How to Update a Device Driver Through Device Manager in Windows 11

A piece of hardware — a webcam, printer, sound card, or network adapter — is acting up, and you want to make sure it’s running the newest driver.

Why: Windows ships with in-box drivers and pulls newer ones through Windows Update, but an outdated or generic driver can cause glitches, missing features, or errors. Microsoft supports updating a driver three ways: from inside Device Manager, through Windows Update, and through the Optional updates list.

Fix 1: Update the driver from Device Manager

This is the fastest check and works for a single device.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager (or press Win + R, type devmgmt.msc, and press Enter).
2. Click the arrow next to the device’s category to expand it.
3. Right-click the device → Update driver.
4. Choose Search automatically for drivers.
5. Windows searches your PC and Windows Update for a newer driver and installs it if one is found. Click Close.

If it reports “The best drivers for your device are already installed,” that just means Device Manager found nothing newer — move on to Fix 2, where Windows Update may have a driver Device Manager doesn’t pull on its own.

Fix 2: Let Windows Update install it

Microsoft’s recommended way to keep drivers current is automatically through Windows Update.

1. Select Start → Settings → Windows Update.
2. Click Check for updates and install anything offered.
3. Click Advanced options and make sure Receive updates for other Microsoft products is turned On — this widens the pool of driver updates Windows can offer.
4. Restart if prompted, then recheck the device.

Fix 3: Install an Optional driver update

Some manufacturer drivers are published to Windows Update but not installed automatically — they sit in the Optional updates list until you pick them.

1. Go to Settings → Windows Update → Advanced options.
2. Under Additional options, click Optional updates.
3. Expand Driver updates. If your device’s driver is listed, tick it and click Download and install.
4. Restart your device after the install finishes.

If nothing relevant is listed and the device still misbehaves, download the latest driver directly from the device manufacturer’s support page and run their installer — Microsoft notes this is the right move when the vendor hasn’t published a driver to Windows Update.

FAQ

Should I use third-party “driver updater” apps? No need. Microsoft’s supported paths are Device Manager, Windows Update, Optional updates, and the manufacturer’s own site. Those four cover virtually every legitimate driver.

The update made things worse — can I undo it? Yes. Open the device’s Properties → Driver tab and click Roll Back Driver to return to the previous version.

Why didn’t “Search automatically” find anything but Optional updates did? Device Manager and the Optional updates list don’t always surface the same packages. Check both before downloading from the vendor.

Sources: Microsoft Support — Update drivers through Device Manager in Windows, Microsoft Support — Automatically get recommended and updated hardware drivers