How to Reinstall Drivers in Windows

How to Reinstall Drivers in Windows: A Step-by-Step Guide

Reinstalling drivers in Windows can be a trickier process than some might anticipate. However, it's crucial for ensuring your computer is functioning at its best. Over time, your system can get bogged down with unnecessary files and outdated drivers, which can cause sluggish performance and even system crashes. Luckily, with just a bit of know-how, you can reinstall your drivers and get your system running at peak performance in no time.

Venturing into Device Manager

To begin, navigate to Device Manager. This is a control panel applet in Microsoft Windows operating systems that allows users to view and control the hardware attached to the computer. This can be opened by clicking on the start button and searching for 'Device Manager' or by using the keyboard shortcut 'Windows key + R', and then typing 'devmgmt.msc' followed by 'Enter'.

Locating the Device

Once Device Manager is open, you will see a list of hardware categories. These include things like disk drives, display adapters and network adapters. Click on the small arrow next to each hardware category to expand it. From there, find the device you want to reinstall the driver for.

Uninstalling the Driver

Now that your device has been located, it's time to uninstall its driver. This can be done by right-clicking on the device in the list and selecting 'Uninstall device'. A dialog box will appear asking for confirmation to uninstall the device. Tick the box that says 'Delete the driver software for this device' if it is available, then click 'Uninstall'.

Reinstalling the Driver

Once the device has been uninstalled, it's time to reinstall the driver. This is often as simple as restarting your computer as Windows will attempt to reinstall the driver on its own on startup. This process is called 'plug and play'.

Manual Driver Installation

However, there may be situations where Windows does not automatically reinstall the driver. In such a case, you have to manually download the driver from the manufacturer's website and install it. Once downloaded, this can be installed by navigating back to Device Manager, right-clicking the device, and selecting 'Update driver'. Then, follow the prompts to browse your computer for the driver software you just downloaded, and install it.

Wrap Up

Refreshing your drivers can give your system a much-needed boost and can solve many common computer issues. Although it might seem daunting at first, by following these steps, you should be able to navigate the process of reinstalling drivers in Windows with ease.