What a device driver is and why you need to install one
A device driver is software that lets your operating system talk to a piece of hardware — a printer, graphics card, network adapter, or external hard drive. Without the right driver, Windows or Mac won't know how to use that hardware, or it will use a basic version that doesn't unlock the device's full speed or features.
Most of the time, your computer finds and installs drivers automatically when you plug something in. But sometimes you need to install one manually: when automatic detection fails, when you need a newer version for better performance, or when you're setting up older hardware that your system doesn't recognize.
The process differs between Windows and Mac, and the steps depend on whether you're installing from a disc, a downloaded file, or letting your system find it online. This guide walks you through each scenario.
Key Takeaways
- Windows usually installs drivers automatically, but you can force a manual install by opening Device Manager, right-clicking the device, and selecting "Update driver".
- Downloaded drivers on Windows come as .exe files (which run an installer) or .inf files (which you point Device Manager to directly).
- Mac installs most drivers automatically and rarely requires manual installation, but some third-party hardware needs a .dmg or .pkg file from the manufacturer.
- Always download drivers from the manufacturer's official website, not from third-party sites, to avoid malware or outdated versions.
- Restart your computer after installing a driver so the operating system can fully load and recognize the hardware.
Installing a driver on Windows using Device Manager
Device Manager is the built-in Windows tool for managing hardware and drivers. Open it by right-clicking the Start button and selecting "Device Manager," or by typing "Device Manager" into the Windows search box.
Find the device that needs a driver. It will usually appear under a category like "Printers," "Network adapters," or "Universal Serial Bus controllers." If the device has a yellow exclamation mark or question mark next to it, Windows doesn't recognize it or the driver is missing.
Right-click the device and select "Update driver." Windows will offer two options: "Search automatically for updated driver software" (which searches your computer and Microsoft's online database) or "Browse my computer for driver software" (which lets you point to a file you've downloaded). Choose the automatic option first — it often solves the problem without extra steps.
If automatic search doesn't work, you'll need a driver file from the manufacturer. Download it to a folder you can find easily, like your Downloads folder, then return to Device Manager, right-click the device again, select "Update driver," and choose "Browse my computer for driver software." Navigate to the folder where you saved the driver file and select it.
Installing a driver from a downloaded .exe or .msi file on Windows
Some manufacturers provide drivers as executable files (.exe) or Windows installer files (.msi). These are the simplest to install: just double-click the file and follow the on-screen prompts. The installer will copy the driver files to the right location and register them with Windows automatically.
Before you run the installer, close any programs using the device — for example, close your printer software before updating a printer driver. Some installers will ask you to restart your computer at the end; do so even if it seems optional, because Windows needs to reload the driver into memory.
If the installer fails or says the driver is already installed, open Device Manager, find the device, right-click it, and select "Uninstall device." Restart your computer, then run the installer again. This forces Windows to treat it as a fresh installation.
Installing a driver from an .inf file on Windows
Older hardware sometimes comes with drivers as .inf files (information files) rather than executable installers. These files tell Windows where to find the actual driver code, but they don't run an installation wizard.
To install from an .inf file, open Device Manager and find the device. Right-click it and select "Update driver," then choose "Browse my computer for driver software." Navigate to the folder containing the .inf file and select it. Windows will read the file, locate the driver code in the same folder, and install it.
If you're not sure whether a downloaded driver is an .inf file or something else, open the folder and look for a file with a name like "setup.inf" or the device name followed by ".inf." If you see an .exe file in the same folder, run that instead — it's the proper installer.
Installing a driver on Mac
macOS handles drivers differently than Windows. Most hardware works immediately after you plug it in because Apple includes drivers for common devices in the operating system itself. You rarely need to install anything manually.
If a device doesn't work after you plug it in, check the manufacturer's website for Mac drivers. They usually come as .dmg files (disk image files) or .pkg files (installer packages). Download the file, double-click it, and follow the on-screen instructions. For .dmg files, you may need to drag an icon into the Applications folder or run an installer inside the disk image.
After installation, restart your Mac. Some drivers, especially for graphics cards or audio interfaces, require a restart to load properly. Go to the Apple menu, select "Restart," and wait for your Mac to boot back up.
If a driver still doesn't work after restart, check the manufacturer's website again to make sure you downloaded the version for your Mac's processor (Intel or Apple Silicon) and your macOS version. Downloading the wrong version is the most common reason installation fails.
Finding the right driver for your hardware
The safest place to download a driver is the manufacturer's official website. For a printer, go to HP, Canon, Epson, or Brother's support page. For a graphics card, visit NVIDIA or AMD. For a network adapter or motherboard component, go to the chipset manufacturer's site (Intel, Realtek, Qualcomm, etc.).
On the manufacturer's support page, search for your specific device model. You'll usually find a dropdown menu where you select your operating system and version. Windows users should know whether they're running Windows 10 or Windows 11, and whether their system is 32-bit or 64-bit (right-click "This PC" or "My Computer," select "Properties," and look for "System type"). Mac users should know their macOS version (Apple menu > About This Mac > System Software).
Download the driver file to your computer. If you're not sure what you downloaded, check the file name and extension. A file ending in .exe, .msi, or .dmg is safe to run. A file ending in .zip is a compressed folder — right-click it and select "Extract all" (Windows) or double-click it (Mac) to unpack the actual driver files inside.
Troubleshooting when a driver won't install
If you see an error message during installation, the most common causes are: the driver is for the wrong operating system version, the driver is for different hardware than you have, or an older version of the driver is already installed and blocking the new one.
On Windows, uninstall the old driver first. Open Device Manager, right-click the device, select "Uninstall device," and check the box that says "Delete the driver software for this device." Restart your computer, then try installing the new driver. Windows will detect the hardware again and you can install fresh.
On Mac, drivers rarely conflict, but if installation fails, restart your Mac and try again. If it still fails, download the driver again — the file may have been corrupted during download. If the manufacturer offers both an older and newer version, try the older one first to rule out compatibility issues with your specific hardware model.
If a device works but performs poorly (a printer is slow, a graphics card lags, a network adapter drops connection), you may have an outdated driver. Return to the manufacturer's website and check whether a newer version is available. The process to update is the same as installing: download, run the installer or point Device Manager to the file, and restart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to uninstall the old driver before installing a new one?
On Windows, it's safer to uninstall the old driver first, especially if you're updating to a significantly newer version. Open Device Manager, right-click the device, select "Uninstall device," check "Delete the driver software," restart, then install the new one. On Mac, you can usually just install the new version over the old one without uninstalling.
What if I can't find my device in Device Manager?
The device may not be plugged in, or Windows may not recognize it at all. Plug it in, wait 10 seconds, and refresh Device Manager by pressing F5. If it still doesn't appear, try a different USB port. If you're installing a driver for internal hardware like a graphics card, make sure it's properly seated in its slot and the computer is restarted.
Can I use a driver from a different manufacturer?
No. A printer driver from Canon won't work with an Epson printer, and a graphics driver from NVIDIA won't work with AMD hardware. Always use the driver made for your specific device model. Using the wrong driver can cause the device to malfunction or not work at all.
Is it safe to download drivers from third-party websites?
No. Third-party driver sites sometimes bundle malware or serve outdated versions. Always download from the manufacturer's official website. The official site is usually easy to find by searching "[device name] driver download" and looking for a URL that ends in the manufacturer's domain name.
Why does my computer ask me to restart after installing a driver?
Drivers run at a deep level in your operating system. A restart forces Windows or Mac to reload all drivers from scratch, ensuring the new one is properly initialized and recognized by the hardware. Skipping the restart can leave the driver partially installed or cause the device to malfunction.