Tip: The best way to get driver updates in Windows is automatically using Windows Update. For more information, see Automatically get recommended drivers and updates for your hardware.
Before you begin
Driver updates for devices in Windows, such as network adapters, printers, and video cards, are automatically downloaded and installed through Windows Update. Most drivers are probably recent and up to date. However, to manually update or reinstall a driver, here's how:
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Right-click on the Start menu and then select Device Manager.
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In the Device Manager window that opens, select the arrow next to the desired category of device to expand the category. Selecting the arrow next to the category expands the category. For example, to update the driver of a printer, select the arrow next to Printers .
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Multiple devices might be listed under the selected category after expanding it. Determine which of the devices needs the drivers updated.
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Right-click on the desired device and select Update driver.
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In the Update Drivers window that opens, select Search automatically for updated driver software. Windows proceeds to search for updated drivers. If it finds any, it installs the updated drivers.
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If Windows doesn't find updated drivers, updated drivers can be searched from Windows Update by selecting the option Search for updated drivers on Windows update. From there, follow the instructions in the article Automatically get recommended drivers and updates for your hardware.
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Select the Close button to close the Update Drivers window.
This method relies on drivers first being downloaded from the device manufacturers website.
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Download the drivers for the desired device from the device manufacturer's site. Make sure to download the correct drivers that match the version and architecture of Windows. Once downloaded, if necessary, uncompress the downloaded drivers. Make a note of where the drivers are located on the Windows device.
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Right-click on the Start menu and then select Device Manager.
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In the Device Manager window that opens, select the arrow next to the desired category of device to expand the category. Selecting the arrow next to the category expands the category. For example, to update the driver of a printer, select the arrow next to Printers .
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Multiple devices might be listed under the selected category after expanding it. Determine which of the devices needs the drivers updated.
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Right-click on the desired device and select Update driver.
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In the Update Drivers window that opens, select Browse my computer for drivers.
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In the Browse for drivers on your computer window, select the Browse... button
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In the Browse For Folder window, browse to the location where the drivers were downloaded to, and then select the OK button.
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In the Browse for drivers on your computer window, make sure the path to the drivers is correct, then select the Next button.
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Windows proceeds to install the drivers if it finds that the drivers are updated versions of the drivers. If updated drivers are already installed, the message The best drivers for your device are already installed is displayed.
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Select the Close button to close the Update Drivers window.
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Save all work and close all apps.
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Right-click on the Start menu and then select Device Manager.
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In the Device Manager window that opens, select the arrow next to the desired category of device to expand the category. Selecting the arrow next to the category expands the category. For example, to reinstall the driver of a display adapter, select the arrow next to Display adapters.
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Multiple devices might be listed under the selected category after expanding it. Determine which of the devices needs the driver reinstalled.
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Right-click on the desired device and select Uninstall device.
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In the Uninstall Device window that opens, confirm uninstalling the device by selecting the Uninstall button.
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Restart the Windows device by right-clicking on the Start menu and then selecting Shut down or sign out > Restart.
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After the Windows device restarts, Windows attempts to reinstall the driver for the device. If the driver doesn't reinstall, see one of the following sections in this article:
Note: Some devices, such as printers, might need to be reinstalled manually. For more information, see Install a printer in Windows.