How to Reinstall Corrupted Printer Drivers in Windows 11 Device Manager

Use Windows Update

Windows Update 🔃 is the easiest way to get tested, safe drivers without visiting external websites. Windows checks its own catalog for your printer, so you do not need to know the exact model name or version number. Some manufacturer drivers are only offered under Optional updates, so check there as well as in the normal update scan.

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Windows Update 🔃.
3. Click Check for updates 🔃. Windows scans for the latest packages and lists anything it finds.
4. Click Advanced options, then click Optional updates. If you do not see Optional updates, Windows has no extra updates for your PC right now.
5. Expand the Driver updates section, check the box next to your printer manufacturer, and click Download & install. Wait for the install to finish, then try a test print.

Download and install printer drivers from the manufacturer’s website

Always use the official site for your brand. Drivers from third-party download sites are a common source of malware.

1. Open your web browser and go to the support or download page of your printer manufacturer (such as HP, Canon, Brother, or Epson).
2. Enter your exact printer model number into the search 🔍 field. The model number is printed on a label on the printer, usually on the front or back.
3. Download the ⬇️ full-featured driver or installation package recommended for your operating system version. Choose the Windows 11 package. If none is listed, a Windows 10 driver usually works.
4. Double-click the downloaded file and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation. If the installer asks you to connect the printer, do so when prompted.

Install software that came with the printer

The disc or USB drive that came in the box lets you install the 💿 original software when you have no internet connection. Keep in mind that this software may be several years old. If the printer works afterwards, run Windows Update 🔃 later to pick up newer versions. Many modern PCs have no optical drive, so you may need an external one for a disc.

1. Insert the manufacturer disc into your optical drive, or plug the installation USB drive into an available port.
2. Open File Explorer 📁, click This PC, and double-click the drive containing the installation media. If Windows shows an AutoPlay prompt, you can use that instead.
3. Run the setup application or installer executable file. If Windows asks whether to allow the app to make changes, click Yes.
4. Accept the license terms and follow the setup wizard to install the 💿 software package.

Use Device Manager

Device Manager is the built-in tool that lists and controls the hardware attached to your computer. Its Update driver option asks Windows to look for a newer driver for the selected device. It works best when the driver is merely out of date. If the driver is damaged, use the uninstall method later in this guide.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager. The hardware list opens in a new window.
2. Click the arrow next to Print queues or Printers to expand the list of installed devices. Which category your printer appears under depends on the model and how it is connected.
3. Right-click your printer and select Update driver.
4. Choose Search automatically for drivers to let Windows find and install the updated package. If Windows reports that the best drivers are already installed, the driver is current as far as Windows can tell. Try another method in this guide.

Reinstall the printer

This is a good first fix for network printers and for printers that show as Offline or Driver unavailable. You will lose any custom settings for that printer, such as a default paper size, so note them first.

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Bluetooth & devices, then click Printers & scanners. You will see a list of the printers Windows knows about.
3. Click your printer name, then click Remove. Confirm if Windows asks, and wait until the printer disappears from the list.
4. Click Add device to let Windows discover your printer and install fresh software automatically. If your printer does not appear, make sure it is turned on and connected, then try again. A USB printer may need to be unplugged and plugged back in.

Use Add Printer Driver Wizard

The Add Printer Driver Wizard lets you manually install specific driver files. It reads INF files, which are setup information files Windows uses to install hardware, that you downloaded from an external source. Use it when a manufacturer gives you a driver as a ZIP of loose files instead of an installer. First extract the ZIP to a folder you can find again, such as your Downloads folder.

The Print Management console is only included with Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education. If you use Windows 11 Home, it will not open, so use one of the Device Manager methods instead.

1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type printmanagement.msc and press Enter. The Print Management window opens.
3. Click Print Servers in the left sidebar, click your computer name, and select Drivers. The installed printer drivers appear in the middle pane.
4. Click Action in the top menu, then select Add Driver to launch the Add Printer Driver Wizard.
5. Follow the prompts to locate and install your INF driver package. When the wizard asks for a driver, browse to the folder where you extracted the files. When it finishes, the new driver should appear in the Drivers list.

Reinstall a device driver

Uninstalling the current driver forces Windows to clear broken files before it installs a fresh copy. This is the main fix for a truly corrupted driver. When Windows starts again, it detects the printer and installs a driver on its own, usually from its built-in library or Windows Update.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Expand the Printers category. If your printer is not there, look under Print queues.
3. Right-click your printer and select Uninstall device. A confirmation box opens.
4. Check the box for Attempt to remove the driver for this device if it is available, then click Uninstall. Printers often do not show this box. If yours does not, the driver files may stay in the system's driver store, and Windows will reuse them. In that case, remove the driver package in Print Management (see the Add Printer Driver Wizard method above), which is available on Pro and higher editions.
5. Restart your computer and reconnect or reinstall the printer to generate a fresh installation. After the restart, check Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners to see whether the printer came back on its own. If it did not, click Add device.

Rollback the driver (if a recent update was installed)

Rolling back to an older version fixes printing errors caused by a faulty recent update. If printing worked yesterday and stopped after a driver or Windows update, try this first. It is fast, and it keeps your other settings in place.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Expand the Printers category.
3. Right-click your printer and select Properties.
4. Click the Driver tab. This tab shows the driver provider, date, and version, which helps you confirm which driver is installed.
5. Click Roll Back Driver and follow the on-screen instructions. This button is greyed out if no previous version is stored on your system. In that case, use the uninstall or manual methods instead. Restart your PC if Windows asks, then test a print.

Update a device driver automatically

Automatic updates query online hardware databases without requiring manual file searches. This is the quickest Device Manager route, but it can only find drivers that Microsoft or the manufacturer has published to Windows Update.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Expand the Printers category.
3. Right-click your printer and choose Update driver.
4. Select Search automatically for drivers. Windows reports either that it is installing a driver or that the best drivers are already installed. This step needs an internet connection.

Update a device driver manually

Updating manually lets you point Windows to a specific driver package you downloaded and saved to your computer. This is useful when Windows insists the current driver is the best, but you know a newer or different one is better. Extract any ZIP file first so that the driver files are in a normal folder.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Expand the Printers category.
3. Right-click your printer and select Update driver.
4. Choose Browse my computer for drivers.
5. Click Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer, select your hardware model, and click Next. If your model is not listed, click Have Disk and browse to the folder with your downloaded driver files. Windows installs the driver and shows a confirmation message when it is done.

Contact the device manufacturer

Direct manufacturer support helps when automated and manual driver updates fail. Support staff can spot known problems with specific models and Windows versions, and they can help with printer firmware, which Windows cannot update for you. Have your printer details ready before you contact them.

1. Visit the official support portal for your printer brand.
2. Locate the live chat, phone support, or ticketing system.
3. Provide your printer serial number and error codes to a support representative for advanced troubleshooting. Also tell them which methods you have already tried, so they do not repeat the basic steps.

What to do next

Your printer driver should now be fully updated, so you can print documents without communication errors. Print a test page to confirm. If printing issues persist, check your physical hardware connections, such as the USB cable, power, or network link. You can also run the built-in printer troubleshooter from Settings.