How to Install and Update Drivers in Your PC

Co-authored by Luigi Oppido and Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: December 1, 2019 Tested

This wikiHow teaches you how to install and update software drivers for items on your Windows computer. Drivers are pieces of software that help an item (e.g., a webcam) work with your computer. Most items will install drivers automatically when connected to your computer, but if the item's drivers aren't properly updated, the item may not work correctly.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Installing Drivers

Things like webcams, printers, computer mice, keyboards, and so on are all usually usable with your computer after being plugged into the computer and left alone for a few minutes. You may need to update your drivers manually, but you usually won't have to install them manually.
Make sure that you're connected to the Internet. While many items are able to install their own drivers, some items (e.g., printers) may require an Internet connection in order to download the necessary drivers.
You'll usually do this by plugging the item's cable (e.g., a USB cable) into a receiving port on your computer.
Drivers usually install in the background (meaning that you don't have to do anything to install them), but you may need to complete a setup questionnaire or agreement before your item can begin installing on your computer.
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Try manually installing the drivers. If your item won't automatically install its own drivers, you may be able to install your item's drivers using one of the following sources:
- CD - If your item came with a CD included, try placing the CD in your computer's disc drive, making sure to follow any on-screen instructions as necessary.
- Manufacturer's website - You can often find drivers on the item manufacturer's website. Locate a link called “Drivers,” “Software” or “Support,” then download the latest drivers to your computer. You can usually run drivers by double-clicking their program icons.
- Third-party sources - For exceptionally old or outdated items, you may be able to find custom drivers on sites like GitHub or SourceForge. If so, download and double-click the driver file(s) to run them. Be extremely careful when doing this, since it's easy to accidentally download a virus.
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Restart your computer. Once you've installed your item and its accompanying drivers, restarting your computer will ensure that the drivers are properly implemented. To do so:
- Click Start
- Click Power
- Click Restart
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Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Updating Drivers

Open Start
. Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
This will search your computer for the Device Manager program, which is what you'll use to update drivers.
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Click Device Manager. It's at the top of the Start menu. Doing so will open the Device Manager window.
- You may have to click the Device Manager icon in the taskbar to open the Device Manager window before continuing.
4
Expand a category. Find the category for the type of item which you want to update, then double-click it. This will cause several indented options to appear below the category's heading.
- For example, if you want to update the drivers for a webcam, you'd double-click the Cameras category.
- If you see indented options directly below the category, it's already expanded.
Beneath the category heading, click the specific item whose drivers you want to update. This will select it.
You'll find it at the top of the Device Manager window. Doing so prompts a drop-down menu.
It's at the top of the drop-down menu. A new window will open.
This option is in the middle of the menu. Your computer will begin scanning online for drivers.
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Wait for the driver to update. If new drivers are available for your selected item, you'll receive a notification that they're being installed, as well as a notification when they finish installing.
- Your driver updates may require you to click through some on-screen options, so do so if prompted.
- If you see a message that says "The best drivers for your device are already installed" appear after a moment, your selected item is up-to-date.
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Expert Q&A

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Question

How can I locate a driver?

Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist
Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.

Luigi Oppido

Computer & Tech Specialist

Expert Answer

A lot of times you can find the DAP file or the DLL file in the System 32 folder that has drivers. Sometimes you can find them by going to your device manager under Control Panel, double-clicking on it, looking at the preferences of it, and going to where the driver file is and finding the location of that driver file inside System 32.

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Question

Can I update or install new CPUs?

SadisticShaDoWoLF

Community Answer

Yes, it depends on what socket your motherboard has and if you can still get that CPU. As an example, the Intel range is currently on the 8th generation. You would need to find out what generation your board is and physically buy a new CPU. You can opt for second-hand, but new is much better. If your board is too old then you need to buy an upgrade kit and get a new CPU, ram and motherboard. Get an expert to upgrade it for you if you don't know how.

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How do I reinstall an existing driver?

SadisticShaDoWoLF

Community Answer

The best and easiest way is to download a program called Driver Identifier. Just Google it. It scans your computer and will show you what drivers need to be updated. It will take you to their website and download from their safe servers.

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Tips

Sometimes the discs that come with external items include special software that adds cool features to the product (such as face filters for a webcam).

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Always eject USB items before unplugging them from your computer. This is done by clicking the flash drive icon in the lower-right corner of the screen (you may first have to click ^ here to see the flash drive icon) and then clicking the Eject option.

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If you download drivers from a third-party site, you may be asked for your computer's architecture (32-bit or 64-bit). You should check your computer's bit number to be sure.

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Warnings

If you're looking at drivers on third-party sites, never download a driver that has no reviews or user feedback. It's extremely important to know what you're potentially installing before even downloading it.

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