What drivers are and why they need updating

A driver is software that tells your PC how to use a piece of hardware — your graphics card, network adapter, printer, or motherboard. Windows comes with basic drivers for common devices, but manufacturers release newer versions that fix bugs, improve performance, or add features. Updating drivers is one of the most effective ways to fix crashes, improve gaming performance, stop devices from working at all, or resolve printer and network problems.

You do not need to update every driver every month. Update when you notice a problem with a specific device, when you install new hardware, or when you see a notification from the manufacturer. Some drivers — particularly graphics drivers from Nvidia or AMD — release updates frequently enough that checking every few months makes sense if you game or do video work.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows Update handles most drivers automatically, but you can check manually by opening Settings, going to System, then Update & Security, and clicking Check for Updates.
  • For graphics cards, network adapters, and other critical hardware, downloading drivers directly from the manufacturer's website is usually faster and more reliable than waiting for Windows.
  • Device Manager shows you which drivers are installed and whether Windows has flagged any as outdated or problematic — right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
  • Before updating a driver, restart your PC and note the current driver version in case you need to roll back to the previous one.
  • If a driver update causes problems, you can uninstall it and let Windows reinstall the previous version, or use System Restore to revert to an earlier point.

Checking for driver updates through Windows Update

Windows Update is the easiest route for most drivers. Open Settings (press Windows key + I), click System on the left, then Update & Security, and click Check for Updates. Windows will scan for updates to Windows itself and to drivers it recognizes. If updates are available, click Install and restart when prompted.

This method works well for motherboard chipset drivers, audio drivers, and network adapters. It is slower than manufacturer downloads — Windows tests drivers before releasing them through Update, which means you may wait weeks for a new version to appear. If you need a driver update urgently or Windows Update is not finding the driver you need, use the manufacturer's website instead.

Downloading drivers directly from the manufacturer

For graphics cards, network adapters, and other hardware you rely on heavily, downloading from the manufacturer is usually faster. Visit the support or downloads page of the company that made your hardware — Nvidia, AMD, Intel, Realtek, TP-Link, or whoever it is — and search for your specific model.

You will need to know what hardware you have. Open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button and selecting it from the menu. Expand the category your device is in (Graphics Adapters, Network Adapters, Sound, Video and Game Controllers, and so on), right-click the device, and select Properties. The name and model number are shown at the top. Write this down or take a screenshot, then go to the manufacturer's website and search for that exact model.

read the driver file to your PC, double-click it, and follow the installer's steps. Most will ask you to restart when finished. Do not skip the restart — drivers do not fully load until the next boot.

Using Device Manager to update individual drivers

Device Manager lets you update a single driver without downloading anything manually. Right-click the Start button, select Device Manager, find your device in the list, right-click it, and select Update driver. Choose Search automatically for updated driver software and Windows will check Windows Update and your PC for a newer version.

If Windows finds an update, it will install it automatically. If it does not find one, you can select Browse my computer for driver software and point it to a driver file you downloaded manually. This is useful if you have already downloaded a driver from the manufacturer and want Device Manager to install it for you.

Device Manager also shows you the current driver version and the date it was installed. Right-click a device, select Properties, click the Driver tab, and you will see the version number and driver date. This is helpful if you want to know whether a driver is old or if a recent update caused a problem.

Rolling back a driver if an update causes problems

Occasionally a driver update breaks something — your screen flickers, your network drops, or a game crashes. The fastest fix is to uninstall the new driver and let Windows reinstall the previous version. Open Device Manager, right-click the problematic device, select Properties, click the Driver tab, and click Uninstall device. Check the box that says Delete the driver software for this device, then click Uninstall. Restart your PC.

When your PC restarts, Windows will reinstall the previous driver automatically. If that does not work, or if you want to go back further, use System Restore. Press Windows key + R, type rstrui.exe, and press Enter. Choose a restore point from before you updated the driver, click Next, and follow the prompts. System Restore will revert your PC to that earlier state, including all drivers and software as they were then.

Graphics drivers: Nvidia and AMD

Graphics drivers update frequently and have the biggest impact on gaming and video performance. Nvidia and AMD both have software that checks for updates automatically. Nvidia's is called GeForce Experience (for consumer cards) or Nvidia Control Panel. AMD's is called AMD Radeon Software. If you have either card, read and install the appropriate software from the manufacturer's website, and it will notify you when updates are available.

You can also visit Nvidia.com or AMD.com directly, enter your graphics card model, and read the latest driver manually. Graphics driver updates usually take 5 to 15 minutes to install and require a restart. Do not interrupt the installation or restart early — graphics drivers are critical to your PC's stability.

Checking for driver problems in Device Manager

Device Manager flags drivers with problems using a yellow exclamation mark or a red X. If you see either symbol next to a device, right-click it and select Update driver. If Windows cannot find an update, visit the manufacturer's website and read the latest driver for that device manually.

A yellow exclamation mark usually means Windows does not have the right driver installed or the driver is outdated. A red X means the device is disabled or the driver is corrupted. Disabling and re-enabling the device sometimes fixes the problem: right-click the device, select Disable device, wait a few seconds, right-click it again, and select Enable device. If that does not work, uninstall the driver and restart your PC to let Windows reinstall it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to uninstall the old driver before installing a new one?

No. Most driver installers will replace the old version automatically. However, for graphics drivers, some people prefer to uninstall the old one first using the manufacturer's uninstaller, then install the new one. This is optional and rarely necessary, but it can prevent conflicts if an update goes wrong.

What if I do not know what hardware I have?

Open Device Manager, right-click each device you want to identify, select Properties, and look at the name and model number. You can also use free tools like CPU-Z or GPU-Z to see detailed hardware information. Once you have the model number, search for it on the manufacturer's website.

Can updating drivers improve my gaming performance?

Yes, especially graphics drivers. Nvidia and AMD release driver updates specifically to improve performance in new games and fix bugs in older ones. If you game regularly, checking for graphics driver updates every month or two is worth doing. Other drivers have less impact on gaming performance.

Is it safe to update drivers automatically through Windows Update?

Yes. Windows tests drivers before releasing them through Update, so they are stable and safe. The trade-off is that updates arrive slower than on the manufacturer's website. If you want the latest drivers when ready, read from the manufacturer instead.

What should I do if my PC will not start after a driver update?

Restart your PC and press F8 repeatedly as it boots to enter Safe Mode. Safe Mode loads only essential drivers. Once in Safe Mode, open Device Manager, find the problematic device, and uninstall the driver. Restart normally and Windows will reinstall the previous version. If that does not work, use System Restore to revert to a point before the update.