How to Update your Device’s Graphics (Video) driver in Windows 11

monitor gec
monitor gec

This article describes how to update or install your device’s video driver in Windows 11.

By default, Windows Update helps get the latest fixes and security improvements, keeping your device running smoothly and staying protected. In some cases, Windows will install device drivers along with other updates.

Suppose a driver is released for your video device via Windows Update. In that case, it will install or update unless you decide not to via a policy setting not to include device drivers with Windows updates.

Updating the driver to the latest version may fix or even improve the sound quality for users who are having issues with their device’s video system.

Below is how to install or update your device’s video drivers in Windows 11.

Install or update video drivers via Optional updates

As described above, if a driver is released for your video device via Windows Update, it will install unless you decide not to via a policy setting not to include device drivers with Windows updates.

Video device drivers released with Windows Update will be included with Windows Optional updates. Here’s how to search for and install Optional updates.

To install device drivers via Optional updates, click on the Start menu and select Settings. Then in the Settings app, click Windows Update -> Advanced options -> Optional updates.

windows 11 windows update advanced options optional updates
windows 11 windows update advanced options optional updates

If a video driver were released via Windows Update, it would be listed under the Optional updates. Please select it and let Windows install it.

Install or update video drivers via Device Manager

Another way to update their device’s video drivers is using the Device Manager app. Before you do that, you must know the graphics card installed on your Windows device.

Read the post below to check the installed video card on your device.

How to check graphics card details in Windows 11.

Once you have the graphics card details, download the appropriate drivers. Then use the Device Manager app to install or update it.

To open the Device Manager app, click on the Start menu and search for “Device Manager.”

Under Best match, select the Device Manager app.

windows search device manager on start menu
Windows search device manager on the start menu

When the Device Manager app opens, select and expand the “Display adapter” branch. Then right-click the “Intel(R) HD Graphics 520” adapter and select Update driver.

Depending on the Windows device, it may be called something else.

windows device manager update display drivers
Windows device manager update display drivers

On the Update Drivers pop-up window, select the Browse my computer for drivers option. This option lets you locate and install a driver manually.

This is usually the case if you have downloaded an updated driver from the device manufacturer’s website or have media with the latest graphics drivers.

windows device manager update drivers browse computer
windows devise manager update drivers browse computer

Next, browse where the latest video driver was downloaded and select it.

Click Next and OK to install.

windows device manager update drivers browse computer select driver
windows devise manager updates drivers browsing computer select the driver

If you don’t have a video driver downloaded, you may select the second option to pick from a list of available drivers on your computer.

Sometimes, Windows will have more than one device driver for a device. If the current one isn’t functioning correctly, you can select the other that previously worked.

windows device manager update drivers pick driver from list
windows devise manager update drivers and pick driver from the list

If there is more than one video driver on the list, select the previous one and click OK.

windows graphics driver select from list
Windows graphics driver select from the list

Continue until you have successfully updated or installed the latest video drivers. You may also have to restart your computer for the changes.

Update graphics drivers by downloading them from the manufacturer’s website

Computers with advanced graphics cards will usually come with their drivers from the manufacturer. However, if you do not have the media source with hardware drivers, you may be able to download it to your computer online.

Generally, the hardware manufacturer has all the latest graphics updates available for download on its official website. The most popular graphics card manufacturers are Intel, AMD, and Nvidia.

When you have graphics card details, visit the manufacturer’s website to download the compatible drivers.

Use the information provided with the device driver to install it on your Windows computer.

Conclusion:

This post showed you how to install or update your device’s video drivers in Windows 11. Please use the comment form below if you find any errors above or have something to add.

Posted by
Richard W

I love computers; maybe way too much. What I learned I try to share at geekrewind.com.

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