Drivers act as translators between hardware and software. That is, without the correct drivers, the Windows operating system cannot use any of the hardware on your PC.
Hardware manufacturers often release updates to device drivers to fix issues and improve security. So, it’s important to ensure you have the latest device drivers for optimal performance.
So, how do we update device drivers on a Windows 11 PC? It’s pretty easy!
Unlike before, you do not need to manually update drivers in Windows 11 or use third-party tools. Windows 11 can automatically check for driver updates and install them.
That said, Windows 11 might not immediately download and install device drivers as soon as they are released by the device manufacturer.
Check and install driver updates in Windows 11
Here is how to use the Windows Update to manually update drivers in Windows 11.
NOTE 1: If a device does not work properly after updating its driver, you can restore the previous version of the driver using the rollback driver feature. Refer to our how to install previous version of the driver in Windows 11 guide for directions.
NOTE 2: Only device drivers published to Windows Update by PC manufacturers are available for update. If a hardware manufacturer does not offer a driver or update via Windows Update, you need to manually download and install the latest version of the driver to update it.
Step 1: Open the Windows 11 Settings app.
Step 2: In the left pane, click Windows Update.
Step 3: Now, on the right side, click the Check for updates button to force Windows 11 to scan the Windows Update catalog for available updates, including driver updates.
Step 4: Once done, on the same page, click Advanced options under the More options section.
Step 5: Scroll down to see Additional options. Here, click Optional updates.
Step 6: Click Driver updates to see all available driver updates. As you can see, firmware, system, and printer driver updates are available on my Windows 11 PC.
Step 7: Select the updates you want to install and then click the Download and install button. Windows 11 will download and install selected updates in the background.
If a system restart is required, please do the same when asked to do so.
Our guide on how to update printer drivers in Windows 11 might also interest you.
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