What drivers are and why you need to check them

A driver is software that lets Windows talk to a piece of hardware — your graphics card, printer, network adapter, sound card, or keyboard. When a driver is outdated or missing, that hardware stops working properly. Your screen might flicker, your printer won't respond, or your internet drops randomly. Checking your drivers means looking at what version you have installed and comparing it to what the manufacturer has released.

You do not need to check drivers constantly. Most people check them when something stops working, when Windows installs a major update, or once or twice a year as routine maintenance. The process takes 10 to 20 minutes and requires no special tools beyond what Windows already has.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows Device Manager shows every driver on your PC and flags problems with a yellow warning symbol.
  • You can check driver dates and versions in Device Manager without downloading anything or restarting your computer.
  • Manufacturer websites (Intel, NVIDIA, AMD, Realtek) have the newest drivers, but Windows Update often installs them automatically.
  • Update drivers one at a time and restart your PC after each update to catch problems early.
  • Rolling back a driver to an older version takes 30 seconds if a new update causes problems.

Opening Device Manager to see all your drivers

Device Manager is built into Windows and shows every driver installed on your PC. Press the Windows key and type "device manager" — the app appears at the top of the search results. Click it to open. You will see a list of hardware categories: Display adapters, Network adapters, Sound, video and game controllers, and others. Each category can be expanded by clicking the arrow next to it.

Look for a yellow exclamation mark or red X next to any device. These symbols mean the driver is missing, outdated, or corrupted. Even without warning symbols, you can check the driver date and version by right-clicking any device, selecting Properties, and clicking the Driver tab. The date shown is when that driver was installed on your PC, not when it was released.

Checking driver dates and versions

In the Driver tab of any device's Properties window, you will see several pieces of information. The Driver Version is a number like 27.21.14.5168 — this is what you compare against the manufacturer's website to see if an update exists. The Driver Date tells you when this version was installed on your PC. If the date is more than a year old and the device is acting up, an update may help.

Write down the driver version or take a screenshot before you leave Device Manager. You will need this number when you visit the manufacturer's website to check if a newer version is available. For graphics cards, visit NVIDIA.com, AMD.com, or Intel.com depending on which you have. For other hardware, search "[device name] drivers" — for example, "Realtek audio drivers" or "TP-Link network adapter drivers."

Finding and downloading new drivers from the manufacturer

Once you are on the manufacturer's website, look for a Support, Downloads, or Drivers section. You will need to tell the site what model of hardware you have and what version of Windows you are running. Windows 10 and Windows 11 are different, and 32-bit and 64-bit versions need different drivers — you can find your version by pressing Windows key + Pause/Break or by searching "system information" in Windows.

read the driver file to your Downloads folder. Do not open it yet. Before installing, close any programs that use that hardware — for example, close your web browser before updating a network driver, or close Spotify before updating audio drivers. Then double-click the downloaded file and follow the installer's steps. Most installers ask you to restart your PC when done. Restart when ready rather than waiting, because drivers take effect only after a restart.

Using Windows Update to check for driver updates automatically

Windows Update can read and install drivers without you visiting manufacturer websites. Press Windows key + I to open Settings, then click Update & Security (Windows 10) or System > About (Windows 11). Click Check for Updates. Windows will scan for driver updates along with system updates. If drivers are found, they will install automatically, and you may be asked to restart.

Windows Update is convenient but sometimes lags behind manufacturer releases by weeks or months. If a driver is causing problems and you need the newest version when ready, downloading directly from the manufacturer is faster. If you are not sure whether a new driver exists and want to check without downloading, the manufacturer's website is the only reliable source — do not trust third-party driver update tools, as they often bundle unwanted software.

Rolling back a driver if an update causes problems

Occasionally a new driver causes problems — your screen flickers, your game crashes, or your printer stops responding. You can undo the update in seconds. Open Device Manager, right-click the problem device, select Properties, click the Driver tab, and click Roll Back Driver. Windows will restore the previous version and ask you to restart. After restart, the old driver is active again.

If Roll Back Driver is grayed out, no previous version is stored on your PC and you cannot use this method. In that case, uninstall the driver (right-click the device, select Uninstall Device, check the box to delete the driver software, and restart). Windows will reinstall a basic version automatically, or you can manually install an older driver version downloaded from the manufacturer's website.

Checking drivers for specific hardware types

Graphics drivers (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel) are the most important to keep current if you play games or do video editing. Network drivers affect internet speed and stability. Audio drivers affect sound quality and microphone function. Chipset drivers (Intel or AMD) are less visible but support overall system stability — these usually come from your PC manufacturer (Dell, HP, Lenovo) rather than Intel or AMD directly.

Printer drivers, mouse drivers, and keyboard drivers are usually installed automatically by Windows and rarely need manual updates. If a printer or peripheral stops working, uninstalling it in Device Manager and restarting often fixes the problem — Windows will reinstall the driver on restart. For older printers or specialized equipment, visit the manufacturer's support page and read the latest driver for your exact model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I check my drivers?

Check drivers once or twice a year as routine maintenance, or when ready if a device stops working. You do not need to check every month. If Windows Update is turned on, most drivers update automatically in the background.

Is it safe to update all drivers at once?

It is safer to update one driver at a time and restart after each update. This way, if a driver causes a problem, you know which one caused it. If you update five drivers and then restart, you cannot tell which one broke something.

What if I cannot find a driver for my hardware?

Search the manufacturer's website using your exact hardware model number. If the manufacturer no longer makes that device, search the model number plus "driver read" in a search engine. Windows may also have a generic driver that works, though it may not include all features.

Can I delete drivers I do not recognize?

Do not delete drivers unless you are certain what hardware they control. Deleting the wrong driver can disable your keyboard, mouse, or internet. If you see an unfamiliar driver, right-click it and search the name online before touching it.

Why does my PC ask to restart after updating a driver?

Drivers run at a deep level in Windows, and the operating system cannot reload them without restarting. Restart as soon as prompted so the new driver takes effect. Delaying the restart means the old driver is still active.