Driver updater tools do just what you’re probably thinking—they help you update some or all of the device drivers installed in Windows for your computer’s hardware.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall: Driver Booster
“…makes updating drivers simple because it does all the heavy lifting for you.”
Best for Offline Driver Installs: Snappy Driver Installer
“…gives you immediate access to install the updates—with or without an internet connection.”
Best for Info Beyond Just Drivers: DriversCloud
“…locates detailed information about your hardware and software, including outdated drivers.”
Best for Scheduled Driver Scans: Driver Easy
“…differs from some free driver updaters in that it can check for outdated drivers automatically based on a schedule.”
We routinely test each of them and can confirm they really are free, and they really do offer driver downloads; they don’t just scan for potential updates like some “free” driver updaters. While there are others we could include in this list, we’ve omitted them because they either are too restrictive or include malware.
Use one, and you won’t need to deal with Device Manager so much to update drivers manually, nor will you need to find and download drivers from manufacturers’ websites.
01
of 10
Driver Booster
Driver Booster list of outdated drivers
What We Like
Downloads drivers from within the program.
Creates a restore point before updating drivers.
Scans for outdated drivers on a schedule.
No daily download or update limit.
Includes offline updater.
What We Don’t Like
Always shows a button to get the pro version.
Advertises the company’s other programs within this one.
More drivers are available if you pay for Pro.
Tries to install unrelated programs during setup.
Our Review of Driver Booster
Driver Booster is the best option. It’s compatible with all versions of Windows and makes updating drivers simple because it does all the heavy lifting for you.
It runs automatically to find outdated drivers, and with support for over 6 million drivers (8 million if you pay) from over one thousand brands, there’s a good chance it’ll find what you need. When new updates appear, they’re downloaded from inside the program, so you can avoid having to get them manually from each manufacturer’s website.
Before installing a driver, you can see how the new version compares with the currently installed driver, which is helpful. The program creates a restore point before installing a driver in the event something goes wrong with the installation.
There’s also an offline updater built-in. From the Tools tab, choose the offline option to export the driver information, and then open that file on a computer that has a working internet connection. (Read Driver Booster’s offline driver updater instructions for all the details.)
Other functions are available, too: roll back drivers, uninstall drivers, ignore drivers, export a list of drivers to a text file, use Game Boost to release system resources, and view system information details.
Driver Booster works in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
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02
of 10
Snappy Driver Installer
Snappy Driver Installer Origin
What We Like
Has no advertisements.
Completely portable (no install necessary).
Downloads drivers from within the software.
Supports offline driver installations.
What We Don’t Like
Scan schedules aren’t supported.
Not as easy to use or intuitive as similar software.
Our Review of Snappy Driver Installer
Snappy Driver Installer lets you download several drivers at once for many types of devices. After they’re downloaded, the program gives you immediate access to install the updates—with or without an internet connection.
The app itself is fairly simple, but it’s still strangely hard to use because of the way it’s set up. Right-clicking a driver provides extra options like showing alternative drivers, copying the hardware ID, and locating the driver’s INF file. There’s a forum you can use if you’re struggling to learn how the program works.
There are no advertisements, it doesn’t limit download speeds, it can run directly from a portable location like a flash drive, and it can install as many drivers as you need without any limitations. It’ll install drivers in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
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There are a few application files in the folder after opening the ZIP download. Use SDIO_x64 if you’re using 64-bit Windows; the other one is for 32-bit versions.
03
of 10
Driver Talent
driver talent outdated driver
What We Like
Installs quickly.
You don’t have to download drivers manually—they download from inside the software.
The program is easy to use.
Drivers get backed up before each installation and uninstallation.
Lets you reinstall existing drivers.
What We Don’t Like
Bulk downloading is not supported (you have to download each driver one by one).
The scanning schedule can’t be customized.
Several features are shown but aren’t free.
Our Review of Driver Talent
Driver Talent (previously called DriveTheLife) is a straightforward program that downloads device drivers so that you don’t have to search the internet for official download links.
This application not only updates outdated and missing drivers but also fixes corrupted ones and backs up all your installed drivers. A Peripheral Drivers area of the program calls out printer and USB drivers, telling you very clearly if they’re installed and working normally.
The size of a driver as well as its release date and version number are displayed for you before you download it to verify you’re getting what you’re after.
An alternative version includes network drivers and works offline, which is perfect if you need to install drivers but don’t have the proper network driver installed. There’s also a basic hardware information utility that you can access from the program’s Tools menu.
It works with Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
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04
of 10
DriversCloud
driverscloud.com outdated drivers results
What We Like
Locates beta drivers.
Can show only WHQL-certified drivers.
Shows lots of other system details, too.
Can be used offline.
Drivers can be downloaded in bulk.
Builds a restore point for you.
Can receive email alerts for new drivers.
What We Don’t Like
Doesn’t have a fully automated solution.
Website is covered in ads.
Lots of information that’s not easily digestible at a glance like most driver updaters.
Our Review of DriversCloud
DriversCloud (previously called Ma-Config) is a free web service that locates detailed information about your hardware and software, including outdated drivers.
After installing and opening the program, go to Advanced detection > Online detection > Launch detection to identify all your computer’s components and their associated drivers. Once the scan completes, all the results open in your web browser. Choosing Detect all my drivers from the menu, and then See my latest drivers on that page takes you where you need to be.
Once you reach the driver page, there’s an option called See Recommended Downloads. This is what we recommend using because it provides a single executable that you can launch to install all the drivers you chose from the web page. However, there’s also a manual option where you download each driver update one at a time, but then installation is also manual.
This program runs on Windows.
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05
of 10
DriverIdentifier
Driveridentifier start screen
What We Like
Works offline without a connection to the internet.
Can use it as a portable program.
It’s easy to understand and use.
Includes helpful information about the drivers
What We Don’t Like
Drivers have to be downloaded manually from your web browser.
Won’t check for outdated drivers on a schedule.
Our Review of DriverIdentifier
DriverIdentifier comes in the form of a very simple driver checker. After it runs, the results open in your web browser where you then manually download the drivers that you need, and then manually install them once they’re on your computer.
It scans for drivers even if you don’t have an internet connection, which is helpful if your network card driver isn’t working. When an offline scan completes, the list of drivers is saved to a file that you can open on a working computer to get the drivers you need.
The official system requirements list Windows 7, Vista, XP, and some Windows Server versions—it should work in newer versions of Windows, too. There’s also a portable edition available through the link below.
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06
of 10
Driver Easy
Driver Easy v5.6.12
What We Like
Scheduling is supported to check for updates automatically.
Quick driver scans.
Downloads drivers directly from within the software.
Quick program installation.
Find the network driver you need even if you’re offline.
What We Don’t Like
Drivers download slowly.
Updates have to be installed manually.
Doesn’t support bulk downloads.
Other features are available only after payment.
Big “UPGRADE” button always visible.
Our Review of Driver Easy
Driver Easy is unique in that it can check for outdated drivers automatically based on a schedule. A scan can be scheduled daily, weekly, monthly, when your PC is idle, or even every time you log on to Windows.
Unlike DriverIdentifier, this program downloads drivers from inside the program without opening an external web browser. It boasts a database of over 8 million drivers.
There are additional features, too, like viewing hardware information and identifying the network driver you need if you’re offline. Other features, however, might look free but are actually available only if you pay, such as automatic restore point creations, driver backups, and bulk updating.
Driver Easy should work fine in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
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07
of 10
DriverHub
DriverHub list of driver updates
What We Like
Clean, easy-to-understand interface.
Can download drivers in bulk.
Installs drivers automatically without any intervention from you.
What We Don’t Like
You’re asked to install other programs during setup.
Recommends unrelated software.
Can’t check for updates automatically on a schedule.
Free users’ download speeds might be limited.
DriverHub downloads and installs drivers for you and has a whole section of the program dedicated to recovery should something go wrong.
The program itself has a clean interface with only a few menu buttons. In the settings are options for changing the download folder and disabling program update checks.
You can keep things simple and install whatever the program recommends, or you can expand anything in the list to see version numbers, and to install alternate drivers (i.e., a newer driver but not the current version).
The Useful utilities section isn’t driver-related but does include some helpful links to Windows utilities, like Disk Management and Task Manager. Some of the other areas of the program, like the backup and autorun functions, are off-limits unless you pay.
DriverHub is said to work with Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.
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08
of 10
Ashampoo Driver Updater
Ashampoo Driver Updater list of outdated drivers
What We Like
Understandable even for novice users.
Backs up and restores drivers.
Makes a restore point for you.
Completely free from third-party ads.
Can scan automatically on a schedule.
What We Don’t Like
Can’t download or install the drivers in bulk.
Some settings can’t be changed unless you pay.
Over 400,000 drivers for 150,000+ devices are available through this program. Ashampoo’s driver updater is extremely easy to use because it downloads and installs the driver for you. It can also back up and restore drivers for safety purposes, automatically make a restore point before all driver installations, and follow a detailed scan scheduler.
Something you get with this program that not all the competition supports, is the ability to ignore drivers. If you keep seeing an update you don’t want to apply, adding it to the ignore list is simple and will stop it from showing up as an update in the future.
The system requirements are that you’re running Windows 10, Windows 8, or Windows 7.
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09
of 10
DriverMax
DriverMax outdated drivers list
What We Like
No prompts when updating drivers (they install automatically).
Drivers are downloaded from inside the program.
Also lets you back up all your device drivers.
Can build an offline scan file.
Lets you edit the scan schedule.
What We Don’t Like
Limited to two driver downloads per day.
Only one driver can be downloaded at one time (no bulk download option).
Blocks some features; they’re reserved for pro users.
Our Review of DriverMax
DriverMax is another free Windows program that updates outdated drivers. While it is limited in a few areas, it also excels in others.
In addition to updating old drivers, this program can back up some or all of the currently installed drivers, restore backed up drivers, roll back drivers, identify unknown hardware, create a system restore point before driver installations, build an offline scan file for PCs without a network connection, and run automatic scans on a schedule.
After updates are found, you’ll get a notification at the bottom of the screen, where you can snooze it for a day if you’d rather look into the updates later. Once you do decide to install the updates, you’re limited to getting one at a time (two total per day), though it does install silently and automatically.
DriverMax discovered a significantly higher number of outdated drivers than every other program from this list did. We checked the version numbers against the currently installed drivers, and they all seemed to be valid updates.
Paying users get extra benefits like unlimited downloads, hourly driver checks, download priority, and automated driver downloads.
This program runs on Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
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Although this program limits the number of downloads you can perform per day, you can still check for outdated drivers as often as you want. You’re just limited when it comes to downloading them. We talk more in the review about why this isn’t as bad of a limit as it might sound.
10
of 10
Quick Driver Updater
Quick Driver Updater
What We Like
The program installs quickly.
A driver’s installed and available version number and date are shown.
Will make a restore point before installations.
Lets you pick a scan schedule to alert you about updates.
What We Don’t Like
Constantly advertises for the Pro version.
Must install each update individually.
Other features cost, like increased download speeds and driver backups.
Quick Driver Updater doesn’t offer many significantly unique features beyond what the other programs in this list include. In fact, there are several ways in which it’s more limiting than the other programs above.
However, it’s very easy to understand how to use it, it works quickly, drivers are downloaded and installed within the program, and it’s a great way to have a second opinion if you think one of the other apps in this list didn’t catch an update or two.
Some things you can do is search through the list of installed and outdated drivers to find something by keyword, add drivers to the ignore list, and automatically check for updates on a schedule (as frequently as every day).
We tested this program in Windows 11. It was designed for Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.
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Device-Specific Updaters
All the tools described above will work on different computer systems to find the right drivers that you need. However, if you know who manufactures the device in question, you can check their website for a tool designed specifically for updating those drivers.
For example, Intel Driver & Support Assistant can be used to update most of your Intel hardware drivers. Updating NVIDIA drivers is easy with GeForce Experience because it can automatically notify you of new drivers and provide you with the update.
