Overview – Update Drivers in Windows 11
A driver is a piece of software that enables the computer to interact with the hardware. The computer would be unable to access the USB drives, printer, mouse, keyboard or other hardware if drivers were not installed. Furthermore, device drivers play a critical role in security. Windows verifies the digital signatures of device drivers on a regular basis to confirm that they haven’t been tampered with and originate from a reliable source. If Windows identifies a malicious driver, it will take necessary action, such as preventing the driver from loading or terminating the process.
It appears that your computer is running a little sluggishly and frequently hangs, and you suspect that the drivers are malfunctioning. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to update drivers in Windows 11:
- Automatically
- Manually
Tips To Follow Before Updating Windows Drivers
Windows Backup
Before reverting to an older driver, make sure you have a complete backup of your Windows system. If any technical problem occurs when updating Windows Drivers, the entire system may end up crashing.
Ensure Proper Backup and Plug In Device.
If you’re using a PC, make sure the UPS is turned on and charged to offer a backup, and if you’re using a laptop, make sure the charger is properly connected because the system may crash if the process is interrupted.
Update Drivers Automatically in Windows 11
Method 1: Using Windows Settings
When you use Windows Settings to update drivers, all your device’s drivers will be updated at once. If you want to update any particular driver, you may skip to the next method below.
Step 1: Open the Windows Settings from the Start menu or press the “Windows Logo Key + I” key combination on the keyboard.
Step 2: Select the “Windows Update” option from the left sidebar/navigation pane and click the “Check for Updates” option.
Step 3: The Windows will start looking for Updates for all the connected hardware components including drivers and software, along with performance and security patches.
Step 4: Once the updates are fetched, Windows will start to install them on your device.
Step 5: Once the updates are completely installed, restart the device to make changes take effect properly.
Method 2: Using Device Manager
Step 1: Open the “Device Manager” from the Start menu or press the “Windows Logo key + R” key combination on the keyboard, type: devmgmt.msc and hit the enter key.
Step 2: Expand the required device category by pressing the arrow on the left side of the text. A list of drivers related to the driver category appear.
Step 3: Right-click the driver that you want to update and press the “Update driver” option.
Step 4: The “Search Automatically for drivers” option will look for the latest driver updates automatically and install them (recommended).
Step 5: Once you select the “Search Automatically for drivers” option, Windows will begin looking for the latest drivers to install. The newest driver will be immediately installed in the system after it is fetched by the Windows Server. If the driver is already the most recent version, the message “The best drivers for your device are already installed” will appear.
Step 6: Once the updates are installed, restart the device to make changes take effect immediately.
Update Drivers Manually in Windows 11
Method 1: Using Device Manager
Step 1: Open the “Device Manager” from the Start menu or press the “Windows Logo key + R” key combination on the keyboard, type: devmgmt.msc and hit the enter key.
Step 2: Expand the required device category by pressing the arrow on the left side of the text. A list of drivers related to the driver category appear.
Step 3: Right-click the driver that you want to update and press the “Update driver” option.
Step 4: Choose the “Browse my computer for drivers” option, and download the latest driver update from the official website of the driver manufacturer and install it in the system yourself, but this might cause compatibility issues if not configured properly (not recommended). You can download the compatible drivers from the following resources:
- Download Intel Drivers Manually.
- Download AMD Drivers Manually.
- Download NVIDIA Drivers Manually.
- Drivers, Firmware and Software Downloadables – Computer Hope.
Step 5: Browse the location of the installed driver and press the “Next” button.
Step 6: Once the drivers are installed, restart the computer to make changes take effect.
Pros of Updating Drivers in Windows
Bugs and Performance Patches
Manufacturers frequently keep rolling out the performance and maintenance updates, so updating the drivers will keep your device’s functionality maintained and working.
Security Patches
Every day there is an increase in cybercrimes involving system hijacking, the driver manufacturers are constantly trying their level best to reduce the number of bugs and vulnerabilities from the drivers.
FAQs Related to Driver Updates
How do I update all my drivers in Windows 11?
To update all the drivers in Windows 11, go to Windows Settings > Windows Updates > Click the Check for updates option> Wait until update installs.
What are the most important drivers to update?
Some important driver updates include BIOS, Firmware, Display, External Hardware such as Mouse drivers, keyboard drivers, audio drivers, graphics drivers, Network drivers, and Motherboard drivers.
How long does driver update takes in Windows?
Driver updates typically take about 2-5 Minutes to install depending on the update size and device’s configuration and compatibility.
Does updating drivers increase FPS?
Yes, updating drivers boost the device’s performance, thus increasing the FPS. But, if you install driver update manually and it’s not compatible, then you will face system instability and misconfigurations.
Next Steps
So, in the end, we can conclude that updating the Windows Drivers is totally worth it but if automatic updates are enabled in your device, then it might reduce the performance. In this case, you can stop updates in Windows 11 when not in use.
We’ve covered the two methods to update drivers in Windows 11 – Automatic and Manual Ways:
- Update Windows drivers with Windows Settings – Recommended to use if you need to update and install all drivers cumulatively.
- Update Windows drivers with Device Manager – Recommended to use if you need to update a single driver without configuring any other driver.
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