To check a driver on Windows 11, open Device Manager, expand the device’s category, right-click the device, and choose Properties > Driver. Record its provider, date, and version. Then check the General tab for the device’s status or an error code.
Checking these details does not install an update. Use the steps below when you need to identify a driver, compare versions, or investigate a hardware problem. A driver is software that lets Windows communicate with hardware such as a network adapter or graphics card.
Find the Driver Version in Device Manager
- Open Start, type Device Manager, and select the matching result.
- Expand the relevant category using its arrow. For example, look under Display adapters for graphics or Network adapters for Wi-Fi and Ethernet.
- Right-click the specific device and choose Properties. If several devices are listed, check their names before choosing one.
- Select the Driver tab and record Driver Provider, Driver Date, and Driver Version.
- Select General and read the Device status box. Copy any error code and message before closing the window.
Microsoft’s Device Manager documentation explains the device information and Properties tabs. For an inspection, you can close Properties after recording the details; you do not need to select Update Driver, Disable Device, or Uninstall Device.
Keep a short record with the device name, provider, version, date, and status. If you later install an update, return to the same device and compare the version. This is more useful than remembering only that “the driver was updated.”
Understand Status Messages and Missing Drivers
A yellow exclamation mark indicates a reported device problem. Open Properties to see its code. For example, Code 28 concerns a missing driver, while Code 10 concerns a device that cannot start. The appropriate next step depends on that code.
Use Microsoft’s Device Manager error-code guide for the specific message. An error does not automatically mean every driver needs replacing. Note what stopped working and whether the problem began after a recent update.
If the device is missing from the expected category, check its connection first and look for an unknown device under Other devices. Do not pick a different device just because its name looks similar. If you cannot identify it, ask the PC or hardware manufacturer which driver matches that hardware.
Decide Whether an Update Is Available
A date or version is an identifier, not a universal “outdated” verdict. Compare the recorded information with an official driver offered for your exact PC or hardware model and Windows version. Version numbers for unrelated devices are not meaningful comparisons.
Windows Update supplies recommended drivers automatically. Microsoft also provides a separate route for optional driver updates, which are not installed automatically:
- Open Start > Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options.
- Under Additional options, open Optional updates.
- Review any listed Driver updates and check which device each package concerns.
This is the Windows 11 settings route; Update & Security belongs to the older Windows 10 interface. Microsoft’s hardware-driver update instructions cover optional updates and installation. If no driver is listed, the menu has no optional package to offer at that time; it is not a complete audit of every manufacturer’s releases.
If an update is appropriate, save your work and follow the official installation instructions, including any restart. Check the driver and the original hardware symptom afterward. Do not assume a successful installation guarantees that an unrelated problem is fixed.
What “The Best Drivers Are Already Installed” Means
Device Manager’s update search may report that it already has the best driver. That result does not replace checking the manufacturer’s compatible release when you are troubleshooting. Microsoft’s driver update and rollback guide explains both automatic search and manual installation from the manufacturer.
Use Windows Update or the official manufacturer’s site for the exact model and Windows architecture. Avoid an unrelated download labeled “latest driver.” For device-specific next steps, browse our Windows driver update guides.
List Third-Party Driver Packages With PnPUtil
For a broader package inventory, Windows includes PnPUtil. Open Start, search for Command Prompt, select Run as administrator, and approve the Windows prompt if you have permission. Run this inspection command:
pnputil /enum-driversMicrosoft’s PnPUtil command reference defines this as a list of third-party driver packages in the driver store. It is not a list of every Microsoft driver or proof that every listed package is the driver currently used by a particular device. Use Device Manager for that device’s details.
The command lists packages; it does not update or remove them. If administrator access is unavailable on a managed PC, ask your IT administrator rather than changing permissions. For other Windows support options, our guide to the built-in Windows 11 help tools explains where to start.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are tested on current devices or checked against official product documentation, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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