Windows 11 may uninstall GPU drivers on laptops in Eco mode

Windows 11 may automatically uninstall dedicated GPU drivers on gaming laptops if the device is kept in Eco mode for an extended period. This occurs because Eco mode powers down the discrete GPU, leaving only integrated graphics active.

Under these conditions, the system's maintenance component, pnpclean.dll, may identify the inactive driver as an unused peripheral and remove it. While the standard timeout for such cleanup is reported to be 30 days, users have observed the removal occurring after approximately 15 days on certain hardware, such as the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14. When this happens, the system reverts to the ‘Microsoft Basic Display Adapter’ without notifying the user.

To prevent this, users can manually reinstall the drivers, periodically switch the laptop to Hybrid or Dedicated modes to reset the inactivity timer, or modify a specific Windows registry key to disable automatic driver package cleaning.