Device drivers are software that tells your computer’s operating system how to talk to its hardware. Without device drivers, your Windows PC or laptop won’t work. Keeping drivers up-to-date is essential for peak PC performance. We show you how to update drivers on Windows 7 and 10 -- either manually or by using our automatic Driver Updater.
Installing and updating drivers manually
Many hardware makers offer downloads for their PCs, components (see also our sound card driver update guide and graphics cards driver update guide), and peripherals (scanners, printers).
The manufacturer may include a neat installer that walks you through the download and launch processes. In this case, click here to go straight to the instructions. Some drivers come in the form of archives, such as ZIP or RAR. If that’s so, follow these instructions:
Updating individual drivers with Windows Device Manager
In some cases, Windows Update can install drivers that aren’t available elsewhere. Anything that has gone through the Microsoft certification process has been tested, so you can confidently trust the driver files it updates.
To use Windows Update to install drivers on Windows 7 or Windows 8:
- Click on Start and then go to Control Panel.
- Go to System and Security; select Windows Update.Windows Update finding important updates and drivers under Windows 7 and Windows 8
- Next, go to the list of optional updates. If you find some hardware driver updates, install them!
To Use Windows Update to install drivers on Windows 10:
- Click on the Start button and then on the little cog.Start menu settings item
- This opens the Settings application.
- Click on Update & security which brings you to the Windows Update section.
- Click on Check for Updates and hope that it installs updates automatically.
If that process doesn’t find anything, there’s a chance that you can still find a device driver using the “Automatic” detection method of Device Driver. To do that, open up Device Manager by clicking on the Windows key and R at the same time and typing in devmgmt.msc.
Opening Device Manager
Go to the driver to update and double-click on it, just as you did in the initial instructions. But instead of manually looking for an updater file, go to the Drivers application, choose the Update Driver button, and select Search automatically for updated driver software.
How to update drivers automatically
There are alternatives in the form of a professional driver updater software that comes with a database of drivers (hundreds of thousands of them), checks your system for old drivers, and installs the new ones automatically.
You can find, download, and update drivers automatically with Avast Driver Updater. It checks your entire system for old drivers, selects the best upgrades, and installs them for you -- easily and automatically.
Download Avast Driver Updater
Why do I have outdated drivers on my Windows computer?
Just as with any piece of software, drivers become outdated over time. Their makers release newer versions that fix bugs or add new features.
There are multiple reasons for outdated drivers on your PC. Among them:
Windows itself doesn’t provide updates to all drivers. Hardware makers have to go through a rigorous acceptance process before Microsoft includes the driver in Windows Update. As a result, it could take months for a driver to arrive on your device -- and by the time it does, the manufacturer has released newer versions.
When should I update a driver?
Because drivers run crucial parts of a computer, any failure makes the system unstable. As a result, drivers often are the culprit for when lots of things go wrong. Check for new drivers if:
You experience problems you can’t explain otherwise. Among them might be stuttering audio or no sound, Wi-Fi and connection issues, games not running or running extremely slowly, and random system crashes.
Devices won’t work at all. For example, when your USB ports don’t work, you need to update your USB drivers.
When you see an exclamation mark in your Device Manager. This means that Windows knows something is wrong. To look in Windows 7 and 10: Hold the WIN-KEY + R, type in devmgmt.msc, hit Enter to open Device Manager, and look for entries with an exclamation mark like this one:
Device Manager showing problems with the graphics card
This shows that there’s something wrong with the device. You should probably update it or install the proper drivers.
To boost PC performance. Some drivers, especially chipset and graphics drivers, may make your computer run faster. However, you should probably look for ways to improve your PC’s performance through other means or by using a product like Avast Cleanup.
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