Alex Ruben
How To Update Drivers on Windows 11 in 2025
Keeping your Windows 11 drivers up to date is kinda essential if you want your system to run smoothly, fix those weird bugs, or just make sure new hardware plays nice. This isn’t rocket science, but sometimes Windows doesn’t offer the best auto-updates or third-party tools make things way easier. Here’s a bit of a rundown with steps that have actually worked on some setups.
Step 1: Download Driver Booster
To get the ball rolling, you’ll need a tool that helps manage drivers without pulling your hair out. Driver Booster is one of the good ones. Here’s the quick way to grab it:
- Open Chrome or whatever browser you use.
- Search for Driver Booster and hit Enter.
- Find the official site (probably the first link that pops up).
- Hit the Free Download button. Usually, it’s pretty straightforward, but beware of some sites bundling extra crap — stick to official sources.
Why? Because it automates driver detection and updates, saving tons of manual searching. Also, it’s less risky than hunting down drivers on shady sites, especially for graphics cards and chipset drivers.
Step 2: Install Driver Booster
After download, find that file in Downloads folder, double-click it, and follow the prompts. Standard install, nothing fancy. Once installed, open it up. Sometimes, it asks if you want to do some extras, just decline unless you really want bloatware.
Pro tip: If it crashes or acts weird on first run, closing it completely, rebooting, then trying again sometimes helps. Windows can be weird sometimes about background apps causing conflicts.
Step 3: Scan for Driver Updates
Now that Driver Booster is fired up, hit the Scan button. It’s kind of weird, but it doesn’t always catch everything the first time; on some machines, you have to run it twice or restart after the first scan. Expect a list of drivers that need updating — NIC, GPU, sound, etc. If you’re feeling brave, just tick “Update All,” but review the list if you’re cautious.
Why? Because outdated drivers can cause performance issues, crashes, or just weird hardware behavior. The scan checks your current driver versions against the latest available ones, often from manufacturer servers automatically.
Step 4: Update Drivers
After scanning, click on Update Now. Driver Booster will download and install the updates. On some setups, this process skews a little — drivers might reinstall multiple times or ask for permissions repeatedly. Not sure why it works, but it’s normal. Keep an eye out for prompts asking to restart or close other apps.
Expect some drivers to update seamlessly, others to require a reboot. Sometimes, after updates, Windows will yank the system into a reboot loop, so be ready to restart manually if needed.
Step 5: Restart Your PC
Once the updates are done, close Driver Booster, then do a proper restart (Start menu > Restart). This helps ensure everything kicks in properly. Also, a quick double-check in Device Manager can confirm drivers are updated if you’re feeling extra cautious. (Right-click Start > Device Manager)—look for any yellow warning signs.
Note: On some machines, the driver update might not seem to stick until after several reboots or a clean shutdown. Windows has to make it harder sometimes, I swear.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
Some extra thoughts based on experience:
- Make sure your internet isn’t flaky during all this. Failed downloads during updates can mess things up.
- If a specific driver refuses to update or causes trouble, visit the hardware website directly. Graphics cards from Nvidia/AMD, for example, often do better manually — Nvidia driver download page or AMD support.
- If something weird happens after updates, restoring a system point (especially before critical driver updates) can save a headache.
Conclusion
Basically, updating drivers on Windows 11 can be simple or a little frustrating depending on hardware, drivers, or Windows quirks. Using tools like Driver Booster makes it way easier than hunting down drivers manually, but sometimes manual updates are still better. Just keep in mind that regular updates keep things running smoother and prevent sudden crashes or incompatibilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if Driver Booster doesn’t find any updates?
If it says you’re all up-to-date, maybe that’s true. Still, manually check in Device Manager or visit manufacturer sites just to be sure. Sometimes the tool misses older drivers or the latest BIOS may include important fixes.
Is Driver Booster safe to use?
Mostly yes, but as with anything, get it from the official source and avoid shady links. Windows can be cranky about third-party tools, but if you stick to trusted ones, it’s usually fine. Always back up before big driver updates, just in case.
Can I update drivers without third-party software?
Absolutely. Windows has an in-built way: Device Manager. Just right-click the device, pick Update Driver, then choose Search automatically for updated driver software. It’s not as thorough, but works for most things. Sometimes, manual installation from the device manufacturer’s website is still the best route, especially for graphics or audio devices.
Summary
- Driver Booster can be a lifesaver for quick fixes.
- Always back up before major updates, especially if critical hardware is involved.
- Sometimes, a restart is all it needs to finish syncing.
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone. Good luck, and don’t forget to keep drivers updated regularly — it’s one of those things that sneaky system bugs rely on to stay hidden, but updating makes everything run smoother.