Keeping your drivers up to date can help improve hardware compatibility, fix bugs, and resolve certain performance issues.
Windows 11 automatically updates many drivers through Windows Update, but there may be times when manually updating a driver is necessary.
In this guide, you’ll learn several ways to update drivers on Windows 11 safely and easily.
What Are Drivers?
Drivers are small pieces of software that allow Windows to communicate with your computer’s hardware.
Many devices rely on drivers to function properly, including your graphics card, network adapter, printer, sound device, and other components connected to your computer. If you’re not sure what hardware is installed in your PC, check out our guide on how to check your computer specs on Windows 11.
When drivers become outdated, corrupted, or incompatible, you may experience problems such as hardware malfunctions, performance issues, connectivity problems, or unexpected errors.
Keeping drivers updated can help ensure your hardware continues to work reliably with Windows 11.
Update Drivers Using Windows Update
For most users, Windows Update is the easiest and safest way to update drivers.
To check for driver updates:
- Open Settings
- Select Windows Update
- Click Check for updates
- Install any available updates
Windows Update automatically delivers many hardware driver updates along with security patches, bug fixes, and other system updates.
In most cases, this is the only method needed to keep your drivers up to date.
To confirm which updates have already been installed, see our guide on how to check your Windows 11 update history.
Update Drivers Using Device Manager
If Windows Update doesn’t find the driver you’re looking for, you can also check for updates through Device Manager.
To update a driver using Device Manager:
- Open the Start menu
- Search for Device Manager
- Expand the appropriate hardware category
- Right-click the device you want to update
- Select Update driver
- Choose Search automatically for drivers
Windows will search for and install any available driver updates for the selected device.
This method can be useful when troubleshooting a specific piece of hardware, such as a graphics card, network adapter, printer, or sound device. If you’re not sure which graphics card is installed, see our guide on How to Check Your Graphics Card on Windows 11.
When Should You Update Drivers?
Most users do not need to update drivers constantly.
However, updating drivers may be helpful if:
- Hardware is not working correctly
- Games are experiencing graphical issues
- Devices are disconnecting unexpectedly
- New hardware has been installed
- A manufacturer recommends an update
If your computer is working properly, there is often no need to update drivers simply for the sake of updating them.
In many cases, Windows Update automatically installs the driver updates most users need, allowing you to focus on using your computer rather than managing drivers manually.
Should You Download Driver Update Software?
Many third-party programs claim to automatically scan your computer and update outdated drivers.
In most cases, Windows Update and Device Manager provide all the functionality the average user needs.
Be cautious when downloading driver update utilities from unknown sources, as some may include unwanted software, display misleading scan results, or encourage unnecessary purchases.
For most Windows 11 users, sticking with Windows Update and drivers provided directly by hardware manufacturers is the safest approach.
Update Drivers Directly from the Manufacturer
In some situations, downloading drivers directly from the hardware manufacturer may provide newer updates than Windows Update.
This is especially common with graphics cards, where manufacturers frequently release driver updates that improve performance, fix bugs, or add support for new games and features.
Common examples include:
- NVIDIA graphics cards
- AMD graphics cards
- Intel graphics hardware
For most users, Windows Update remains the easiest option. However, gamers, content creators, and power users may prefer to download the latest drivers directly from the manufacturer’s website.
Manufacturer-provided drivers are often available before they appear through Windows Update.
Final Thoughts
Keeping your drivers up to date can help improve hardware compatibility, fix bugs, and resolve certain performance issues.
For most Windows 11 users, Windows Update is the easiest and safest way to manage driver updates. Device Manager and manufacturer websites can be useful alternatives when troubleshooting specific hardware problems or looking for the latest driver releases.
By updating drivers when needed and relying on trusted sources, you can help keep your Windows 11 computer running smoothly and reliably.