How to download and install Device Drivers on Windows 10
Jun. 24, 2022 / Updated by Daphne to Windows 10
On Windows 10, a device driver is an essential piece of code that allows the system to detect and interact with specific hardware (such as graphics card, hard drive, network adapter, etc.), as well as peripherals, including mice, keyboards, printers, monitors, and many others.Typically, Windows 10 detects and installs drivers automatically using the driver library built into the system and Windows Update. However, sometimes, you may need to update a device manually for many reasons. For instance, when a particular component isn't getting recognized, stops working after an upgrade, Windows Update installs a generic package, or you need to access a new feature or apply a bug fix.
Whatever the reason it might be, Windows 10 comes with several options to update a device driver manually, including using Windows Update, Device Manager, the auto-update assistants from device manufacturers and professional Windows drivers download and update utility.In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through different methods to properly update hardware drivers on your computer. Also, we outline the steps to determine if the driver was updated successfully.
Top 4 ways to download and install Device Drivers in Windows 10
Way 1.Download and Update drivers by using Windows Update
Although it can take some time until manufacturers publish newer driver packages on Windows Update, it's still the recommended method to download and install drivers, because packages in this channel have been tested, verified, and signed by Microsoft.
To quickly update device drivers using Windows Update, use these steps:
1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Update & Security.
3. Click on Windows Update.
4. Click the Check for updates button.
Once you complete the steps, if a driver is missing after an upgrade or clean installation, or a new driver has been published to improve an older version, it'll download and install automatically.
Way 2. Download and Update drivers by Device Manager
To update a device driver with Device Manager on Windows 10, use these steps:
1. Open Start.
2. Search for Device Manager and click the top result to open the tool.
3. Double-click the branch with the hardware you want to update.
4. Right-click the hardware and select the Update driver option.
5. Click the Search automatically for updated driver software option.
After you complete the steps, if a newer update is available, Device Manager will download and install the package automatically similar to Windows Update using the Microsoft servers.
Way 3. Download and Update drivers by auto-update assistants from device manufacturers
In the case that the driver isn't available through Windows Update, because it's too recent or available only in beta, you'll need to download and install the package from the manufacturer's support website manually. When getting an update from a manufacturer support website, you should always attempt to follow their instructions first. However, if there are no instructions, double-click the ".exe" self-extracting package, or use this guide to extract the content of the ".zip" compressed file, and then continue with these steps:
1. Open Start.
2. Search for Device Manager and click the top result to open the tool.
3. Double-click the branch with the hardware you want to update.
4. Right-click the hardware and select the Update driver option.
5. Click the Browse my computer for driver software option.
6. Click the Browse button.
7. Select the main folder with the driver files you have extracted earlier.
8. Click the OK button.
9. Check the Include subfolders option to allow the wizard to find the correct ".inf" file with the instructions to update the driver.
10. Click the Next button.
Once you complete the steps, the wizard will detect and install the new driver on your computer to improve the overall experience with fixes, new functionalities, or new support depending on the update and device.
Way 4. Download and Update drivers by Driver Talent
If you find it time-consuming to search proper driver downloads, or if you prefer a one-click solution, you can use Driver Talent. It is a reliable and professional Windows drivers download and update utility.
You can get and install the best-matched and safe driver updates you need in seconds. Also, you can use the software to quickly uninstall device drivers. Click the button above to save your time.
Here are 3 easy steps to update or uninstall drivers on your Windows laptop or desktop:
1. Click the Scan button after you launch Driver Talent. It will automatically detect those missing, outdated or broken drivers.
2. If you are going to update drivers, click the Update button directly after the scanning. The utility will download the compatible driver version for your machine.
3. Reboot to make the newly driver download or the driver change take effect.
Note: You'd better back up your drivers before any driver changes in case other system problems occur suddenly.
That's it. All of the above are possibly the best ways to Update drivers completely from a Windows 10 computer. If you still fail to uninstall or delete the unnecessary/bad drivers, you can drop a line below in the comment section, or click the left menu on this page for more technical support. If you have any other Windows 10-related issues, see Windows 10 section on this site.
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