Back Driver on the display adapter, then reinstall from the previous release listed on NVIDIA’s page.
Questions
Does the 8GB RTX 3060 need a different driver?
No. It sits on a different chip, GA104, but NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 3060 entry gives you the same package for both versions of the desktop card.
What is the Lite Hash Rate model?
It shows as device 2504 in the public PCI ID list. It is a desktop RTX 3060 with a mining limiter, and it takes the same desktop driver.
Which file does my RTX 3060 laptop take?
The notebook package, not the desktop one. NVIDIA lists it under RTX 3060 Laptop GPU with its own details page.
Is Studio better for the RTX 3060?
Only if you edit video or work in 3D software. For games, Game Ready gets support for new titles sooner.