Device drivers are an essential component of your operating system. How to Update Drivers Using Windows Update They provide instructions to the hardware in your computer, such as the Wi-Fi chipset, printer, or graphics card. Therefore, learning how to verify the driver version in Windows 10 or Windows 11 will save you a great deal of trouble later on. Updating your device drivers can resolve compatibility or security problems and enhance your system’s stability and performance checking the driver version, you can search for any bugs related to it. Some versions may have known problems that are being addressed. Finding this lets you update or roll back as needed and saves a tone of debugging effort. We’ll walk you through using PowerShell and the Device Manager utility to verify the driver version in Windows 11/Windows 10. The choice of which to utilize is totally yours.
How to Use Windows Update to Automatically Update Drivers
You can update your device drivers easily and consistently by using Windows Update instead of looking them up online or downloading them from unreliable sources. All you have to do to find out whether your system and devices have any updates available is select “Check for updates” under “Settings – Update & Security – Windows Update.” Windows will automatically download and install any available driver updates. However, occasionally, Windows Update might not include the most recent or appropriate driver for your device. In that instance, you may locate and install the most compatible driver for your device by visiting the manufacturer’s website or by using a reliable driver updater program.
- Updating your Windows drivers is an essential task to ensure that your computer hardware functions correctly and efficiently. Drivers act as a bridge between your computer’s operating system and the hardware devices connected to it, such as graphics cards, sound cards, printers, and more. By keeping your drivers up-to-date, you can enjoy better performance, increased stability, and access to new features and enhancements provided by the hardware manufacturers. In this article, we will explore the process of updating drivers using Windows Update, a convenient and reliable method provided by Microsoft to keep your system drivers current.
- To begin with, it’s important to understand what Windows Update is and how it works. Windows Update is a built-in service in Microsoft Windows that automatically downloads and installs updates for the operating system and other Microsoft software, including drivers. The service runs in the background and checks for updates regularly, ensuring that your system remains protected against security vulnerabilities and equipped with the latest features. One of the advantages of using Windows Update to update drivers is that it is a straightforward and user-friendly process.
- First, let’s start by accessing the Windows Update settings. To do this, click on the Start menu and select the “Settings” option, which is represented by a gear icon. In the Settings window, locate and click on the “Update & Security” section. This will open the Windows Update settings, where you can manage various aspects of the update process, including checking for updates, viewing update history, and configuring advanced options. Once you are in the Windows Update settings, the next step is to check for available updates. To do this, click on the “Check for updates” button. Windows will then search for any available updates, including driver updates, and display a list of updates that need to be installed. If there are any driver updates available, they will be included in the list along with other updates for the operating system and software.
Before proceeding with the installation of updates, it is essential to review the list of available updates and ensure that they are relevant and necessary for your system. In some cases, you may encounter optional updates that are not critical but can enhance the performance and functionality of your hardware. If you see any optional driver updates, you can choose whether to install them based on your preferences and needs. To install the updates, simply click on the “Install now” button. Windows will begin downloading and installing the selected updates, including driver updates, on your system. The duration of this process may vary depending on the size of the updates and the speed of your internet connection. During the installation process, it is important to avoid turning off your computer or interrupting the process to prevent any potential issues.
How to Use Device Manager in Windows 10 or Windows 11 to Verify Driver Version
The quickest method for verifying if your drivers are current is to use Device Manager. With just a few clicks, you can easily verify the driver version for a variety of devices using Microsoft’s driver tool. The most recent version can then be found on the driver maker’s website for your device. How to do it is as follows:
- Launch the Device Manager.
- After selecting Start, type “Device Manager.” Select the first result.
- When you right-click on your device, choose “Properties.”
Verify the “Driver Version” entry.
How to Use PowerShell to Check Drivers on Windows 10
PowerShell may be used to verify drivers on Windows 10 in the absence of a graphical user interface. You may retrieve the version of each device driver in an easily accessible list with only one command. How to do it is as follows
- Launch PowerShell as administrator.
- Choose “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” from the list by pressing Ctrl + X.
- Use the driver check command.Copy the following command, then use the right-click menu to paste it into PowerShell:
- Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPSignedDriver| Choose Manufacturer, DriverVersion, and DeviceName
- Hit Enter to launch the command and retrieve your list.
How to Change Windows 10 or Windows 11’s Automatic Driver Installation Setting
The automated driver installation feature in Windows is quite helpful—until it isn’t. It may be quite annoying to try to convince the OS to accept a different driver if it finds the wrong one automatically. Although it is generally not advised, if you have a very uncooperative device, you can turn off Windows’ automatic driver installation for a little while. How to Backup and Restore Drivers in Windows 10 or Windows 11 The driver support for Windows is less robust than many of us would want. It happens frequently that after updating or reinstalling, a hardware device that was previously supported stops functioning. The operating system will only download the driver for you if it is supported. Because of this, it’s becoming more and more crucial to back up your Windows 11/Windows 10 drivers in order to prevent files from being downloaded by dubious third-party websites.
How to use the Command Prompt in Windows 11/10 to install or update drivers
One tool that many power users have learnt to appreciate and rely on is the Command Prompt. In case you were unaware, Windows Update can be executed via the command line. In a similar vein, the Command Prompt may be used to install or update drivers. A built-in tool from Microsoft called PnPUtil.exe enables an administrator to add, install, update, and remove driver packages from the driver store. The list of installed driver packages is also available in the driver store. We’ll demonstrate how to use the Command Prompt to upload drivers in this post.
You can verify if you have it by opening the command prompt, typing PNPUtil.exe, and pressing the Enter key. If there isn’t a mistake, you are ready to proceeds
Read Also: How to Upgrade to Windows 11: A Complete Guide
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Driver Updates and Windows Drivers
How can drivers be updated most safely
The safest method is to update drivers via Windows Update or directly from the device manufacturer’s official website to ensure you’re obtaining the right, malware-free version.
Can issues arise when upgrading graphics drivers
Updating graphics drivers mutationally represents compatibility problems or glitches. However, this is uncommon. Before upgrading, you should make a system restore point so you can go back if needed.
Final Words
After the updates have been installed, Windows may prompt you to restart your computer to apply the changes. It is crucial to follow this prompt and restart your system to ensure that the updated drivers are properly loaded and take effect. Restarting your computer also allows Windows to finalize the installation of updates and make any necessary configurations. In addition to manually checking for updates, you can configure Windows Update to automatically download and install updates, including driver updates, without requiring your intervention. To do this, go back to the Windows Update settings and click on the “Advanced options” link. In the Advanced options menu, you can enable the “Automatic (recommended)” option, which allows Windows to automatically download and install updates as they become available. This ensures that your drivers and other system components are always up-to-date, providing you with the best performance and security. While Windows Update is a convenient and reliable method for updating drivers, it is worth noting that it may not always include the latest driver versions released by hardware manufacturers. In some cases, manufacturers may release driver updates directly on their websites before they are made available through Windows Update. Therefore, if you are experiencing issues with a specific hardware device or require the latest features and enhancements, it may be necessary to visit the manufacturer’s website and manually download and install the latest drivers.
To manually update drivers from the manufacturer’s website, you can follow these steps: Identify the hardware device for which you need to update the driver. This can be done by opening the Device Manager, which lists all the hardware components installed on your system. To access the Device Manager, right-click on the Start menu and select the “Device Manager” option. In the Device Manager, locate the device for which you need to update the driver and right-click on it. From the context menu, select the “Update driver” option. In the Update Driver window, you will be presented with two options: “Search automatically for updated driver software” and “Browse my computer for driver software. Select the “Browse my computer for driver software” option and then click on the “Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer” option. This will allow you to manually select the driver file you downloaded from the manufacturer’s website. Follow the on screen instructions to complete the driver update process. While manually updating drivers can be more time-consuming than using Windows Update, it ensures that you have the latest drivers directly from the manufacturer, which can resolve compatibility issues and improve the performance of your hardware devices. In conclusion, keeping your drivers up-to-date is essential for maintaining the optimal performance and stability of your computer. Windows Update provides a convenient and user-friendly method for updating drivers, ensuring that your system remains current with the latest driver releases. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily check for and install driver updates using Windows Update.
However, it is also important to be aware of alternative methods for updating drivers, such as visiting the manufacturer’s website and manually downloading and installing the latest drivers. By staying proactive and regularly updating your drivers, you can enjoy a smooth and efficient computing experience with improved hardware performance and enhanced security. Additionally, regularly updating drivers can help resolve compatibility issues, fix bugs, and provide access to new features and enhancements released by hardware manufacturers. This proactive approach to driver maintenance ensures that your system remains in top condition and can handle the demands of modern software and applications. If you encounter any issues during the driver update process or need further assistance, there are several resources available to help you.