Update Drivers Windows 11: Windows Update and Device Manager

A driver is the small piece of software that lets Windows talk to a piece of hardware: the Wi-Fi card, the touchpad, the graphics chip, the printer. Most of the time you never think about them, because Windows 11 keeps them current in the background. When a device stops working properly after an update, or a new game asks for a newer graphics driver, you need to know how to update drivers in Windows 11 yourself. This guide covers the three safe routes, in the order we recommend them, plus how to undo a driver that makes things worse.

The steps apply to Windows 11 version 24H2, 25H2 and 26H2. Microsoft’s release information page, as checked on 15 October 2026, lists 25H2 and 26H2 as the current Home and Pro versions, with 24H2 Home and Pro at end of updates; driver handling is the same on all three.

Route 1: Windows Update (automatic)

Microsoft’s driver page is short and clear: Windows 11 installs recommended drivers automatically through Windows Update. These are drivers the hardware maker has published to Microsoft and that Microsoft has matched to your device.

To make sure you have them:

1. Open Start > Settings > Windows Update.
2. Select Check for updates.
3. Install everything offered and restart, even if no restart is requested.

If Windows Update is stuck or failing, fix that first; see Windows 11 update stuck and Windows 11 update failed.

Route 2: Optional driver updates

Some drivers are offered but not installed automatically. Microsoft lists these as optional updates, and they are worth a look when one device misbehaves.

1. Go to Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options.
2. Microsoft’s page asks you to turn on Receive updates for other Microsoft products first.
3. Under Additional options, select Optional updates.
4. Expand Driver updates. If drivers are listed, select the ones you want and choose Download and install.
5. Restart from Start > Power > Restart when the install finishes.

Only pick drivers that match a device you are having trouble with. An optional driver for a card reader you never use is not worth the risk of a change. If the list is empty, there is nothing newer from that channel, which is normal.

Route 3: Device Manager (one device)

Device Manager is the place to update, reinstall or roll back a single device. Microsoft documents these steps:

1. Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
2. Expand the category, for example Network adapters, Display adapters or Sound, video and game controllers.
3. Right-click the device and select Update driver.
4. Choose Search automatically for drivers. Windows checks the drivers it has and Windows Update.
5. If you downloaded a driver yourself, choose Browse my computer for drivers instead and point it at the folder.

Devices with a yellow warning triangle have a problem. Double-click one to see the device status message, which often tells you whether a driver is missing or failed to start.

Reinstall a driver

If a device is listed but does not work, a reinstall often helps:

1. In Device Manager, right-click the device and select Uninstall device.
2. Restart the PC. Windows detects the device and installs the driver again.

Before you do this for a network adapter, download its driver from the PC maker’s site, because you may be offline afterwards. Our guide to reset network settings in Windows 11 covers that case.

Route 4: The hardware maker’s website

Windows Update does not always have the newest driver, especially for:

• Graphics cards and chips. NVIDIA, AMD and Intel publish game-ready drivers more often than Windows Update carries them. See our Windows 11 graphics drivers guide for how to install them cleanly.
• Brand-new PCs and components. Laptop makers publish chipset, audio and touchpad drivers on their support pages, usually searchable by the serial number on the base of the PC.
• Printers, scanners and audio interfaces that come with their own software.

Download drivers only from the maker’s own site. Note the model exactly; a driver for a similar model can install and still cause problems.

Rolling back a bad driver

If a device got worse after a driver change:

1. Open Device Manager, right-click the device and select Properties.
2. Select the Driver tab.
3. Select Roll Back Driver and give a reason.

If Roll Back Driver is greyed out, there is no previous driver stored. In that case, uninstall the device and install an older driver from the maker’s site, or use System Restore to return to a restore point from before the change. If the driver came with a Windows update, see uninstall a Windows 11 update.

If Windows will not start after a driver change, start in safe mode, which loads only basic drivers, and roll back from there.

Do you need to update drivers at all?

Often not. A sensible rule:

Situation	What to do
Everything works	Let Windows Update handle drivers; do nothing else
One device misbehaves	Check optional updates, then Device Manager, then the maker’s site
New game or creative app	Update the graphics driver from the GPU maker
Problem started after an update	Roll back the driver first

Avoid “driver updater” and “PC booster” utilities. They frequently match the wrong driver, bundle unrelated software and push paid upgrades, and they cannot see anything Windows Update and the maker’s site do not already offer.

Related problems

Driver trouble often shows up as a specific symptom. If you landed here because of one, these guides go deeper: Bluetooth not working, audio not working, Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting, external monitor not detected and USB device not recognized. For checking which Bluetooth version your adapter supports, see check Bluetooth version in Windows 11.