Overview – Reinstall Drivers in Windows
It appears that some drivers installed on your computer are not functioning synchronously with the hardware, there is a high possibility that there are some misconfiguration and incompatibility issues with your version of Windows or your device’s model/hardware.
Let’s breakdown what we’re going to cover in this article:
When to Reinstall Windows Drivers and when not to
You should reinstall Windows Drivers under the following circumstances:
Malfunctioning of Same File Type
When the files of the same type and similar requirements are not functioning properly, then there is a probability that any particular common driver is misconfigured.
Driver Malfunctioning
When a certain component of a computer fails to function properly, it is almost often a problem associated with Windows Drivers. As a result, reinstalling drivers may be helpful in resolving the issue.
Hardware Connectivity issues
There might be a scenario when an external hardware component such as display, trackpad, fingerprint sensor, etc, fails to function randomly. It’s very likely that it’s because of a driver problem. So, reinstalling the related drivers can help to overcome the unfavorable scenario.
For Example, Screen Display is malfunctioning and getting unstable, sometimes showing a blank screen, and sometimes RGB Color composition gets messed up. At this point, you can try to reinstall display drivers in Windows or try to calibrate the monitor.
Important Tips To Follow
Backup
It’s critical to make a backup before installing Windows drivers because if your laptop or PC faces any technical problem when reinstalling, the system might be corrupted.
Plugin and Standby
Make sure your laptop is plugged in if the driver reinstallation takes a long time (it generally doesn’t). If you’re using a computer, double-check that your UPS has a strong battery backup.
Uninstall and Reinstall Drivers in Windows 11
Step #1: Open the Device Manager from the Start menu.
Step #2: Expand the drivers’ categories by single-clicking the arrow on the left side. Select the desired driver.
Step #3: Right Click the driver that you want to reinstall and select the Uninstall Driver option.
Step #4: Restart your device and the operating system will attempt to reinstall the drivers.
Pros of Reinstalling Drivers in Windows
Refreshed Drivers
Reinstalling drivers resolves conflicts and ensures correct operation, as well as reducing the likelihood of future problems if installed correctly.
Improved Performance
Sometimes, the programs on a computer or laptop begin to lag severely. One of the most prevalent causes of Windows performance degradation is driver misconfiguration. As a result, reinstalling the drivers may assist to improve driver performance.
Proper Hardware Functioning
External hardware components, such as the mouse, keyboard, and screen display, might occasionally fail and become unusable when connected to the PC. The majority of the time, this is a driver issue. Reinstalling a driver can assist in repairing the hardware difficulties.
FAQs Related to Reinstalling Windows Drivers
Why are the drivers not reinstalling?
You might have opened a program in the background that is interrupting during driver reinstallation. Close all the programs or restart your device to make sure no unnecessary program is running in the background and then try to reinstall drivers.
How long does it take to reinstall windows drivers?
It depends on the number of drivers you want to reinstall. Installing a single driver takes a normal restart but if you have many drivers (say, 30), then it will roughly take half an hour to install drivers excluding the downloading time.
What happens if a driver is not installed?
If the driver is not installed or configured properly, then it may lead to the instability of some components in windows such as if the BlueTooth driver is not well configured, then you will face BlueTooth connectivity problems.
Can I run my PC without drivers?
No, you cannot run a PC or laptop without drivers. Without drivers, your computer or laptop will not be able to connect to other external devices such mouse, controllers, printers, keyboards, scanners, and other peripherals.
Next Steps
We’ve covered how to uninstall and reinstall drivers in Windows 11. If you’re finding instability in the driver’s configuration, try to roll back the driver to previous version.
Before reinstalling drivers, make sure to follow the tips mentioned above to safely reinstall and reconfigure your drivers.
Using this method, you can uninstall and reinstall graphics drivers, GPU drivers, display drivers, sound drivers, network drivers, etc.
Further, customize your computer’s configuration by following the related articles below.
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