How to Backup and Restore Device Drivers on Windows 11
Device drivers are small programs that let your Windows 11 system talk to computer parts like your graphics card or network adapter. Backing up these drivers saves you trouble if your hardware acts up or when you move your system to a new computer.
Device Manager (the central hardware management tool) lets you export copy files of your current drivers directly so you can reinstall them later without searching the web.
You can back up Windows 11 drivers using Command Prompt with `pnputil /export-driver * 📁C:\
What happens when you are done?
After backing up your drivers, you’ll have a folder with all the necessary driver files. You can save this folder to a USB drive, making it simple to reinstall hardware drivers later without needing an internet connection.
How to export (backup) your drivers using Pnputil
Backing up device drivers on Windows 11 takes just a minute when you use the built-in Pnputil tool. This command-line utility lets you save a copy of all your currently installed hardware drivers to a folder on your computer so you can easily reinstall them later if something goes wrong.
- Click the Start menu and type Command Prompt.
- Right-click it and choose Run as administrator.
3. With the Command Prompt window open, type this command to save your drivers: [command]
pnputil /export-driver * C:\Drivers\Export
Remember to replace C:\Drivers\Export with the location where you want your files to go. If you're moving to a new PC, save this to a flash drive.
Exporting drivers with PowerShell
Open PowerShell as an administrator and run the Export-WindowsDriver cmdlet. This command lets you pull drivers from your current system.
Export-WindowsDriver -Online -Destination C:\Drivers\Export
How to restore drivers
Restoring your saved hardware drivers on Windows 11 requires a simple Command Prompt command that scans your backup folder and installs everything back onto your system at once. This process gets all your hardware working properly again without needing to download each driver separately from the internet.
pnputil /add-driver C:\Drivers\Export\*.inf /subdirs /install
Learn how to do that here: How to install device drivers on Windows 11
Third-party tools for driver management
If you find command-line tools difficult, you can use third-party software like Driver Store Explorer (RAPR). This tool offers a visual way to view, back up, and remove drivers from the Windows Driver Store. This makes managing many drivers much more practical for everyday users.
Summary
Backing up your drivers on Windows 11 is a smart move for preparing for a new PC or fixing hardware issues. You can copy all your driver files to a safe place using commands and restore them just as effectively when needed.
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard is a writer at Geek Rewind who turns complex IT tasks into clear, step-by-step guides. He draws on years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, focusing on Windows, Linux and WordPress: the problems people actually run into, and the fixes that work. His server and WordPress guides come from systems he runs himself. Richard builds and maintains the platform behind Geek Rewind, from its Ubuntu servers and Nginx configuration to its custom WordPress plugins. Many new tutorials start with readers' questions, and he's always glad to answer them in the comments.
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