I disabled and renabled my igpu on my gaming laptop

Troubleshooting GPU Detection Issues on Your Gaming Laptop: A Case Study with Lenovo Legion Y9000P

Recently, I encountered an unexpected display brightness problem on my Lenovo Legion Y9000P gaming laptop, which is powered by an Intel Core i7-11800H processor paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 and integrated GPU (iGPU). In an attempt to resolve the issue, I temporarily disabled and then re-enabled the integrated GPU via Device Manager. However, this led to an interesting challenge: the system, while still recognizing the iGPU in the hardware list, no longer detected it within the Display settings or monitors, leaving only the dedicated GPU visible under Display Adapters.

Understanding the Issue

The core of the problem lies in how Windows manages multiple graphics adapters, especially integrated and dedicated GPUs:

Device Manager listings include all hardware components, regardless of whether they are actively used for display output.
Display detection depends on the graphics driver and system configuration, which can sometimes become inconsistent after hardware enable/disable operations.

In this scenario, after disabling and re-enabling the iGPU, the system continued to list it in Device Manager’s Display Adapters section, but the Windows display settings only recognized the dedicated GPU. This discrepancy can cause confusion, as Windows might not correctly utilize the integrated GPU, impacting functionalities such as brightness control or power management.

Key Considerations and Troubleshooting Steps

Verify Driver Status and Updates:
Ensure that the latest graphics drivers are installed for both the integrated and dedicated GPUs.
Consider reinstalling or updating the Intel graphics driver, which manages the iGPU.
Check BIOS Settings:
Access the BIOS/UEFI firmware during startup.
Ensure that integrated graphics are enabled; some laptops allow toggling between hybrid and discrete modes.
Use Windows Display Settings:
Navigate to Display Settings to see if the iGPU is detected and set as an active display adapter.
Use the Graphics Settings app (found under Settings > System > Display > Graphics settings) to assign applications to specific GPUs.
Re-enable the iGPU Carefully:
Instead of disabling via Device Manager, consider using Windows’ built-in display management tools.
Be cautious when disabling hardware; improper handling can lead to driver conflicts.
Consult Manufacturer Documentation and Support:
Lenovo’s support site may offer specific guidance on togg