How to Update Drivers: A Complete Guide to Keeping Your Computer Running Smoothly

Your computer just stopped recognizing your printer. Or maybe your games are stuttering. Your Wi-Fi keeps dropping. These frustrating problems often trace back to one culprit: outdated or corrupted drivers.

Drivers are small software programs that let your operating system communicate with hardware devices. Without current drivers, your graphics card, printer, keyboard, and other components can’t work properly. Updating drivers fixes bugs, patches security holes, and often improves performance.

This guide walks you through every method to update drivers on Windows and Mac, explains when you actually need updates, and helps you avoid common mistakes that cause more problems than they solve.

Table of Contents

What Are Drivers and Why Do They Matter?

Think of drivers as translators. Your operating system speaks one language, but your graphics card, sound chip, and USB devices speak different languages. Drivers translate between them.

When manufacturers discover bugs or develop better ways for hardware to perform, they release driver updates. Installing these updates means:

Better performance and speed
Fixed glitches and crashes
New features for your hardware
Patched security vulnerabilities
Compatibility with new software

But here’s the key point: You don’t need to update every driver constantly. If something works fine, leave it alone. Update drivers when you encounter problems, when security updates appear, or before major operating system upgrades.

Before You Start: Create a System Restore Point

This step takes two minutes and can save you hours of headache.

Driver updates occasionally cause problems. A restore point lets you roll back changes if something goes wrong.

On Windows:

Type “create a restore point” in the Windows search box
Click “Create a restore point” from results
Click the “Create” button
Name your restore point (like “Before driver update”)
Wait for Windows to create it

Now you have insurance. Let’s update those drivers.

Method 1: Update Drivers Through Windows Update (Easiest)

Windows Update handles most driver updates automatically. This method works best for common hardware from major manufacturers.

Steps:

Click the Start button
Select Settings (gear icon)
Click “Windows Update”
Click “Check for updates”
Wait while Windows searches
If updates appear, click “Download & install”
Restart when prompted

For optional driver updates:

In Windows Update, click “Advanced options”
Click “Optional updates”
Expand “Driver updates” if available
Check boxes next to drivers you want
Click “Download & install”

This method is safe and reliable. Windows only offers drivers that Microsoft has tested. However, you won’t always get the newest drivers this way—sometimes you’ll get versions that are months or even years old.

For detailed information about Windows Update processes, you can visit Microsoft’s official Windows Update FAQ.

Method 2: Update Drivers Through Device Manager (More Control)

Device Manager gives you direct control over each hardware component. This method works when Windows Update doesn’t find what you need.

Steps:

Right-click the Start button
Select “Device Manager” from the menu
Find the device category (Display adapters, Network adapters, etc.)
Click the arrow to expand the category
Right-click the specific device
Select “Update driver”
Choose “Search automatically for drivers”
Windows searches and installs if it finds anything
Restart if prompted

If automatic search finds nothing:

Right-click the device again
Select “Properties”
Click the “Driver” tab
Note the driver version and date
Visit the manufacturer’s website to check for newer versions

Common device categories you might update:

Display adapters – Your graphics card (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel)
Network adapters – Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections
Sound, video and game controllers – Audio devices
Bluetooth – Wireless device connections
Mice and other pointing devices – Mouse and touchpad
Keyboards – Keyboard hardware
Disk drives – Hard drives and SSDs
Printers – Printer hardware

Yellow exclamation marks next to devices indicate driver problems. Red X marks mean disabled devices.

Method 3: Download Drivers from Manufacturer Websites (Most Reliable)

Getting drivers directly from manufacturers ensures you get the latest versions with all features enabled. This method takes more effort but gives better results for critical hardware.

Graphics Card Drivers

Graphics drivers matter most for gaming, video editing, and graphic design work.

For NVIDIA cards:

Visit nvidia.com/drivers
Use the dropdown menus to select your card
Or click “Auto-Detect” to scan your system
Download the recommended driver
Run the installer
Choose “Express installation” for automatic setup
Restart when complete

For AMD cards:

Go to amd.com/support
Search for your graphics card model
Download the latest driver package
Run the installer
Follow the on-screen prompts
Restart your computer

For Intel integrated graphics:

Visit intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/detect.html
Use the Intel Driver Support Assistant
Let it scan your system
Download recommended updates
Install and restart

Network Adapter Drivers

Connection problems often stem from network driver issues.

Find your network adapter manufacturer:

Open Device Manager
Expand “Network adapters”
Note the adapter name (Intel, Realtek, Qualcomm, etc.)
Visit the manufacturer’s support site
Search for your specific adapter model
Download the Windows driver package
Install and restart

Popular network chip manufacturers include Intel, Realtek, Qualcomm Atheros, and Broadcom.

Printer Drivers

Printers need specific drivers for full functionality.

For HP, Canon, Epson, Brother, and other printer brands:

Visit the manufacturer’s website
Navigate to Support or Drivers section
Enter your exact printer model
Select your operating system
Download the “Full Feature” driver (not basic)
Run the installer
Follow setup instructions

The full driver package includes scanning features, maintenance tools, and printer management software.

Motherboard Drivers (Chipset, Audio, LAN)

Your motherboard manufacturer provides drivers for multiple onboard components.

To find your motherboard model:

Press Windows key + R
Type “msinfo32” and press Enter
Look for “BaseBoard Manufacturer” and “BaseBoard Product”
Or check your receipt or documentation

Popular motherboard manufacturers:

ASUS (asus.com/support)
MSI (msi.com/support)
Gigabyte (gigabyte.com/support)
ASRock (asrock.com/support)

Download and install these drivers in this order:

Chipset driver (install first)
Audio driver
Network/LAN driver
Any other available drivers

Restart between major driver installations.

Method 4: Use Manufacturer-Provided Update Tools

Many hardware manufacturers offer dedicated update utilities that simplify the process.

Manufacturer	Tool Name	What It Updates
NVIDIA	GeForce Experience	Graphics drivers and game settings
AMD	AMD Software	Graphics and chipset drivers
Intel	Intel Driver & Support Assistant	All Intel hardware
Dell	Dell SupportAssist	All Dell hardware components
HP	HP Support Assistant	All HP hardware
Lenovo	Lenovo Vantage	All Lenovo hardware
ASUS	Armoury Crate or MyASUS	ASUS hardware and peripherals

These tools automatically detect your hardware and recommend appropriate updates. They’re legitimate and safe to use.

General steps for manufacturer tools:

Download from the official manufacturer website
Install the utility
Run a system scan
Review recommended updates
Select which updates to install
Apply updates and restart as needed

These tools save time if you own multiple components from the same manufacturer.

How to Update Drivers on Mac

Mac computers handle drivers differently than Windows. Apple includes most drivers in macOS updates, so you rarely need to manually update anything.

Keep macOS updated:

Click the Apple menu
Select “System Settings” (or “System Preferences” on older macOS)
Click “General” then “Software Update”
Click “Update Now” if updates are available
Enter your password
Wait for installation
Restart when prompted

For third-party hardware:

Most printers, scanners, and external devices require manufacturer-provided software on Mac.

Visit the manufacturer’s website
Navigate to Support or Downloads
Find your device model
Select macOS as the operating system
Download the Mac driver package
Open the downloaded .dmg file
Run the installer
Follow the installation wizard
Restart if required

Apple maintains additional guidance for printer and scanner software on their support site.

When Should You Update Drivers?

Don’t update drivers just because updates exist. Update strategically:

Update drivers when:

A device stops working properly
You’re experiencing crashes or errors
Performance has degraded noticeably
You just installed new hardware
A security advisory recommends it
You’re upgrading to a new operating system
New features are added that you want
You’re troubleshooting a specific problem

Skip updates when:

Everything works perfectly
You’re about to start critical work
The update notes don’t mention your issue
You’re on a laptop without a power connection
You’re running mission-critical software that might break

Graphics driver update timing:

Game developers often optimize with day-one driver updates
Update before playing newly released games
Update if experiencing frame rate drops
Skip if you don’t game and everything works

The “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” rule applies to drivers. Stability beats having the absolute newest version.

Common Driver Update Mistakes to Avoid

Don’t Use Driver Update Software from Unknown Companies

Third-party “driver updater” programs are often scams. They claim to find dozens of outdated drivers, then demand payment to install updates.

Problems with these tools:

Install wrong or incompatible drivers
Bundle malware or unwanted software
Charge money for free drivers
Make your system less stable
Difficult to uninstall

Stick to Windows Update, Device Manager, or manufacturer websites. These are free and safe.

Don’t Install Beta or Pre-Release Drivers

Beta drivers are for testing. They may improve performance in specific scenarios but often introduce new bugs.

Only install beta drivers if:

You understand the risks
You have a system backup
You’re testing a specific fix
You know how to roll back drivers

Most users should stick with stable, released versions.

Don’t Skip Restart Prompts

Many driver installations require a restart to function properly. Skipping this step leaves drivers in a partially installed state.

Always restart when prompted. Finish your work first, but restart before assuming the driver update is complete.

Don’t Install Very Old Drivers on New Windows Versions

Drivers designed for Windows 7 or 8 might not work correctly on Windows 10 or 11. Always download drivers labeled for your current operating system version.

If the manufacturer only offers older drivers, proceed carefully and be ready to roll back.

Troubleshooting: What If a Driver Update Causes Problems?

Sometimes new drivers make things worse. Here’s how to fix it.

Roll Back a Driver

Open Device Manager
Find the problematic device
Right-click and select “Properties”
Click the “Driver” tab
Click “Roll Back Driver”
Select a reason from the dropdown
Click “Yes”
Restart your computer

The Roll Back button only appears if you have a previous driver version installed.

Use Your System Restore Point

If you can’t boot normally or multiple things broke:

Restart your computer
Press F8 repeatedly during startup (or hold Shift while clicking Restart)
Select “Troubleshoot”
Click “Advanced options”
Select “System Restore”
Choose the restore point you created earlier
Follow the prompts
Let Windows restore your system

This returns your drivers and system settings to their previous state.

Uninstall and Reinstall

If rolling back doesn’t work:

Open Device Manager
Right-click the device
Select “Uninstall device”
Check “Delete the driver software” if available
Click “Uninstall”
Restart your computer
Windows will reinstall a basic driver
Then install the correct driver from the manufacturer

This gives you a clean slate.

Advanced: Clean Driver Installation for Graphics Cards

A clean installation completely removes old driver files before installing new ones. This solves many graphics problems.

For NVIDIA cards using DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller):

Download DDU from wagnardsoft.com
Download the latest NVIDIA driver but don’t install yet
Boot Windows into Safe Mode
Run DDU
Select your graphics card manufacturer
Click “Clean and Restart”
After restart, install the new driver you downloaded
Restart again

For AMD cards:

AMD’s installer includes a factory reset option:

Download the latest AMD driver
Run the installer
Select “Factory Reset”
Let it complete
Install the new driver
Restart

Clean installations take more time but solve persistent graphics issues.

How Often Should You Check for Driver Updates?

Graphics cards: Monthly if you game, quarterly otherwise

Network adapters: When experiencing connection issues

Motherboard chipset: Every 6 months

Sound cards: When updating motherboard drivers or having audio issues

Printers: When functionality stops working

Other devices: When problems occur

Setting calendar reminders for quarterly checks keeps critical drivers current without obsessing over every release.

For information on general computer maintenance schedules, you can reference Computer Hope’s maintenance guide.

Automatic Driver Updates: Good or Bad?

Windows can install driver updates automatically. Whether to enable this depends on your needs.

To manage automatic driver updates:

Open Settings
Click “Windows Update”
Click “Advanced options”
Toggle “Receive updates for other Microsoft products”

Pros of automatic updates:

Convenience
Security patches arrive quickly
Works well for basic hardware
One less thing to remember

Cons of automatic updates:

May install drivers at inconvenient times
Can break working configurations
Less control over what gets installed
Might update stable drivers unnecessarily

For most users, automatic updates work fine. Power users and gamers often prefer manual control.

Driver Updates for Laptops

Laptop manufacturers often customize drivers for their specific hardware configurations. Always check your laptop manufacturer’s support site first.

Laptop-specific driver considerations:

Power management: Laptop-specific drivers optimize battery life
Function keys: Special key combinations need manufacturer drivers
Touchpad: Generic drivers may lack multi-touch gestures
Wireless switching: Wi-Fi on/off switches require specific drivers
Display brightness: Proper drivers enable brightness control

Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS, and Acer maintain support sites where you enter your model number to find all appropriate drivers.

Verifying Driver Installation Success

After updating drivers, confirm they installed correctly.

Check the driver version:

Open Device Manager
Right-click the device
Select “Properties”
Click the “Driver” tab
Note the driver version and date
Compare to what you just installed

The version number should match what you downloaded. The date should be recent.

Test the device:

Print a test page for printers
Play a game for graphics cards
Browse the web for network adapters
Play audio for sound devices
Type in a document for keyboards

If the device works normally, the update succeeded.

Understanding Driver Version Numbers

Driver versions follow patterns like 31.0.15.4624 or 27.20.100.9664. These numbers tell you important information.

Typical version format:

First numbers (31.0) – Major version
Middle numbers (15) – Minor version
Last numbers (4624) – Build number

Higher numbers generally mean newer versions, but always check the release date to be certain.

Security and Driver Updates

Outdated drivers create security vulnerabilities that hackers exploit to access your system.

Security-critical drivers:

Network adapters: Direct connection to the internet
USB controllers: External device connections
Chipset drivers: Core system functionality
Bluetooth: Wireless vulnerabilities

When manufacturers announce security fixes, update immediately. These updates protect your data and privacy.

The CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) maintains information about critical infrastructure vulnerabilities, including driver-related security issues.

Summary Table: Driver Update Methods Compared

Method	Difficulty	Speed	Recommended For
Windows Update	Easy	Fast	Basic users, standard hardware
Device Manager	Medium	Fast	When Windows Update fails
Manufacturer Website	Medium	Medium	Specific problems, latest features
Manufacturer Tools	Easy	Medium	Brand-specific systems
Clean Installation	Hard	Slow	Persistent graphics problems

Choose the method that matches your comfort level and the severity of your problem.

Conclusion

Updating drivers doesn’t need to be complicated. For most people, Windows Update and Device Manager handle everything automatically. When you need more control, manufacturer websites provide the latest versions with full features.

Remember these key points:

Create a restore point before major updates
Only update when you have a reason
Get drivers from official sources
Restart when prompted
Roll back if problems occur

Your computer’s hardware works best with current drivers, but stability matters more than having the absolute newest version. Update strategically, test after installing, and keep your system backed up.

If something works perfectly, leave it alone. If you encounter problems, check for driver updates first—they often provide the simplest solution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to update all my drivers at once?

No. Update drivers individually, especially for critical components like graphics cards or network adapters. This makes it easier to identify which update causes problems if something goes wrong. Space out updates over several days if you’re updating multiple devices.

Can I update drivers without restarting my computer?

Some minor driver updates work without restarting, but most require a restart to function properly. Always restart when prompted. The drivers aren’t fully active until you complete the restart process. Delaying the restart can cause strange behavior or partial functionality.

What happens if I install the wrong driver?

Windows usually prevents installing incompatible drivers, but if one slips through, the device may not work or your system might become unstable. Use the Roll Back Driver feature in Device Manager to revert to the previous version. If you can’t boot normally, use Safe Mode or your System Restore point.

Are Windows Update drivers different from manufacturer drivers?

Yes. Windows Update drivers are older but thoroughly tested by Microsoft for stability. Manufacturer drivers are newer and include the latest features but may have bugs. For most hardware, Windows drivers work fine. For gaming graphics cards, get drivers directly from NVIDIA or AMD.

How do I know which drivers my computer needs?

Open Device Manager and look through each category. Devices with yellow exclamation marks need driver attention. Right-click any device and select Properties to see its current driver version and date. You can also check your computer manufacturer’s website and enter your model number for a complete list of recommended drivers.

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MK Usmaan

Mk Usmaan is an avid AI enthusiast who studies and writes about the latest developments in artificial intelligence. As an aspiring computer scientist, he is fascinated by neural networks, machine learning, and how AI technology is rapidly evolving.