How to update drivers on windows all versions with easy and simple steps. A device driver in Windows 10 is a set of files that contain instructions. It allows the system to interact directly with hardware (such as a graphics card, storage drive, and network adapter) and peripherals such as keyboards, printers, and monitors.
The system will usually detect and install devices using a combination of the local basic driver library or Windows Update. Sometimes, however, you will need to update certain controllers manually. Windows 10 may not recognize a component, and the device will stop working. Windows Update installs a generic pack, or you need to access a critical fix quickly.
How To Update Drivers on Windows Step by Step
Windows 10 offers several options for updating a device driver regardless of the situation. These include Windows Update, Device Manager, and auto-update assistants provided by device manufacturers. This guide will show you how to update drivers on windows of your desktop or laptop computer. We also outline how to check if the driver has been successfully applied.
Update Drivers on Windows through Windows Updates
Even though the most recent updates for drivers may take a while to appear on Windows Update, it is still the best way to get and install them manually. This is because the updates come from a trusted source. It also means that only compatible packages will be available through the service. This minimizes confusion which can lead to many problems.
These steps will allow you to update your device drivers with Windows Update:
- Open Settings.
- Click on Update & Security.
- Click on Windows Update.
- If applicable, click the “Check for updates” button
- Click on the “View optional upgrades” option.
- Click on the Driver Updates tab.
- To update Windows 10, select the device driver.
- Click on the “Download and Install” button.
After you have completed the steps, the updated driver will be installed automatically on your computer.
Windows Update has no updates or drivers for other products if the option to “View optional upgrades” isn’t available on the page.
Update Drivers on Windows Using Device Manager
Device Manager can update drivers for printers, wireless network adapters, monitors, and other components. The driver cannot be downloaded from Windows Update, so you will have to manually download it and install it from the manufacturer’s website.
You should follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer when downloading an update. Double-click the installer to continue the process. Double-click the file to extract its contents if it is a self-extracting archive. You can also use this guide to extract all the contents of the compressed “.zip” file. Then, follow these steps.
These steps will allow you to update your device driver via Device Manager:
- Open Start.
- To open Device Manager, search for it and click on the top result.
- Double-click on the branch to update the hardware.
- Right-click on the hardware and choose the Update driver option.
- Click on the “Browse My Computer for Drivers” option.
- Click on the Browse button.
- Choose the folder containing the extracted driver files.
- Click the OK button.
- To allow the wizard to find the “.inf” file that contains the instructions for updating the driver, check the Include subfolders option.
- Click the Next button.
Once you have completed the steps, the wizard scans detect, and installs the latest driver to improve your overall experience.
Download and Update Drivers from the Manufacturer’s Site
Sometimes, when a new update is released, it can take some time to reach Microsoft. Rarely it might take a while for the update to arrive at Microsoft. If the manufacturer has a site with updated drivers, you can also update them there.
For example, I currently have an HP laptop and need to update the drivers. I can go to the HP drivers section on their website. The updates can then be downloaded and installed easily from there. Depending on which driver(s), you can go to the manufacturer’s website and follow the instructions to download.
Conclusion
Here is how to update drivers on windows quickly and easily. Updating your drivers is one of the most effective methods of protecting your devices from external threats and bugs. We hope that you will use one of these methods to update your drivers.
