Tip of the Week: Windows 10 Makes Updating Your Hardware Drivers Easy

It doesn’t matter what your role is within your organization--you’ll still be using the same hardware solutions to accomplish your daily tasks. Keyboards, wireless mouses, external microphones, and just about any normal USB device, all use drivers that allow for device compatibility. Unfortunately, if these drivers aren’t installed and kept up-to-date, your technology’s performance can suffer, as well as your productivity.

This week’s tip is all about how to install drivers or check if you have the most recent versions of your drivers so that you get the most out of your technology.

Since drivers are meant to help your device perform at maximum efficiency, Windows will automatically try to install them when you plug in a new piece of hardware. Depending on the developer, they will need to be frequently updated. Without the necessary drivers, you’ll be more likely to experience interruptions to your workday from hardware crashes that decrease overall performance. Of course, the easiest way to dodge these troubles is by simply keeping your drivers up to date.

First, you’ll want to open the Windows 10 Device Manager. To do so, right-click the Start menu, or press the Windows Key + X.

Once you’re in the Device Manager, you can see the details of the drivers that you’ve installed on your device. Use the categorized list to find the specified device’s drivers. Once you’ve done so, double-click the device and you’ll be shown the version of the driver that’s installed, as well as the date that it was issued.

If you have drivers that must be updated, select the Update Driver option. By checking the Search automatically for updated driver software, Windows can search for the new version of the driver. Once you’ve done this, the new driver (if available) will automatically install.

It’s important to keep in mind that some drivers will automatically be updated by Windows, but others will require that you use their specific tools to update drivers or patch software. Some manufacturers will keep direct download links on their websites, which means that Windows won’t be able to find what your device needs. Thus, it’s worth checking out the manufacturer’s website from time to time to see if there is a new version of a driver available.

Another thing to keep in mind is that a new version of a driver could potentially cause an issue or incompatibility with another part of your computer. Even though it’s important to keep everything up to date on your PC, it’s best to leave the updates to a technology professional. When Horne & Benik handles your technology, we ensure that software updates, patches, and hardware drivers are installed in a way which helps you benefit the most from them.

Do you have any more questions about hardware drivers? If so, reach out to Horne & Benik at (603) 499-4400.