The fastest way to check your drivers depends on your operating system
On Windows, open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button and selecting it from the menu, then look for any devices with a yellow warning triangle — that means the driver is missing or outdated. On Mac, go to System Settings, click General, then About, and select System Report; drivers on Mac update automatically with system updates, so you're mainly checking that your system is current. On Linux, the process varies by distribution, but most systems show driver status in Settings under About or Hardware.
The warning triangle method works because Windows flags drivers it knows need attention. However, a device without a warning triangle might still have an older driver that works but isn't the newest version. If you want to know the actual version number of a driver, right-click the device in Device Manager, select Properties, go to the Driver tab, and note the Driver Version field.
For most people, the presence or absence of warning triangles is enough. Devices without warnings are functioning with drivers Windows recognizes as acceptable. You don't need every driver to be the absolute newest version — you need them to be recent enough that the device works reliably and securely.
Key Takeaways
- On Windows, open Device Manager and look for yellow warning triangles, which indicate drivers that need attention.
- You can see the actual driver version number by right-clicking a device in Device Manager, selecting Properties, and checking the Driver tab.
- On Mac, drivers update automatically when you update your operating system, so check System Settings > General > About to see your current OS version.
- A device without a warning triangle is working with a driver Windows considers acceptable, even if it's not the newest available version.
Where to find drivers if you need to update them
If Device Manager shows a warning triangle or you know a device isn't working correctly, the safest place to get a new driver is the manufacturer's website. Search for the device name plus "driver download" — for example, "HP printer driver download" or "NVIDIA graphics driver download." Manufacturers post drivers on their support pages, usually organized by device model and operating system.
Windows Update can also install drivers automatically. Go to Settings, select System, then About, and click Check for Updates. Windows will download and install any drivers it has in its repository, though these are sometimes slightly older than the newest version on the manufacturer's site.
Avoid downloading drivers from third-party driver update software or random websites. These tools often bundle unwanted software or serve outdated versions. Stick to the manufacturer's official site or Windows Update.
When you actually need to update a driver
You need a driver update if a device stops working, works intermittently, or performs noticeably worse than before. Graphics drivers sometimes need updates if you're playing new games or using new software. Printer drivers may need updates if your printer stops being recognized after a Windows update. Network drivers occasionally need updates if your internet connection becomes unstable.
You do not need to update a driver just because a newer version exists. If a device is working reliably, an older driver that functions well is better than chasing the newest version. Updating drivers carries a small risk — occasionally a new driver introduces a problem that the older one didn't have. Update when there's a reason, not out of habit.
Security updates for drivers are the exception. If a manufacturer releases a driver update specifically to patch a security vulnerability, that's worth installing even if the device is working fine. These are usually announced on the manufacturer's website or in security news.
How to update a driver once you've found it
Download the driver file from the manufacturer's website. Most drivers come as an .exe file on Windows — double-click it and follow the on-screen instructions. The installer will usually ask you to restart your computer when finished. Do restart; drivers often don't fully activate until the next boot.
If you're updating through Device Manager directly, right-click the device with the warning triangle, select Update Driver, then choose "Search automatically for updated driver software." Windows will search its repository and install if it finds something newer.
After updating, restart your computer and check that the device works. Open Device Manager again and confirm the warning triangle is gone. If a problem appears after updating — the device stops working or behaves oddly — you can roll back to the previous driver by right-clicking the device, selecting Properties, going to the Driver tab, and clicking Roll Back Driver (this option only appears if a previous version exists).
Built-in tools that check drivers automatically
Windows has a built-in tool called Reliability Monitor that tracks driver problems over time. Open it by typing "reliability" into the Windows search box and selecting View Reliability History. This shows you a timeline of when devices failed or drivers caused issues, which can help you spot patterns — for example, if your printer driver crashes every Tuesday, that's a sign it needs updating.
Device Manager itself is the main tool you need. It's built into Windows and requires no installation. Check it once a month or whenever a device starts misbehaving. That's more useful than running third-party driver checkers, which often flag drivers as "outdated" even when they're working perfectly.
On Mac, the System Report tool (found in System Settings > General > System Report) shows hardware information and driver status. Since Mac drivers update with the operating system, you mainly need to keep your OS current by going to System Settings > General > Software Update.
What happens if you ignore outdated drivers
If a driver is genuinely outdated and the device is failing, ignoring it means the device won't work. Your printer won't print, your graphics card won't display correctly, or your network adapter won't connect. These are obvious problems that force you to act.
If a driver is old but the device still works, nothing happens. Thousands of people use computers with drivers that are years old because the devices work fine. The risk is small — you might miss a security patch, or a new software update might stop recognizing the old driver. But the risk of updating a driver that's working well is also small: occasionally an update breaks something.
The practical answer is to update drivers when devices stop working or when you know a security patch is available. Don't update just because a newer version exists. Check Device Manager occasionally for warning triangles, and you'll catch real problems before they become serious.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the yellow triangle in Device Manager mean?
A yellow triangle means Windows has detected a problem with that device's driver — either the driver is missing, corrupted, or incompatible with your current Windows version. Right-click the device and select Update Driver to fix it.
Is it safe to use third-party driver update software?
Third-party driver updaters often bundle unwanted software and sometimes serve outdated drivers. Stick to Device Manager, Windows Update, or the manufacturer's official website instead. These are free and safer.
Do I need to update drivers if my devices are working fine?
No. If a device works reliably, an older driver is fine. Update only when a device stops working, performs poorly, or when the manufacturer releases a security patch. Updating a working driver carries a small risk of introducing new problems.
How often should I check my drivers?
Check Device Manager once a month or whenever a device starts misbehaving. You don't need to check more often than that. Windows will alert you to critical driver problems through warning triangles.
Can updating a driver cause problems?
Rarely, but yes — occasionally a new driver introduces a problem the old one didn't have. If that happens, right-click the device in Device Manager, select Properties, go to the Driver tab, and click Roll Back Driver to return to the previous version.