Upgrading drivers on Windows 10 kinda feels like giving your PC a much-needed tune-up—except Windows makes it a bit more complicated than it needs to be. Drivers are those little software pieces that let your hardware talk to the OS, whether it’s your graphics card, your printer, or any other piece of hardware. Keeping them up-to-date can fix bugs, smooth out performance hiccups, or sometimes even add a shiny new feature you didn’t know you needed. But, honestly, sometimes it’s a pain — especially when Windows’ automatic updates don’t want to cooperate or freak out halfway through.
Luckily, there are a few tried-and-true ways to get your drivers freshened up. Whether you’re troubleshooting a weird GPU glitch or just want to make sure everything’s running smoothly, these methods can help. Expect your system to run a tad more stable, maybe faster, and with fewer error messages. Just a heads up, on some setups, the automatic driver update might fail the first time, so a reboot or a manual check might be needed. Because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary.
How to Upgrade Drivers on Windows 10 — Step-by-Step
Find and open Device Manager — it’s your best friend in driver land
- Right-click the Start button and choose Device Manager.
- This is where Windows keeps all your hardware info. You’ll see categories like Display Adapters, Network Adapters, etc.
Basically, it’s like your PC’s hardware control panel. Once you’re in there, you can start hunting down the device that’s giving you trouble or that you just want to update.
Locate your device — the culprit or the shiny new hardware
- Hit the arrow next to the device category (like Display Adapters) to expose the list of hardware.
- Pick the specific device you want to update. Sometimes, the name is obvious, but other times, you have to guess based on the model number or manufacturer.
This is kinda hit-or-miss—sometimes Windows can misidentify devices, so it’s worth double-checking if you’re not sure.
Right-click and choose “Update Driver” — the magic button
- Right-click on the device and select Update Driver.
- This opens a small window with update options. Here’s where the process begins.
Pick “Search automatically for updated driver software” — let Windows do the legwork
- Select this option to have Windows look online for the latest version.
- This is easiest — Windows will try to find the newest driver from Microsoft’s own servers or Windows Update.
Note: if this doesn’t find the latest driver or if you want the absolute newest straight from the source, skip to visiting the manufacturer’s website directly.
Follow prompts and maybe restart — because nothing’s ever simple
- If a driver update is found, follow any on-screen instructions.
- After installation, Windows might ask you to restart. Usually, that’s the best way to make sure everything’s working properly.
This restart isn’t always necessary, but it’s a good idea to avoid weird glitches later. Sometimes, the driver update doesn’t take right away without a reboot. Weird, but true.
Extra tips — because you’re not ‘just’ updating drivers
- Make a backup of your current drivers before updating — just in case something goes sideways. You can do this via tools like Windriver Backup or the built-in system restore.
- Check the manufacturer’s website if Windows doesn’t find an update, especially for graphics cards (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel).They often release beta or special driver versions that aren’t in Windows Update.
- If you’re into gaming or heavy graphics work, updating your GPU drivers regularly can really boost performance.
- Enabling Windows Update to automatically download drivers means less manual fuss—you might want to head into Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options and toggle on automatic driver updates.
Some quick FAQs
How often should drivers be updated?
Depends. If everything’s working fine, maybe every few months or after a big Windows update. But if you’re noticing bugs or hardware issues, update sooner rather than later.
Can drivers be rolled back?
Yes. If the new driver causes issues, go to Device Manager, right-click your device, pick Properties, then head to the Driver tab and click Roll Back Driver. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t—depends on whether a previous driver version is stored.
Is manual updating really necessary?
Not always. Windows Update tends to keep many drivers current. But if you’ve got specialized hardware or want the latest tweaks, visiting the manufacturer’s site is worth the extra step.
Third-party driver tools — worth it or not?
Best to avoid those pressure-cooker programs unless you really know what you’re doing. They can be risky, and sometimes, they’ll install wrong versions or bloatware. Stick with official sources when possible.
Will updating drivers speed things up?
Sometimes. Especially if old drivers have bugs or compatibility issues. But don’t expect miracles every time — it’s not a performance panacea.
Quick rundown — what you need to do
- Open Device Manager
- Find the device you want to update
- Right-click and choose Update Driver
- Pick Search automatically for updated driver software
- Follow prompts, restart if needed, and enjoy a fresher driver
Wrap-up
Getting drivers up to date isn’t exactly fun, but it’s one of those chores that pays off when your hardware behaves better and problems go away. Keep an eye on your hardware’s health, especially after Windows patches or big updates, and don’t hesitate to visit manufacturer sites if Windows can’t find what you need.
On some setups, updating drivers might be a bit tricky or require manual fiddling, but for most, these steps will clear up a lot of issues. Hopefully, this shaves off a few hours for someone, and their system runs just a little smoother!