4 Easy Ways to Check for Driver Updates on a Computer

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Learn how to update your drivers manually & automatically
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Drivers are pieces of software that help your computer connect to hardware items such as speakers, USB drives, and so on. They are typically installed and updated automatically whenever you connect the hardware to your computer, but you may occasionally need to use your computer's update tool to take care of a stuck driver. In this article we teach you how to find and update your drivers, along with some expert tips from professional technologist Stan Kats.

Ways to Update Drivers

  • Windows Update checks for and installs PC device drivers automatically, but you can also update drivers manually in Device Manager.
  • If you're using a Mac, drivers are updated automatically with each macOS update.
  • If you don't have drivers for a device, go to the device manufacturer's website to download and manually install drivers.
Section 1 of 5:

Using Windows Update

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  1. Click the Windows logo at the bottom to open the Start menu, then click the gear icon to open your Settings. You can also get to your Settings by pressing Windows key + I . [1]
    • Windows will handle virtually all of your driver updates through the Windows Update utility. This typically happens automatically, but you can check for the latest updates at any time.
    • You can use this method to find and update drivers on Windows 10 and Windows 11.
  2. You can skip this step if you are using Windows 11. You'll see this in the navigation menu on the left side of the window. [2]
    • If Settings instead loads to a specific menu, first click Home in the upper-left corner of the window.
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  3. You will see this option at the top of the left-hand navigtation menu if you're using Windows 10, or at the bottom of the menu if you're using Windows 11. [3]
  4. It's at the top of the right panel on both Windows 10 and 11. Windows will begin checking for any available updates, including updated drivers.
    • Depending on how long it has been since you last checked for updates, this process may take several minutes.
  5. This will appear at the top of the page if updates are available. Clicking it prompts the update files to begin downloading.
    • Depending on your version of Windows, driver and operating system updates may begin downloading automatically.
    • Some driver updates require you to reboot your PC after updating. If prompted, follow the on-screen instructions to restart your computer.
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Section 2 of 5:

Using Mac

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  1. Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen. A drop-down menu will appear.
    • Apple handles all of the driver updates that are released for your Mac hardware. To update your drivers, you'll just need to install the latest available update for macOS.
    • If you'd prefer to just see what drivers you have installed on your Mac, click the Apple menu and go to System Settings > General > About > System Report .
  2. 2
    Click System Settings . If you're on an older version of macOS, you might see System Preferences instead.
  3. 3
    Click General . It's in the left-hand sidebar, and has a gray icon of a cogwheel.
    • If you're using an older version of macOS, you can skip this step.
  4. 4
    Click Software Update . Alternatively, you can open Spotlight and type Software Update to be taken to this menu directly.
  5. 5
    Click Update Now . As soon as you open the Software Update menu, your Mac will look for updates. If there's one available, you'll see an Update Now button. [4]
    • If you don't see Update Now , your Mac is up to date, and no updated drivers are available. If you need to update drivers for a non-system app or device, jump ahead to our section on using manufacturer driver files .
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Section 3 of 5:

Using Windows Device Manager

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  1. Device Manager allows you to search for Microsoft-approved drivers online, but you should only use Device Manager after using Windows Update to search for driver software. The reason for this is that Windows Update is more likely to find the correct drivers the first time.
  2. Click the Windows logo at the bottom of your screen.
    • You can also just right-click the Windows icon.
  3. Type device manager into the Start search box, then click Device Manager at the top of the Start window.
    • If you right-clicked the Windows icon, click Device Manager in the resulting pop-up menu.
  4. Scroll through the Device Manager window until you find the hardware category to which your item belongs.
    • For example, if you're attempting to update the drivers for a Bluetooth item, you would find the "Bluetooth" heading.
  5. Doing so expands it to show any connected (or previously connected) items in an indented list below the heading.
    • If the heading already has an indented list of items below it, skip this step.
  6. Click on the name of the hardware item for which you want to update the drivers.
    • If you don't see the item here, it isn't installed on your computer. Close Device Manager, plug in or pair the item with your computer, follow any on-screen prompts, and then re-open the item's category in Device Manager before proceeding.
  7. It's at the top of the Device Manager window. Doing so prompts a drop-down menu.
  8. This is at the top of the drop-down menu. A new window will open. [5]
  9. It's in the middle of the new window. Windows will begin searching for drivers for your selected item. [6]
  10. If drivers are available, you'll be prompted to install them; depending on the hardware item, you may have to click through a few prompts before the installation will begin.
    • You may be asked to restart your computer after completing the update process.
    • If you receive a message that says "The best drivers for your device are already installed", Windows can't find the correct driver files to use. You can still try installing a driver from the manufacturer's website if you're certain that your hardware item's drivers are outdated.
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Section 4 of 5:

Using Manufacturer Driver Files

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  1. When installing drivers manually, you'll be downloading the driver files directly from the manufacturer. You'll need to know the manufacturer and the model of the hardware you're trying to update.
    • For example, if you own a Razer keyboard, you'll find the drivers on the Razer website.
    • If you have a laptop, you can usually find all the drivers you need from your laptop manufacturer's page.
    • You can find the model information in the documentation that came with your hardware. You can also find the model information in Device Manager if Windows was able to recognize it.
  2. Once you've determined what you want to update, you'll need to visit the manufacturer's support site. According to Kats, you'll need to enter what device model or type you have, as well as your operating system, to get the right drivers. [7] Below are some of the most common ones. If your manufacturer is not listed here, you can find it with a quick web search:
  3. This process will vary from site to site, but in most cases, you'll find the Drivers or Downloads tab near the top of the main page, though you may first have to select or click Support there.
    • You may need to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page and then click Support or Drivers there to open the drivers page.
  4. Click the name of the driver package or the Download link (or icon) near it to do so.
    • Many drivers come as installers, or are packaged with software designed for the hardware. Older or less-common items may have drivers in ZIP folder format.
    • Sometimes the hardware's accompanying software will be listed separately from the drivers.
  5. Double-click the downloaded setup file and follow any on-screen prompts. If you downloaded the drivers in a ZIP folder, you will first need to extract them by doing the following:
    • Windows — Double-click the ZIP folder, click the Extract tab, click Extract all , and click Extract when prompted.
    • Mac — Double-click the ZIP folder and wait for it to finish extracting.
  6. If you're on a Mac and you receive an error message when attempting to install a driver, you can fix the error by doing the following:
    • Click OK on the error message.
    • Click the Apple menu , then click System Settings .
    • Click Privacy & Security .
    • Click Open Anyway under the "Security" heading next to the line that says "[app] was blocked to protect your Mac." [9]
    • Proceed with installing the drivers (you may need to double-click the drivers' setup file again).
  7. If the drivers came in a .zip file, you'll need to install them manually. You can do this from the Device Manager: [10]
    • Select the hardware item you want to update in Device Manager.
    • Click Action .
    • Click Update driver .
    • Click Browse my computer for driver software when prompted.
    • Go to the extracted ZIP folder and click any ".inf" file in the folder while holding down Ctrl .
    • Click Open .
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Section 5 of 5:

FAQ

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  1. 1
    What are drivers on my computer? Drivers are software that allow your operating system to interact with your hardware and peripherals. These drivers are necessary for your computer to know how to use hardware like your graphics card or network card, and peripherals like your keyboard or microphone.
  2. 2
    How do I know what drivers I need? If you're connected to the internet, your computer will find the best drivers for your hardware and peripherals when you update the operating system. On Windows, you can also look for individual drivers using the Device Manager. If you update your drivers and are encountering an issue with your hardware, you may need to check the internet to find which driver you should roll back to to fix the problem.
  3. 3
    How do I update all of my drivers? The easiest way to update all of your drivers is to use Windows Update on Windows or Software Update on Mac. These update utilities will check for new drivers for your hardware and peripherals, and you can easily install them without having to hunt down individual driver files.
  4. 4
    Do I need drivers on my computer? Yes, drivers are necessary software for your computer. Without drivers, your computer wouldn't know how to use most of the hardware or peripherals connected to it. If you didn't have any drivers on your computer, certain devices wouldn't work at all, and your computer would have sluggish performance.
  5. 5
    How do I update my NVIDIA driver? The easiest way to update your NVIDIA driver is with the GeForce Experience app. This app should be preinstalled on your computer if you bought it with an NVIDIA GPU, but you can also download it from NVIDIA's website . This app will notify you when new drivers are available and will install them for you at a click of a button.
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Expert Q&A

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Add New Question
  • Question
    Can you copy drivers from one computer to another?
    Luigi Oppido
    Computer & Tech Specialist
    Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.
    Luigi Oppido
    Computer & Tech Specialist
    Expert Answer
    Drivers can be copied if you know the exact DLL location of them. A lot of times you can find the DAP file or the DLL file in the System 32 folder that has drivers. Sometimes you can find them by going to your device manager under Control Panel, double-clicking on it, looking at the preferences of it, and going to where the driver file is and finding the location of that driver file. It can be tricky, though, as a lot of times one device has multiple driver files that have been extracted onto the machine.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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  • Question
    I am inundated with several driver update programs. What exactly is a driver? Do I need driver update? Which is the best legit program?
    Community Answer
    A driver is a program that controls a particular type of device that is attached to your computer. Drivers also control the hardware of your PC. You don't exactly have to update them, meaning your computer won't stop working if you don't, but it's extremely beneficial to do so, because by updating your drivers you help your devices work to their fullest potential. The best program for me is "Driver Booster" by IObit. This program scans your computer for any outdated drivers and automatically downloads and installs the latest drivers. You can use it for free but there is a paid version too with more features.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 6
  • Question
    My Windows was repaired; now it is slow and tells me I have a driver in it that's not compatible with stuff. What do I do?
    Aditya Telang
    Community Answer
    Firstly, check which hardware is giving you trouble and uninstall the incompatible driver. Next, check the hardware specification, usually found on the hardware or on the cover. Once you have found it, go to that manufacturer's website and download the corresponding latest device driver and install it. Then restart your system to load the driver. Alternatively, you can use Google to search for the driver directly. If you have trouble figuring out what driver you need, you can use Method 3 of this article to automatically download the correct driver. Microsoft Windows 10 has information on almost all of the devices used these days to automatically download and update the device drivers.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      Tips

      • Drivers will almost always install by themselves the first time that you plug in or pair the hardware item to your computer.
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      • If installing the correct drivers for the hardware doesn't fix your hardware problems, your hardware item most likely isn't compatible with your computer or your version of the computer's operating system.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/install-windows-updates-3c5ae7fc-9fb6-9af1-1984-b5e0412c556a
      2. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/install-windows-updates-3c5ae7fc-9fb6-9af1-1984-b5e0412c556a
      3. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/install-windows-updates-3c5ae7fc-9fb6-9af1-1984-b5e0412c556a
      4. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/108382
      5. ↑ https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/update-drivers-in-windows
      6. ↑ https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/update-drivers-in-windows
      7. ↑ Stan Kats. Professional Technologist. Expert Interview. 24 June 2021.
      8. ↑ Stan Kats. Professional Technologist. Expert Interview. 24 Jun 2021.
      9. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/102445
      1. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/update-drivers-through-device-manager-in-windows-ec62f46c-ff14-c91d-eead-d7126dc1f7b6

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Open Windows Settings .
      2. Click Update & Security .
      3. Click Windows Update .
      4. Click Check for updates .
      5. Click Install now .

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