How to Install Drivers on Windows 10 and 11: Complete Guide for All Devices
How to install drivers on Windows 10 and 11 after a clean install. Automatic update, manual installation, finding drivers by device ID, fixing driver conflicts and BSOD.
After a clean Windows install, some devices may not work: no sound, Wi-Fi won't connect, graphics card shows low resolution. The reason — missing drivers.
Method 1 — Windows Update (easiest)
Win + I → Windows Update → Check for updates
Windows Update → Advanced options → Optional updates → Driver updates
Installs automatically: chipset, network, basic audio and video drivers. Does NOT install: NVIDIA/AMD gaming drivers, printers, specialized hardware.
Method 2 — Device Manager
Win + X → Device Manager
Devices with issues show a yellow ⚠️ warning sign.
Find driver by Device ID
- Right-click device → "Properties" → "Details" tab
- Select "Hardware IDs" from dropdown
- Copy first line (e.g.
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_2204) - Search on devicehunt.com
- Find manufacturer → download from official site
Method 3 — Official Manufacturer Sites
NVIDIA: nvidia.com/drivers AMD: amd.com/support Intel: intel.com/support
# Find graphics card model
Get-WmiObject Win32_VideoController | Select-Object Name, DriverVersion
# Find motherboard
Get-WmiObject Win32_BaseBoard | Select-Object Manufacturer, Product
# Find laptop model
Get-WmiObject Win32_ComputerSystem | Select-Object Manufacturer, Model
Laptop manufacturers:
| Manufacturer | Support site |
|---|---|
| ASUS | asus.com/support |
| Lenovo | support.lenovo.com |
| HP | support.hp.com |
| Dell | dell.com/support |
| Acer | acer.com/support |
Driver Installation Order
Install in this order to avoid conflicts:
- Chipset — foundation, others may fail without it
- Graphics card — NVIDIA/AMD/Intel
- Network — LAN and Wi-Fi
- Audio — Realtek or Conexant
- Other — printers, webcams, specialized hardware
Troubleshooting
Device not working after driver install
# Restart device
Disable-PnpDevice -InstanceId "PCI\VEN_..." -Confirm:$false
Enable-PnpDevice -InstanceId "PCI\VEN_..." -Confirm:$false
BSOD after driver install
Boot into Safe Mode (F8 at startup) and remove the recently installed driver:
# View recently installed drivers
Get-WinEvent -LogName System |
Where-Object {$_.Id -eq 7045} |
Select-Object TimeCreated, Message |
Sort-Object TimeCreated -Descending |
Select-Object -First 10
Roll back a driver
Device Manager → Properties → Driver → Roll Back Driver
If Roll Back is greyed out (no previous version saved), use System Restore to a point before the driver was installed.
Clean Uninstall for GPU Drivers
For a clean GPU driver switch (or when a normal reinstall doesn't fix issues):
- Download DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) from guru3d.com
- Boot into Safe Mode
- Run DDU → Clean and restart
- Install the fresh driver after reboot
Installing Unsigned Drivers
Windows only installs signed drivers by default. To temporarily allow unsigned ones:
bcdedit /set testsigning on
Restart — you'll see a watermark. Re-disable once done:
bcdedit /set testsigning off
Avoid Sketchy "Driver Updater" Tools
Many third-party "driver updater" apps are adware or install outdated versions. Stick to manufacturer websites, or if you want an automated option, Snappy Driver Installer Origin (free, offline) is a reputable choice.
Summary
| Device type | Where to get driver |
|---|---|
| NVIDIA GPU | nvidia.com/drivers |
| AMD GPU | amd.com/support |
| Laptop | Manufacturer site by model |
| Unknown device | Device ID → devicehunt.com |
| Most devices | Windows Update → Optional updates |