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Official Nvidia Driver

Debian provides NVIDIA drivers through its package manager — the recommended method for most users. For those who need the very latest driver version, NVIDIA also offers a manual installer (.run file) as an alternative.

This page covers both approaches and includes notes for Liquorix kernel users.

Prerequisites

  • Compatible Nvidia graphics card
  • Debian installed and updated
  • Root or sudo rights
  • For the package manager method: non-free and non-free-firmware components enabled in /etc/apt/sources.list
  • Optional: Liquorix kernel (if used)

The simplest and most reliable method. Debian's packaged driver integrates with DKMS, initramfs, and Secure Boot automatically.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install nvidia-driver

After installation, reboot the system. Verify with:

nvidia-smi

For details and troubleshooting, see the Debian Wiki: NvidiaGraphicsDrivers.

Alternative: Manual Installation (.run File)

Use this method only if the Debian-packaged driver is too old or causes problems with specific hardware.

System Preparation

The system is updated:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

For the standard Debian kernel, kernel headers and build tools are installed:

sudo apt install linux-headers-$(uname -r) build-essential dkms

Note on Liquorix kernel: The Liquorix kernel headers are a separate package that must be installed explicitly. DKMS is recommended so the NVIDIA module is automatically recompiled on kernel updates:

sudo apt install linux-headers-liquorix-amd64 dkms

Use uname -r to verify the active kernel — the output should contain liquorix.

Driver Installation

  1. Visit https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx
  2. Select the graphics card, "Linux 64-bit", and the driver version
  3. Download the .run file (e.g., NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-<VERSION>.run) to the home directory

Switch to non-graphics mode using systemctl:

  1. Change the default boot target:
sudo systemctl set-default multi-user.target
  1. Restart the system:
sudo reboot

The system boots into a text console without a graphical interface.

Navigate to the .run file and make it executable:

chmod +x NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-*.run

Start the installation:

sudo ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-*.run

Follow the installation wizard:

  • Accept the license
  • Choose "Yes" for 32-bit compatibility libraries if needed
  • Confirm disabling the Nouveau driver when asked
  • When prompted about DKMS registration, accept the default ("Yes")

Verify Installation

Check the driver:

nvidia-smi

An output with GPU details confirms successful installation.

Return to Graphics Mode

Reset the default boot target:

sudo systemctl set-default graphical.target

Restart the system again:

sudo reboot

Troubleshooting

  • Black Screen: The .run installer automatically blacklists the Nouveau driver via /etc/modprobe.d/. If the graphical mode still does not start (e.g., because Nouveau is embedded in the initramfs), add nouveau.modeset=0 to /etc/default/grub under GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT and run sudo update-grub.
  • Missing Dependencies: For standard kernels, check linux-headers-$(uname -r); for the Liquorix kernel, ensure both linux-headers-liquorix-amd64 and dkms are installed.

Performance Optimization

Driver Settings (X11 Only)

On X11, the nvidia-settings tool offers composition options that can reduce screen tearing. These settings are not available and not needed on Wayland, where the compositor handles this natively.

nvidia-settings

Under "X Server Display Configuration" → "Advanced":

  • Force Full Composition Pipeline: Prevents tearing by routing all display output through the GPU's composition engine. May increase input latency — test individually.
  • Force Composition Pipeline: Similar but less aggressive. Prevents most tearing artifacts with less latency impact.

These settings are optional. Only enable them if tearing is actually visible during gameplay. They can be disabled at any time if performance issues occur.

Kernel Parameters

When using the .run installer, nvidia-drm.modeset=1 is not enabled by default and must be set manually. This parameter enables kernel mode setting (KMS) for NVIDIA, which is required for Wayland and improves display handling.

Add to /etc/default/grub under GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT:

nvidia-drm.modeset=1

Then update GRUB:

sudo update-grub

Verify the current setting:

cat /sys/module/nvidia_drm/parameters/modeset

A value of Y confirms KMS is active.

Package manager installation

When installing via apt install nvidia-driver, Debian may configure modeset automatically through /etc/modprobe.d/. Check the current value before adding a GRUB parameter.

MangoHud (Optional)

For advanced performance monitoring beyond X-Plane's built-in FPS display (Ctrl+Shift+F):

sudo apt install mangohud

MangoHud provides detailed GPU/CPU metrics, frame time graphs, and VRAM usage as an in-game overlay. See System Tuning and System Monitoring for further performance analysis.

Sources