How to Update Printer Drivers Automatically Using Windows Update

Option 1. Use Windows Update

To check for printer driver updates through Windows Update, open Settings, select Windows Update, and click Check for updates. Windows scans Microsoft’s servers and installs the matching printer package alongside your regular system updates. Many printer drivers arrive this way with no action from you. Some are held back as optional updates, and the steps below show where to find them.

Installing or updating drivers needs an administrator account, or admin approval when Windows asks for it. This applies to Windows Update optional updates, Device Manager and manufacturer installers alike. On a standard account, Windows prompts for an administrator’s password.

1. Open Settings. Click the Start button⊞ and select the gear icon, or press the Win+I. The Settings⚙️ window opens.

2. Select Windows Update🔃 from the left sidebar. To run a scan first, click Check for updates🔃 and let it finish.
3. Click Advanced options to view the extra settings.

4. Scroll down to the Additional options section and click Optional updates. A list of optional updates opens, if Windows has any to offer.

5. Expand the Driver updates dropdown to see the available hardware packages.
6. Tick the box next to your printer manufacturer’s software and click Download & install. Wait for the download to finish. Windows shows the status next to the item.

If Optional updates is missing, or Driver updates does not appear inside it, Windows has no extra drivers to offer right now. That is normal. It usually means the current driver is already the newest one Microsoft has for your printer.

Also check that the PC is online. If your connection is set as metered, Windows may hold driver downloads back. The Printers & scanners page in Settings has an option to allow downloads over metered connections.

Many modern printers work with the Microsoft IPP Class Driver, which is built into Windows 11. In that case Windows has no separate driver to update. If Windows Protected Print Mode is turned on, it may also limit third-party drivers and use only this built-in driver.

Most printer drivers do not need a restart, but Windows Update may ask for one if other updates were installed with it. To undo a bad driver, open Device Manager, double-click the printer, go to the Driver tab, and click Roll Back Driver if the button is available. The button is greyed out when Windows has no earlier driver stored.

Option 2. Use Device Manager

To update a printer driver automatically with Device Manager, right-click the Start button, open Device Manager, expand the printer list, and choose Search automatically for drivers. This built-in utility makes Windows check for newer driver software without a visit to the manufacturer’s site. A working internet connection is needed for the search to find anything online. Windows may ask for administrator approval along the way.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager from the menu. The Device Manager window opens with a list of hardware categories.
2. Scroll down and click the arrow next to Print queues or Printers to expand the section. Which one you see depends on how the printer is installed, and some PCs show both.

3. Right-click your specific printer model and select Update driver. A window asks how you want to search for drivers.

4. Click Search automatically for drivers. Windows checks the drivers already on your PC and online sources for a match.

5. Follow any prompts if a newer version is found and installed. If you see “The best drivers for your device are already installed”, Windows has nothing newer to offer.

That message only reflects what Windows knows about. The manufacturer’s website may still have a newer version, which is covered later in this guide. If the printer is not listed at all, check that it is powered on and connected.

If the update goes wrong, use Roll Back Driver on the printer’s Driver tab to return to the previous version.

Option 3. Reinstall the printer

To reinstall your printer and pick up a fresh driver, open Settings, go to Bluetooth & devices, remove the printer, and add it back. Removing the device clears out a damaged setup. Windows then discovers the printer again and installs its driver from scratch.

Windows can reuse a driver package it has already stored. The reinstall fixes a broken printer entry more often than it delivers a newer driver.

1. Open Settings, go to Bluetooth🔷 & devices, then select Printers & scanners. Your installed printers are listed.

2. Click your printer’s name in the list. Its settings page opens.
3. Click the Remove button and confirm if Windows asks. The printer disappears from the list.
4. Click Add device near the top of the Printers & scanners page. Windows starts searching.
5. Wait for the scan of your network and local ports to finish, then click Add device next to your printer model. Windows installs the driver and the printer returns to the list.

For a USB printer, keep it plugged in and switched on during the scan. For a network printer, make sure it is on the same network as the PC. If your printer never shows up, wait a little. Windows may show a link such as The printer that I want isn’t listed, which lets you add it manually.

Option 4. Use Add Printer Driver Wizard

This administrative tool gives you finer control over drivers and ports than the Settings app does. Print Management is not included in Windows 11 Home. It is available in Pro, Enterprise and Education, and on some installs it may need to be added as an optional feature first.

1. Press the Win+R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type printmanagement.msc into the text field and press Enter. The Print Management console opens. If Windows says it cannot find the file, you are probably on Home or the feature is not installed.
3. Expand Print Servers in the left pane, click your computer name, and select Printers.
4. Right-click the empty space, or select Action from the top menu, then choose Add Printer.
5. Follow the prompts in the network printer wizard and let the system query hardware databases automatically.

Administrator rights are required for this console. It also has a Drivers node under your computer name. That node lists the driver packages already on the PC, and you can add or remove packages there.

Option 5. Download and install printer drivers from the manufacturer’s website

1. Open your web browser and go to the official support site for your printer brand, such as HP, Canon or Epson. Type the address yourself or use a trusted search result, and avoid third-party driver download sites.
2. Find the support or downloads section and type your exact printer model number into the search🔍 bar. The model is printed on the printer, often on the front or back.
3. Check your system architecture. Go to Settings › System › About and look at the System type property. It reads 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor or ARM-based processor, and you should pick the driver that matches.
4. Download the⬇️ matching installer package to your local drive. Choose the Windows 11 version if the site lists one. Otherwise pick the closest Windows version it offers.

Running a downloaded installer is the riskiest step in this guide, because the file can change your system. Before you open it, confirm the file came from the manufacturer’s official domain. Then check that it is signed, as described in step 5. Consider creating a restore point first, so you can return the PC to its earlier state if the install goes wrong.

5. Right-click the downloaded file, select Properties, and open the Digital Signatures tab. A signature from the printer maker should be listed. If the tab is missing, the file is not signed, so do not run it.
6. Optional: create a restore point. Type “Create a restore point” in the Start search box🔍 and open it. On the System Protection tab, click Create. If the Create button is greyed out, System Protection is off for that drive.
7. Double-click the downloaded file and follow the on-screen installation wizard. Approve the User Account Control prompt, and enter an administrator password if asked. Restart the🔄 PC if the installer asks you to.

Many manufacturers also bundle extra utilities or scanning software in the same download. Read the options during setup if you only want the driver.

Some brands also offer a support app that keeps the driver current, such as HP Smart. If your printer has one, installing it from the Microsoft Store or the manufacturer’s site is another way to get updates.

Option 6. Install software that came with the printer

To install from the disc or USB flash drive that came with your printer, insert the media, open File Explorer, and run the setup file. This works offline, so it helps when the PC has no internet connection during setup. Keep in mind that the software on the disc is often older than what the manufacturer publishes today.

1. Insert the setup CD into your optical drive or plug in the included USB flash drive. Many newer PCs have no optical drive, so you may need an external one.
2. Open File Explorer📁 and go to your removable drive. If an AutoPlay prompt appears, you can use it instead.
3. Double-click the setup or install executable file.
4. Click Yes on any User Account Control prompt that appears. This is Windows asking permission to run the installer. On a standard account, it asks for an administrator password instead.
5. Follow the manufacturer’s wizard to install both the core software and the updating tools.

Once the printer works and the PC is online, run Windows Update or visit the manufacturer’s site to replace the older driver with a current one.

If this didn’t work

If the automatic tools do not fix your printing errors, check the physical connections first. Look at the USB or network cable, the power, and the printer’s display for error messages. Then restart the Print Spooler, the background service that manages print jobs. A stuck job in the spooler is a common reason printing stops even when the driver is fine.

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager📊.
2. Select Services in the left sidebar. In a compact view, you may need to expand the sidebar first.
3. Find Spooler in the list, right-click it, and select Restart. Approve the prompt if Windows asks for administrator permission. The status should briefly change and then show Running.
4. Try printing again.

If the problem remains, download the manual installation package from the manufacturer’s website. You can also consult related guides on hardware troubleshooting.