How To Update Device Driver in Windows 11 - [ Step by Step ]

Why Need to Update Driver in Windows

Keeping your device drivers updated in Windows 11 is super important. It makes your computer work better by improving how it talks to the hardware. Plus, it makes sure your computer can run new software without any problems.

Updating drivers also helps your computer stay stable and not crash. It adds security updates to keep your system safe from potential issues. Sometimes, these updates even bring cool new features to make your experience better.

So, updating drivers is like giving your computer a tune-up, making sure everything works well and stays secure

1. Use Windows Update

To update device drivers using Windows Update in Windows 11, follow these steps:

Open the Start menu and click on the "Settings" icon, which looks like a gear.

In the Settings window, select "Windows Update" from the left-hand menu.

Click on the "Check for updates" button. Windows will now search for available updates, including device driver updates.

If there are any device driver updates available, they will be listed under the "Optional updates" section.

Click on "View optional updates" to see the list of available updates.

In the list of optional updates, locate the device driver update you want to install. You can expand each category to view the specific driver updates.

Check the box next to the device driver update you want to install and click on the "Install" button.

Windows will download and install the selected device driver update. The progress will be shown on the Windows Update screen.

After the installation is complete, you may be prompted to restart your computer. If so, save any unsaved work and click on the "Restart now" button.

Once your computer restarts, the updated device driver will be applied, and your system will be up to date.

It's worth noting that while Windows Update is a convenient method for updating device drivers, it may not always have the latest or specific drivers for your hardware. In such cases, you may need to visit the manufacturer's website or use third-party driver update software for more comprehensive driver updates.

2. Use Device Manager

To update device drivers using Device Manager in Windows 11, follow these steps:

Press the Windows key + X on your keyboard to open the Power User Menu, and then select "Device Manager" from the list. Alternatively, you can search for "Device Manager" in the Start menu and open it from the search results.

In the Device Manager window, you will see a list of different hardware categories. Expand the category corresponding to the device driver you want to update. For example, expand "Display adapters" for graphics card drivers or "Network adapters" for network card drivers.

Right-click on the specific device for which you want to update the driver, and from the context menu, select "Update driver."

In the Update Drivers window that appears, select the option "Search automatically for updated driver software." Windows will then search online for the latest driver updates for that device.

If Windows finds an updated driver, it will automatically download and install it. Follow any on-screen prompts or instructions that may appear during the installation process.

Once the driver update is complete, you may be prompted to restart your computer. If so, save any unsaved work and click on the "Restart now" button.

After your computer restarts, the updated device driver will be applied, and your system will be up to date.

If Windows Update doesn't find a suitable driver or if you have specific drivers downloaded from the manufacturer's website, you can choose the "Browse my computer for drivers" option in the Update Drivers window. This allows you to manually select and install the downloaded driver file.