Windows Update is how to update drivers on most PCs, and Microsoft's support page calls it the best way. Recommended drivers install on their own.
Optional driver updates wait under Settings, Windows Update, Advanced options, Optional updates, and Microsoft states plainly that optional drivers are not installed automatically. Device Manager updates, reinstalls or rolls back one device at a time. On a laptop, the PC maker's support site comes first.
- Windows Update installs recommended drivers without being asked
- Optional driver updates never install on their own
- On a laptop, the PC maker's driver is the first source
- Roll Back Driver in Device Manager undoes a bad driver update
- Third-party driver updater utilities are unnecessary
On this page
- Most drivers should be left alone
- How to update drivers in Windows 11 and Windows 10 through Windows Update
- How to update drivers through Device Manager, and how to roll one back
- Where the PC maker's driver comes first, graphics included
- How to check for driver updates and see what you have
- How a business keeps driver updates under control
- Where people go wrong
- Comparison
- FAQ
When to updateMost drivers should be left alone
A driver is the software that lets Windows talk to a piece of hardware: the graphics card, the network adapter, the audio chip, a printer. When a device works, its driver is doing its job, and replacing it is a change with a small chance of breaking something that was fine.
So the useful first question is not how to update drivers but whether to. Microsoft's Intune documentation says driver updates are released by device manufacturers and can include fixes for reliability issues, security vulnerabilities, and support for new hardware capabilities.
The same page adds that because driver updates vary by device model and hardware configuration, organizations often prefer a more controlled approval process. That is the trade: real fixes arrive this way, and so do regressions.
Update when something is wrong. A device that drops out, crashes, or carries a warning icon in Device Manager is the classic reason.
Update when a security fix is published. Driver updates carry them, so a driver is not exempt from the patching schedule the rest of the estate follows.
Update when you need support for new hardware. A new monitor, a docking station, a capture card, anything the current driver was written before.
Otherwise leave it. Windows Update already delivers recommended drivers, and Microsoft's Group Policy guidance for managed devices recommends allowing drivers to update on devices, which is the default.
Windows UpdateHow to update drivers in Windows 11 and Windows 10 through Windows Update
Microsoft's support page on updating drivers through Device Manager opens with a tip: the best way to get driver updates in Windows is automatically, using Windows Update. Drivers for network adapters, printers, scanners and video cards arrive that way, and the page describes them as normally recent and up to date.
Recommended drivers need no action from you. Optional ones do, and the hardware maker decides which is which. Microsoft's driver publishing documentation describes a shipping label: an automatic driver is delivered to every applicable system once released, while one marked manual, starting in Windows 10 version 2004, is not delivered automatically at all.
That is the whole reason the Optional updates list exists. A driver sitting there is not a driver Windows thinks you are missing.
How to update drivers in Windows 11. Select Start, then Settings, Windows Update, Advanced options. Make sure Receive updates for other Microsoft products is turned on. Under Additional options, select Optional updates, choose any driver updates listed, and select Download and install.
How to update drivers in Windows 10. Select Start, then Settings, Update and Security, Windows Update, Advanced options, and turn on Receive updates for other Microsoft products when you update Windows. Return to Windows Update, select Check for updates, then View optional updates if it appears.
Restart when it finishes. Microsoft's instructions say to restart the machine after the updates are installed, even when none of them asked for a restart.
Windows 10 is out of support. Microsoft's note on the same page says support for Windows 10 ended on October 14, 2025, and that free software updates from Windows Update, technical assistance and security fixes ended with it.
Device ManagerHow to update drivers through Device Manager, and how to roll one back
Device Manager handles one device at a time. Right-click the Start menu and select Device Manager, select the arrow next to a category such as Display adapters, then right-click the device and select Update driver. Two choices follow.
Search automatically. Windows searches for updated drivers and installs them if it finds any. If it does not, the window offers the option to search for updated drivers on Windows Update.
Browse my computer for drivers. The manual route. Download the driver from the device manufacturer's site first, matching the version and architecture of Windows, unpack it, then point Device Manager at the folder.
If what you have is current, Microsoft's page says the message "The best drivers for your device are already installed" appears. That only means Windows found nothing newer, not that the manufacturer has nothing newer.
Reinstalling a driver that is damaged
Save all work, right-click the device, select Uninstall device, confirm with the Uninstall button, then restart. Microsoft's documented behavior is that Windows then attempts to reinstall the driver. Some devices, printers among them, have to be reinstalled by hand.
Rolling back a bad driver update
When a device fails right after a driver update, rolling back is the fastest fix, and Microsoft notes that if the issue occurred after a Windows Update, reinstalling the previous driver often resolves it. You must be signed in with administrator permissions.
1. Right-click the Start menu and select Device Manager. 2. Select the arrow next to the category and find the device. 3. Right-click the device, select Properties, then the Driver tab. 4. Select Roll Back Driver, choose a reason when prompted, and select Yes. 5. Restart the device if prompted.
If Roll Back Driver is greyed out, Windows has no previous driver stored for that device. Install the older version from the maker's site, or from a copy you exported yourself, through Browse my computer for drivers.
The makerWhere the PC maker's driver comes first, graphics included
A laptop is built from parts the maker chose and tested together, and its support site carries the drivers for that exact model. Microsoft's advice, when Windows Update cannot find a driver for a device, is to check the hardware manufacturer's website for the latest compatible driver.
Download from the maker, not from a search result. Microsoft's Device Manager page is blunt: avoid downloading drivers from any websites other than the manufacturer's official site. Use the service tag or model number to reach the right list.
Use the maker's own utility on a fleet. Every major PC maker publishes an update tool that inventories the machine and offers the drivers released for that model, which beats matching part numbers by hand.
Firmware is a separate job. The BIOS update page covers why system firmware carries more risk than a driver and belongs on its own schedule.
How to update graphics driver software. On a laptop, start with the laptop maker's graphics driver, because it may carry changes for that model. On a desktop with a separate graphics card, the chip maker's own download page has the current one.
If a new one brings crashes or a black screen, the graphics driver reset page covers what to try first.
Skip driver updater utilities. Programs that promise to scan and update every driver are unnecessary and a common source of unwanted software. Windows Update and the manufacturer's own site cover every legitimate case between them.
Check firstHow to check for driver updates and see what you have
Before changing anything, find out which driver is installed. In Device Manager, right-click the device, select Properties and open the Driver tab, which shows the driver provider, the driver date and the driver version.
To list every third-party driver package at once, pnputil /enum-drivers prints each one in the driver store with its published name, original name, provider, class, version and signer. PowerShell reports the same per device: Get-CimInstance Win32_PnPSignedDriver returns DeviceName, DriverVersion, DriverDate, DriverProviderName and InfName.
How to check for driver updates. Look in three places, in this order. Optional updates in Windows Update, the PC maker's support page for your model, then the maker's utility if one is installed. Compare each version with the Driver tab.
Keep a copy before a change that matters. pnputil /export-driver * <folder> writes every third-party driver package to a folder, and Export-WindowsDriver -Online -Destination <folder> does the same from PowerShell. A copy of the working driver makes going back simple.
FleetsHow a business keeps driver updates under control
On one home PC, a surprise driver update is an annoyance. Across fifty laptops, a bad graphics or network driver is fifty tickets on the same morning. Businesses decide where drivers come from rather than accept whatever arrives.
The policy that switches them off. Microsoft documents it in Group Policy under Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Windows Update, Do not include drivers with Windows Updates. Microsoft recommends leaving the default in place unless you intend to manage drivers manually.
Approval instead of a switch. Microsoft's Intune driver update policies support automatic or manual approval workflows, so recommended drivers either deploy on their own or wait for an administrator to review them before installation.
Someone still has to deliver them. Turning driver updates off without another route means they never happen, published security fixes included. The usual route is the maker's utility or an RMM tool pushing approved versions.
Test on a pilot group first. The rings used for Windows patches work for a driver update too: a few machines first, everyone else a week later. Patch management covers how those rings are built.
PitfallsWhere people go wrong
Updating every driver because a tool said so. A long list of outdated drivers is not a problem list. A driver that works is not broken because a newer version exists.
Installing a generic driver over the laptop maker's. Graphics, audio and power management drivers are often built for a specific model, and the generic version can lose a feature or add a fault.
Not writing down the old version. When the new driver misbehaves, knowing what worked is half the fix. Read the Driver tab first.
Blaming the driver for everything. A crash after an update can be the driver, and a blue screen stop code usually names the file. A failing disk fails with any driver.
Excluding drivers in policy and forgetting. The machines then run their factory drivers forever, including ones with published security fixes.
ComparisonThe four routes a driver can reach a PC by, and what each one is good for
| Criterion | Windows Update | Optional updates | Device Manager | Maker's download or utility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installs without asking | Yes, recommended drivers | No | No | Utility can, if set to |
| Best for | Keeping a working PC current | A specific fix Windows lists | One device, or a manual install | Laptops and business models |
| Newest driver available | Not always | Sometimes | Only what Windows or you supply | Usually |
| Matched to your exact model | Generic | Generic | Depends on the file | Yes |
| Controlled by business policy | Yes | Yes | No | Yes, with the maker's tools |
| Easy to undo | Roll Back Driver | Roll Back Driver | Roll Back Driver, or reinstall | Roll Back Driver, or reinstall |
The first two rows decide most cases. A working PC needs nothing beyond Windows Update, and the optional list is for a named problem rather than a routine sweep. A laptop with a fault, or a fleet of one model, is better served by the maker's driver.
The last row is the one people forget until they need it. Whatever route installed the driver, Device Manager is where it gets undone, and that only works while Windows still holds the previous version.
FAQFrequently asked questions
How do I update drivers in Windows 11?
Open Settings, Windows Update, Advanced options, make sure Receive updates for other Microsoft products is on, then select Optional updates. Choose any driver updates listed and select Download and install. Recommended drivers already install automatically, and Device Manager can update a single device.
How do I update drivers in Windows 10?
Open Settings, Update and Security, Windows Update, Advanced options, and turn on updates for other Microsoft products. Back on Windows Update, select Check for updates, then View optional updates if it appears. Note that Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025.
Do I need to update drivers at all?
Usually not, if every device works. Windows Update already installs recommended drivers. Update one when a device misbehaves, after reinstalling Windows, when a security fix is published for it, or when you need support for hardware the current driver predates.
How to check for driver updates?
Look at Optional updates in Windows Update, then the PC maker's support page for your model. Compare the version there with the one on the Driver tab of the device's Properties in Device Manager. The maker's update utility can also scan the machine.
How do I update my graphics driver?
On a laptop, take it from the laptop maker's support page first, since it may be built for that model. On a desktop with a separate graphics card, use the current driver from the card's chip maker. Keep the old version in case you need to roll back.
Why are some driver updates optional?
Because the hardware maker chose that when publishing. Microsoft's documentation describes automatic delivery to every applicable system, or a manual label that, since Windows 10 version 2004, is not delivered automatically and appears only in the optional driver updates list.
How do I roll back a driver?
In Device Manager, right-click the device, select Properties, open the Driver tab and select Roll Back Driver. Choose a reason, confirm, and restart if prompted. It needs administrator permissions, and it is unavailable when Windows holds no previous driver.
What does "the best drivers for your device are already installed" mean?
It means Windows found nothing newer than what is installed. It does not check every manufacturer's website, so a newer driver can still exist on the maker's support page for your model.
Are driver updater programs safe?
They are unnecessary. Windows Update and the PC maker's site cover every legitimate driver update between them, and such utilities are a common source of unwanted software. Nothing they do cannot be done from Device Manager or the maker's page.
Should I update the chipset driver?
Take it from the PC or motherboard maker rather than a generic source, and follow the order the maker's own download page gives. Chipset drivers affect storage and power management, so treat one like any other change and keep a way back.
Can a driver update break my computer?
It can break a device, such as the display, the network adapter or audio. Rolling back the driver in Device Manager, or reinstalling the version you saved, usually restores it. That risk is why working drivers are best left alone.
How do businesses manage driver updates?
They decide the source. Some exclude drivers from Windows Update by policy and deploy approved versions through the maker's utility or an RMM tool. Microsoft's Intune driver update policies allow automatic or manual approval, so an administrator can review each one.
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