How to Update Drivers on a PC: A Step-by-Step Guide 

To update drivers on a PC, use Windows Device Manager or Windows Update for routine updates, download drivers directly from the manufacturer (or the manufacturer’s own tool, like Dell Command Update) for critical hardware such as GPUs and network adapters, and avoid third-party “driver updater” utilities. For more than a handful of machines, push updates through an RMM or patch tool rather than touching each device.

Key Takeaways

• Outdated drivers cause instability, performance loss, and security gaps. Keeping them current should be routine maintenance, not a break/fix task.
• For most components, Windows Device Manager and Windows Update are the safe defaults. For GPUs and network adapters, get drivers straight from the manufacturer for the latest stable versions.
• Use the manufacturer’s own tools (Dell Command Update, Lenovo System Update, HP Support Assistant) and avoid generic third-party driver updaters, which are often bundled grayware.
• Always set a System Restore point or rollback plan before updating, so a bad driver is a quick revert rather than an outage.
• At fleet scale, doing this device by device does not work. Automate driver and patch rollouts so every endpoint stays current on a schedule.

A misbehaving PC can sink a productive day, and outdated drivers are often the culprit. Drivers are the bridge between the operating system and hardware like the graphics card or network adapter, so when they fall behind you get malfunctions, degraded performance, or security vulnerabilities.

This guide covers how to update drivers on a PC, the safest method for each situation, the manufacturer tools worth using, how to troubleshoot a bad update, and how to handle updates across a fleet.

Why Updating Drivers Matters

Drivers let the operating system communicate with hardware. IT teams keep them current to:

• Improve stability and reliability. Up-to-date drivers keep critical hardware, from network adapters to storage, running smoothly.
• Maintain hardware compatibility. Upgrading components like GPUs or processors usually requires updated drivers.
• Fix bugs. Vendors release driver updates to resolve issues, especially after an OS update.
• Close security gaps. Updated drivers patch vulnerabilities in older versions. (Microsoft’s Windows Update delivers many of these automatically.)

Best practices before you start

1. Use manufacturer tools where possible. Official tools and Windows Update are more reliable than generic third-party utilities.
2. Avoid third-party driver updaters. Most are grayware that bundle unwanted software or introduce risk. Stick with manufacturer software or Windows Update.
3. Create a rollback plan. Set a System Restore point before updating so you can revert if a driver causes problems.

How to Update Drivers on a PC: Step-by-Step

There are several methods, from built-in Windows tools to direct manufacturer downloads. Use the one that matches the situation.

Method 1 — Windows Device Manager

1. Right-click the Start menu and select Device Manager.
2. Locate the hardware to update (for example, Display Adapters, Network Adapters, or Sound, Video, and Game Controllers).
3. Right-click the device, choose Update driver, then Search automatically for drivers.

Device Manager is convenient but does not always find the newest driver. For critical hardware like GPUs and network adapters, go to the manufacturer directly.

Method 2 — Windows Update

1. Go to Settings > Windows Update.
2. Click Check for updates.
3. Open Advanced options > Optional updates and install any driver updates listed there.

Windows Update is safe and convenient, though it often lags behind the manufacturer’s latest release.

Method 3 — Download from the manufacturer

1. Identify the exact hardware model in Device Manager or System Information.
2. Visit the manufacturer’s support page (for example, NVIDIA for graphics or Realtek for network adapters) and download the latest driver for your OS.
3. Run the installer, follow the prompts, and restart if prompted.

For major components, vendor software like NVIDIA’s app or AMD’s Adrenalin can manage these updates automatically.

Method 4 — Manufacturer driver tools

Each major OEM ships its own update tool. These are the recommended alternative to generic third-party updaters:

• Dell Command | Update. Often pre-installed on Dell systems and can run from the command line: dcu-cli.exe /silent /reboot=disable /applyUpdates. It can also run on a schedule.
• Lenovo System Update. For business-grade Lenovo systems; supports command-line automation via Task Scheduler. (Lenovo Vantage is the consumer-grade equivalent.)
• HP Support Assistant. Pre-installed on most HP devices; provides driver updates, diagnostics, and scheduled checks.

You can deploy all three through Syncro’s third-party app management, and the script library includes scripts to help manage them.

Troubleshooting Common Driver Update Issues

Issue: Device malfunctions or performs poorly after an update. Cause: A faulty or incompatible driver version. Fix: In Device Manager, open the device Properties > Driver tab > Roll Back Driver. If that fails, uninstall the driver and reinstall a fresh download from the manufacturer.

Issue: The driver update fails to install. Cause: A conflict with a running driver, or an OS-incompatible version. Fix: Boot into Safe Mode and reinstall, and confirm the driver supports your OS version (for example, Windows 11).

Issue: System crashes or blue screen after updating. Cause: A new driver conflicting with older drivers. Fix: Make sure related drivers (chipset, GPU, network) are current, then use System Restore to revert if needed. Enable System Restore before you begin updates.

Key Considerations for IT Pros

Create an update schedule. Quarterly checks for non-essential drivers, more frequent updates for critical hardware like graphics and network drivers.

Understand driver types. Windows Update ships WHQL-certified (Windows Hardware Quality Labs) drivers, tested by Microsoft and generally stable. Many teams prefer drivers direct from the manufacturer for newer features. Test what works best for your environment.

Do not forget firmware and BIOS. Driver updates alone are not always enough. BIOS and firmware updates can improve hardware compatibility, add security patches, and support newer CPUs or RAM.

How Syncro Automates This Across Inventories

Updating drivers on one machine is quick. Doing it across dozens or hundreds, one device at a time, does not scale, and that is where missed updates and inconsistency creep in.

Syncro’s patch management automates driver and software rollouts across every managed Windows endpoint, and the scripting engine deploys manufacturer update tools and custom remediation on a schedule you define, without logging into each device.

See how Syncro helps IT teams keep every endpoint current

Stop updating drivers one PC at a time. Syncro automates driver and patch rollouts across your whole Windows fleet from a single console.

See how Syncro automates patch management · Start a free trial

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By

Lindsey Giusto

I’m dedicated to continuously improving and innovating Syncro to help our partners successfully grow their business on our platform.

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