Nvidia Optimus simplifies the seamless switching between two GPUs on a computer system. This hybrid GPU switching technology optimizes performance while minimizing power consumption. It automatically switches to a dedicated graphics card when the system is under heavy workload, particularly when running resource-intensive applications.

If you’re an Ubuntu user and wish to install the Nvidia Optimus Driver on your system, here’s a step-by-step guide to follow:

How to Install/Configure Nvidia Optimus Driver on Ubuntu?

To install Nvidia Optimus Driver on Ubuntu, follow the below-written steps:

Step 1: Update & Upgrade Default Repository

To begin, we need to ensure that the repository is up-to-date before installing the Nvidia Optimus Driver from the official repository. Follow these steps:

sudo apt update

sudo apt upgrade

Step 2: Install Nvidia Driver

Next, you can use the following command to install the Nvidia Optimus Driver on your Ubuntu system:

sudo apt install nvidia-driver-515 nvidia-dkms-515

Please note that the installation process may take some time, as it involves the installation of several libraries and dependencies alongside the Nvidia Optimus Driver. The duration of the installation can vary depending on your system’s specifications and the speed of your internet connection.

Step 3: Reboot

After the installation is finished, please restart the system to initiate a fresh start with automatically configured Nvidia drivers.

sudo reboot

Step 4: Verifying

To access the Nvidia Optimus Driver on Ubuntu, click on the Application Menu located in the top-left corner of your screen and ;look for a new icon labeled “NVIDIA” among the available options.

Click on the “NVIDIA” icon to open the Nvidia Optimus Driver.

Please note that in order to configure the Nvidia Optimus Driver, it is necessary to have an Nvidia graphics card installed in your system. Once you have the graphics card installed, you can customize the configuration according to your preferences.

Remove Nvidia Optimus Driver from Ubuntu

To remove Nvidia Optimus Driver from the Ubuntu system, you can use the below-mentioned apt command:

sudo apt remove --purge nvidia-*

Conclusion

To install the Nvidia Optimus Driver on Ubuntu, begin by updating the repository on your Ubuntu system and then use the apt command to install the Nvidia Optimus Driver. Once the driver installation is finished, proceed to reboot your system. After the reboot, locate the Nvidia icon in the Application Menu of your Ubuntu system. Click on the Nvidia icon to open the application on your desktop and access the driver configuration options.