In this article, you'll learn how to update drivers on your computer. Drivers are programs that help your PC interact with various components and devices, such as speakers, flash drives, and much more. Typically, drivers are installed and updated automatically when you connect hardware, but sometimes you need to do it manually. On a Windows operating system, you can view and update drivers through Device Manager, while Mac OS X users can download drivers from the manufacturer’s website.

For Windows Users

Step 1. Open the Start Menu

Step 1
Click on the Windows logo in the bottom left corner of your screen to open the Start Menu.

  • In Windows 10, most drivers are updated automatically through Windows Update, but you can always check for updates manually.

Step 2. Go to Settings

Step 2
Click on the gear icon in the lower left corner of the Start Menu to open the Settings window.

Step 3. Select “Update & Security”

Step 3
Choose the “Update & Security” option from the opened window.

  • If you are in another tab in Settings, simply click on “Home” in the top left corner.

Step 4. Click on “Windows Update”

Step 4
Select “Windows Update” which is located on the left side of the window.

Step 5. Click “Check for updates”

Step 5
Click on the “Check for updates” button at the top of the page. Windows will start looking for available updates, including drivers.

  • Depending on how much time has passed since the last update, this process may take some time.

Step 6. Select “Install”

Step 6
Click “Install” if updates are available. The button will appear at the top of the page, and the updates will start downloading.

  • In some versions of Windows, updates may download automatically.
  • Once installation is complete, you may be prompted to restart your computer.

For Mac OS X Users

Step 1. Open the Apple Menu

Step 1
Click on the Apple logo in the top left corner of your screen.

  • All driver updates for Mac computers are handled by Apple.

Step 2. Go to the App Store

Step 2
Select “App Store” from the menu. This will open the app store.

Step 3. Open the “Updates” Tab

Step 3
Click on the “Updates” tab at the top of the window. If it’s not open by default, do this manually. You will see a list of all available updates, including drivers.

Step 4. Select “Update All”

Step 4
Click on the gray “Update All” button in the top right corner of the App Store. This will begin downloading all available updates.

  • If you want to update only specific drivers, you can click “Update” next to each of them.

Step 5. Wait for Updates to Install

Step 5
Wait until all updates are downloaded and installed. This may take a few minutes, and you may be prompted to restart your computer upon completion.

  • If the installation of a driver was blocked, it may not have an Apple digital signature. In this case, allow installations from third-party developers.

Using Device Manager (for Windows)

Step 1. Determine When to Use This Method

Step 1
Make sure you know when to use this approach. You can find Microsoft-certified drivers through Device Manager, but it’s usually better to use Windows Update first as it will find the needed driver faster.

Step 2. Open the Start Menu

Step 2
Click on the Windows logo in the bottom left corner of your screen to open the Start Menu.

  • Alternatively, right-click on the Start icon.

Step 3. Open Device Manager

Step 3
Type “Device Manager” in the search bar and select it from the top of the menu.

  • If you right-clicked the Start icon, select “Device Manager” from the menu that appears.

Step 4. Find the Relevant Hardware Section

Step 4
Browse Device Manager and find the section related to the device whose driver needs updating.

  • For example, to update a Bluetooth driver, look for the “Bluetooth” section.

Step 5. Expand the Section

Step 5
Double-click on the relevant section to display a list of all connected devices.

  • If the section is already open, you can skip this step.

Step 6. Select the Device

Step 6
Click on the device whose driver you plan to update.

  • If the device is not listed, it may not be connected. In that case, close Device Manager, connect the device, follow the on-screen instructions, and then reopen Device Manager.

Step 7. Go to the “Action” Menu

Step 7
Click on the “Action” tab at the top of the Device Manager window to open the menu.

Step 8. Click “Update Driver”

Step 8
Select the “Update Driver” option from the menu that opens.

Step 9. Choose “Search automatically for updated driver software”

Step 9
Click on “Search automatically for updated driver software” to start searching for suitable drivers for your device.

Step 10. Follow the On-Screen Instructions

Step 10
Follow the on-screen instructions. If drivers are found, you’ll be prompted to install them; you may need to confirm several options before installation.

  • After updating drivers, you may need to restart your computer.
  • If the system reports that suitable drivers are already installed, try downloading them from the manufacturer’s website.

How to Download Drivers from the Manufacturer’s Website

Step 1. Identify the Model and Manufacturer of the Device

Step 1
Determine the model and manufacturer of the device whose driver needs updating. To manually install drivers, you need to download them from the manufacturer’s website, so it’s important to know the manufacturer and model information.

  • For example, for a Razer keyboard, look for drivers on the Razer website.
  • If you have a laptop, find all necessary drivers on the manufacturer’s website.
  • You can find the model in the manual or in Device Manager if the device is recognized by the system.

Step 2. Go to the Manufacturer’s Website

Step 2
Visit the manufacturer’s website. Here are some well-known component manufacturers:

  • Motherboards: Gigabyte — gigabyte.com/support/
  • Intel — downloadcenter.intel.com/
  • MSi — ru.msi.com/support#support_download
  • ASUS — asus.com/support/
  • NVIDIA — nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en
  • AMD/ATI — support.amd.com/en-us/download
  • Dell — dell.com/support/home/en/en/19/Products/laptop?app=drivers
  • Lenovo — support.lenovo.com/en/en

Step 3. Find the “Downloads” or “Drivers” Tab

Step 3
Look for a tab labeled “Downloads” or “Drivers.” This tab is usually located at the top of the main page of the site, but sometimes you may need to click “Support” first to access it.

Step 4. Download the Necessary Drivers

Step 4
Click on the driver name or the “Download” link next to it to download the file.

  • Many drivers are in EXE format or in packages that may include additional software. Older drivers may be packaged in ZIP archives.

Step 5. Run the Driver Installer

Step 5
Double-click the downloaded file and follow the instructions to install the driver. If the file was downloaded in ZIP format, first unzip it:

  • For Windows: double-click the ZIP file, then select “Extract” > “Extract All” > “Extract.”
  • For Mac: double-click the ZIP file to unzip it.

Step 6. Allow Driver Installation on Mac

Step 6
If you receive an error message while installing the driver, follow these steps:

  • Click “OK” in the error window.
  • Open the Apple menu and select “System Preferences.”
  • Go to “Security & Privacy.”
  • Click “Allow” next to the message about blocking the installation of system software.

Step 7. Manually Install Drivers (for Windows)

Step 7
If the drivers were downloaded in ZIP format, you need to install them manually through Device Manager:

  • In Device Manager, select the hardware whose driver needs updating.
  • Choose “Action” > “Update Driver.”
  • Click “Browse my computer for driver software” and specify the path to the unzipped folder while holding Ctrl and clicking on files with the “.inf” extension.