Fix Device Driver Problems in Windows 11/10
You installed a new hardware device and it’s not working properly
Make sure that the hardware device is compatible with your computer and with your version of Windows. If the device isn’t compatible, you will need to find the correct driver. Check the information that came with your device. You can also search for the device on the Windows Compatibility Center website. This website contains a comprehensive list of computers and devices that have been tested to work with Windows 7.Many devices require special drivers to work properly. Be sure that you have installed any software discs that came with the device.Restart the computer, restarting might be necessary if the driver requires it, or if the driver didn’t install correctly.If the device is a universal serial bus (USB) device, disconnect it and then plug it into a different USB port. Windows should detect the device and install the drivers and notify you if the device drivers didn’t install properly.Updated drivers might be available through Windows Update. When you check Windows Update, click View available updates to determine if an updated driver is available for your device. You may also check up on the manufacturer’s websites for updated Drivers.
My device used to work, but now it doesn’t
These are several things you can try!
Updated drivers might be available through Windows Update. When you check Windows Update, click View available updates to see if an updated driver is available for your device.If you can’t find a new driver through Windows Update or the manufacturer’s website, try reinstalling the software that came with the device, which might contain drivers.
Read: How to install Drivers in Windows 11
You installed the latest device drivers using Windows Update, and in future you want it to happen automatically:
It’s important to set Windows to download and install updates automatically. But even if you have Windows Update set to automatically install important updates for your computer, it still might not be set to install all the updated drivers it finds for your hardware. To automatically get available driver updates for your hardware, set Windows to install recommended updates. Related read: NVIDIA, AMD, Realtek drivers won’t install. To set Windows to install recommended updates:
You can set Windows to automatically install important and recommended updates or important updates only. Optional updates aren’t downloaded or installed automatically. To get all available updates for your devices, periodically check Windows Update for optional updates. You can also use Driver Verifier Manager & Device Manager to fix driver issues. If you feel the need, you can refer to this post, to identify computer hardware problems. Additional resources:
