How to update drivers in Windows 11 (and when not to)

Applies to: Windows 11 (Home, Pro and Enterprise). The Device Manager steps look almost the same in Windows 10, but the Settings path for optional updates differs there.

Do you actually need a new driver?

Windows 11 already installs recommended drivers for your hardware through Windows Update, so most PCs stay current without any effort from you. A manual update is worth doing when something specific is wrong, not as routine maintenance. A driver that works is rarely improved by a newer one, and every change carries a small chance of a new problem.

Situation	What to do	Go to
A device stopped working or shows a yellow warning icon	Check the error code, then update or reinstall	Sections 2 and 5
A game, app or accessory says it needs a newer driver	Check optional updates, then the maker’s site	Sections 1 and 3
Problems started right after a driver update	Roll back, don’t update again	Section 4
Everything works and you just want to be current	Leave it to Windows Update	Section 1
Windows keeps replacing a graphics driver you chose	Block that update	Graphics section

Before changing a driver for a device you depend on, such as the storage, network or display adapter, make sure System Restore is on so you have a way back. Our guide to enabling system protection shows how to turn it on.

1. Get drivers through Windows Update

Microsoft names Windows Update as the recommended route for driver updates, because the drivers it offers are matched to your hardware. Recommended drivers install on their own. Optional ones, which often include newer versions for specific devices, are not installed automatically, so you have to pick them.

1. Open Start and go to Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options.
2. Under Additional options, select Optional updates.
3. If driver updates are listed, select only the ones for devices you are trying to fix, then select Download and install.
4. Restart the PC if Windows asks you to.

Optional drivers are not required, so skip any that are unrelated to the problem you are solving. If the page is empty and you suspect Windows Update isn’t checking properly, see how to force Windows Update to check for updates.

2. Update one device in Device Manager

Device Manager lets you target a single piece of hardware. It is also where you see whether a device has a problem at all: double-click the device and read the Device status box, which shows an error code if something is wrong. Microsoft’s list of Device Manager error codes explains what each code means.

1. Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
2. Expand the category, for example Display adapters or Network adapters, and right-click the device.
3. Select Update driver, then Search automatically for drivers.
4. If Windows finds nothing newer, you can select Search for updated drivers on Windows Update, which takes you to the optional updates in section 1.

A message that the best drivers for your device are already installed only means Windows has nothing newer in its own catalog. The device maker may still have a newer version, covered next. If the device shows Code 28, the driver is missing rather than outdated; our Code 28 guide covers that case.

3. Install a driver from the manufacturer

When Windows has nothing suitable, go to the support page of your PC maker or of the component maker. Download only from the official site, and pick the version for Windows 11 and your system type (almost always 64-bit on Windows 11). Many downloads are installers you simply run. If you get a folder of files instead, install it through Device Manager:

1. Extract the download if it is a ZIP file and note the folder.
2. In Device Manager, right-click the device and select Update driver.
3. Select Browse my computer for drivers, choose the folder and select Next.
4. Restart if prompted.

For laptops, the PC maker’s driver is often a better first choice than the generic one from the chip vendor, because it may include settings specific to that model. That is a general rule rather than a guarantee, so check the maker’s notes for your model.

4. Roll back a driver that caused problems

If a device misbehaves right after an update, returning to the previous driver is usually faster than hunting for another new one. You need an administrator account.

1. In Device Manager, right-click the device and select Properties.
2. Open the Driver tab and select Roll Back Driver.
3. Choose a reason, confirm, and restart if asked.

If the button is unavailable, Windows has no earlier driver stored for that device. In that case, uninstall and reinstall it (section 5) or install the older version from the manufacturer’s site. Windows Update may offer the same newer driver again later; for graphics drivers, see the next section on blocking that.

5. Uninstall and reinstall a driver

A reinstall replaces a damaged or half-installed driver with a clean copy. Save your work first, because a restart is part of the process.

1. In Device Manager, right-click the device and select Uninstall device, then confirm.
2. Restart the PC. Windows tries to reinstall the driver during startup.
3. If the device is still missing, open Device Manager and select Action > Scan for hardware changes, or use the steps in section 2 or 3.

Caution: if the uninstall dialog offers to delete the driver software, leave that option cleared unless you already have a replacement ready. Without the driver package, Windows may not be able to restore the device on its own, and that is a bigger problem when the device is the network adapter you would use to download a new driver.

Graphics drivers and driver updater apps

Graphics cards get driver updates more often than most hardware, and AMD, Intel and NVIDIA each offer their own update apps. Using the vendor’s app is reasonable if you game or need a feature from a recent release. The trade-off is that Windows Update may later replace your chosen version with the one in its catalog. Our guide on stopping Windows 11 from updating your graphics driver explains how to prevent that.

Third-party “driver updater” programs that promise to update everything with one click are best avoided. Microsoft’s guidance points to Windows Update and the device maker’s own site, and these tools can install drivers that do not match your exact hardware. There is no need for them on a working PC.

Known issues (as of November 2026)

As of November 2026, Microsoft’s Windows 11, version 25H2 release health page lists no open driver-related issue. A September 2026 problem in which USB Audio Class 1.0 devices could show Code 10 or produce no sound is marked resolved by the November 10, 2026 security update (KB5132061). If you still see it, install the latest update, then follow our USB audio Code 10 guide.

Related guides

• Code 28: “The drivers for this device are not installed” (7 fixes)
• How to stop Windows 11 from updating your graphics driver
• USB audio device shows Code 10 in Windows 11: how to fix it
• How to force Windows Update to check and install updates
• System Restore “You must enable system protection on this drive”: how to fix it

Official sources

• Microsoft Support: Update drivers through Device Manager in Windows
• Microsoft Support: Automatically get recommended and updated hardware drivers
• Microsoft Learn: Windows 11, version 25H2 known issues and notifications