WHAT YOU CAN DO
• Install optional driver updates that Windows Update ignores
• Download the latest drivers from device manufacturers
• Update all your drivers with the best available versions
• Manually add a driver to the Windows driver store
• Avoid driver updaters that install junk and malware
• Remove old drivers for devices you no longer use
• Undo driver updates that cause problems on your PC
Drivers are an essential element of your PC. Without them none of your internal or external devices would work. But as with most ‘under the bonnet’ technology – from cars to computers – you don’t usually need to worry about them until a vital feature stops working or your system becomes slower or crashes.
This happens more frequently than you might think.Microsoft says that 70 per cent of blue screen of death errors are caused by third-party driver code (see www.snipca.com/42992).
Ensuring your drivers are up to date and functioning properly will keep your system running smoothly, though it’s not a task you need to perform every week like a virus scan. Windows 10 and 11 generally do a good job of automatically updating drivers in the background. However, as we explain in this feature, Windows doesn’t always install the best versions of drivers for all your devices, as soon as they’re available, so it’s useful to know how to update your drivers manually.
We reveal the easiest and safest free methods for keeping your drivers current, using options built into Windows, and by downloading the latest versions from the manufacturers.
We also recommend the few third-party tools you can trust to check for and install driver updates, and name and shame the dubious programs you should definitely avoid.
YOUR DRIVER QUESTIONS ANSWERED
What are drivers and why are they important?
Every component of your PC’s hardware, whether internal such as your motherboard and graphics card, or external like your mouse and keyboard, requires a small piece of software called a driver. This tells Windows exactly what that component is and does, and enables the devices to interact with each other.
For example, your printer’s driver allows your operating system to identify your printer, convert data into a printable format and send it to the device to be printed using settings you’ve specified. Without a driver, your
