How to Update, Roll Back, Disable, Enable, and Reinstall Drivers Using Device Manager (Windows 11 & 10)

Device Manager is a built-in Windows tool that lets you manage the hardware connected to your computer. You can use it to update, roll back, disable, enable, or reinstall device drivers. It also helps you troubleshoot hardware problems and check detailed information about installed devices. In this guide, you’ll learn how to use Device Manager in Windows 11 and Windows 10 to manage drivers, scan for hardware changes, view driver details, check device events, and fix common hardware issues.

What Is Device Manager?

Device Manager is a built-in Windows utility that lets you view and manage all the hardware installed on your computer. It displays devices such as graphics cards, network adapters, audio devices, printers, storage drives, Bluetooth adapters, and USB controllers.

Using Device Manager, you can update or roll back drivers, enable or disable devices, uninstall and reinstall drivers, scan for hardware changes, and view detailed information about each device. It’s one of the most useful troubleshooting tools in Windows PC to resolve hardware and driver-related problems.

When Should You Use Device Manager?

Device Manager is useful when you need to manage hardware or troubleshoot device-related problems in Windows. It gives you quick access to driver management tools and lets you check whether Windows has detected any hardware issues.

You should use Device Manager if you need to:

• Update a device driver.
• Roll back to a previous driver version.
• Disable or enable a hardware device.
• Uninstall and reinstall a device driver.
• Scan for newly installed hardware.
• View driver details and device events.
• Check for devices with a yellow warning icon or listed as an Unknown device.

If you’re troubleshooting hardware problems such as a device not working, missing hardware, driver errors, or compatibility issues, Device Manager is usually the first place to check.

How to Open Device Manager

There are several ways to open Device Manager in Windows 11 and Windows 10. The quickest method is through the Power User menu, but you can also access it using Windows Search, the Run command, or Control Panel.

Method 1: Using the Power User Menu

1. Press Windows + X.
2. Select Device Manager from the menu.

Method 2: Using Windows Search

1. Press the Windows key or click the Search icon.
2. Type Device Manager.
3. Select Device Manager from the search results.

Method 3: Using the Run Command

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type devmgmt.msc.
3. Press Enter or click OK.

Tip: The Windows + X shortcut is the fastest way to open Device Manager and is available in both Windows 11 and Windows 10.

Update a Driver Using Device Manager

Device Manager lets you check for and install the latest driver updates without downloading software manually. It’s useful when you want to update a specific hardware device, such as a graphics card, network adapter, Bluetooth adapter, audio device, or printer.

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Expand the category that contains the device you want to update.
3. Right-click the device and select Update driver.

You’ll see two options:

• Search automatically for drivers: Windows searches your computer and Windows Update for a newer compatible driver and installs it automatically if one is available.
• Browse my computer for drivers: Choose this option if you’ve already downloaded a driver from your hardware manufacturer’s website and want to install it manually.

4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
5. Restart your computer if prompted.

Advanced: After selecting Browse my computer for drivers, click Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer to manually choose a compatible driver.

This option is mainly used for troubleshooting or when installing a specific driver version.

Note: If Windows displays “The best drivers for your device are already installed,” it couldn’t find a newer compatible driver. In that case, check your hardware manufacturer’s official support website for the latest driver.

How to Roll Back a Driver

If a device stops working properly after installing a new driver, Device Manager allows you to restore the previous driver version. This feature is useful when a recent driver update causes hardware compatibility issues, crashes, or other unexpected problems.

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Expand the category that contains the affected device.
3. Right-click the device and select Properties.
4. Open the Driver tab.
5. Click Roll Back Driver.
6. Select a reason to roll back the driver, then click Yes.
7. Restart your computer to apply the changes.

Note: If the Roll Back Driver button is grayed out, Windows doesn’t have a previous driver version available. In that case, you may need to reinstall the driver manually or download an earlier version from your hardware manufacturer’s official website.

Disable a Device in Device Manager

Disabling a device temporarily turns it off without uninstalling its driver. This is useful when you’re troubleshooting hardware conflicts, testing whether a device is causing a problem, or temporarily disabling hardware you don’t need.

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Expand the category that contains the device.
3. Right-click the device and select Disable device.
4. Click Yes to confirm if prompted.

The device will stop working until you enable it again, but the installed driver remains on your computer.

Note: Avoid disabling essential devices such as your system drive, keyboard, mouse, or display adapter unless you’re following specific troubleshooting instructions, as doing so may make your computer difficult to use.

Enable a Device in Device Manager

If you’ve previously disabled a device, or Windows disabled it due to a problem, you can enable it again in Device Manager. Once enabled, Windows will attempt to load the installed driver and restore normal operation.

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Expand the category that contains the disabled device.
3. Right-click the device and select Enable device.
4. Wait a few moments while Windows enables the hardware.
5. Restart your computer if prompted.

If the device still doesn’t work after enabling it, try updating or reinstalling the driver, or check the device’s Properties window for any reported error codes.

Tip: If the Enable device option isn’t available, the device is already enabled or Windows isn’t detecting the hardware correctly. In that case, use Scan for hardware changes or check the physical connection if it’s an external device.

Uninstall (Reinstall) a Driver

If a device isn’t working correctly due to a corrupted or incompatible driver, uninstalling and reinstalling the driver can often resolve the issue. Device Manager removes the current driver, and Windows will usually reinstall a compatible driver the next time your computer restarts.

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Expand the category that contains the device.
3. Right-click the device and select Uninstall device.
4. If available, select Attempt to remove the driver for this device.
5. Click Uninstall to confirm.
6. Restart your computer.

After restarting, Windows will automatically detect the hardware and reinstall a compatible driver. If Windows doesn’t reinstall the driver, download the latest version from your hardware manufacturer’s official website and install it manually.

Note: Selecting Attempt to remove the driver for this device deletes the installed driver package from your computer. Only choose this option if you already have the correct driver available or plan to download it again from the manufacturer’s official website.

Scan for Hardware Changes

The Scan for hardware changes option forces Windows to check for newly connected or recently removed hardware. It’s useful if a device isn’t detected after installation, you’ve reinstalled a driver, or Windows isn’t recognizing new hardware automatically.

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Click Action on the menu bar.
3. Select Scan for hardware changes.
4. Wait while Windows scans your computer and detects any connected hardware.

If Windows detects a new device, it will automatically attempt to install a compatible driver. If the device still isn’t recognized, restart your computer or install the latest driver from your hardware manufacturer’s official website.

Tip: Use Scan for hardware changes after connecting a new device, reinstalling a driver, or if a previously missing device doesn’t appear in Device Manager.

View Driver Details

The Properties window in Device Manager provides detailed information about a device and its driver. The General tab shows the device status and any error codes, while the Driver tab displays the driver provider, version, release date, and digital signer. If you need more technical information, click Driver Details to view the driver files Windows uses for the device.

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Expand the category that contains the device.
3. Right-click the device and select Properties.
4. Open the Driver tab.
5. Click Driver Details.

The Driver Details window displays information such as:

• Driver file names.
• Driver file locations.
• Digital signature information (if available).

Most users don’t need to modify these files, but the information can be useful when troubleshooting driver conflicts, identifying missing files, or confirming that the correct driver has been installed.

Tip: To check the installed driver version, provider, and release date, open the Driver tab instead of Driver Details. These details help you verify whether your device is using the latest driver.

Check Driver Events

The Events tab in Device Manager records important activities related to a device, such as driver installation, configuration changes, successful startups, and hardware errors. It can help you identify when a problem started and whether Windows detected any issues with the device.

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Expand the category that contains the device.
3. Right-click the device and select Properties.
4. Open the Events tab.

The Events tab may display entries such as:

• Device installed
• Device configured
• Device started
• Device migrated
• Device not started
• Error or warning messages related to the device

Review the most recent events to determine whether a driver update, Windows update, or hardware change coincides with the problem you’re troubleshooting.

Tip: If a device suddenly stops working, compare the event timestamps with when the problem first occurred. This can help identify whether a recent driver installation or Windows update triggered the issue.

Common Device Manager Icons Explained

Device Manager uses icons to indicate the status of your hardware. Understanding these icons can help you identify driver or hardware problems before you start troubleshooting.

Yellow Exclamation Mark (!)

A yellow exclamation mark indicates that Windows has detected a problem with the device. This is usually caused by a missing, corrupted, incompatible, or incorrectly installed driver. Opening the device’s Properties window often displays an error code and additional information.

Down Arrow

A black down arrow means the device has been disabled. The hardware won’t work until you enable it again from Device Manager.

Unknown Device

An Unknown device appears when Windows detects hardware but can’t identify it or find a compatible driver. This commonly happens after installing new hardware or reinstalling Windows.

Hidden Devices

By default, Device Manager doesn’t display every device. To view hidden devices, click View > Show hidden devices. This can help you troubleshoot disconnected devices, previously installed hardware, or driver conflicts.

Tip: If you see a yellow exclamation mark or an Unknown device, open the device’s Properties window to view the error code before updating or reinstalling the driver. The error code often provides valuable clues about the cause of the problem.

Best Practices for Using Device Manager

Device Manager is a powerful Windows tool, but making the wrong changes can cause hardware to stop working. Follow these best practices to manage devices and drivers safely.

• Update drivers only when necessary. If a device is working normally, there’s usually no need to install every new driver release.
• Use Windows Update or your hardware manufacturer’s website whenever possible. These sources provide the most reliable and compatible drivers.
• Verify the device before updating. Check the device name and model in Device Manager to ensure you’re installing the correct driver.
• Restart your computer after major driver changes. This allows Windows to load the updated driver correctly.
• Avoid disabling or uninstalling essential devices. Devices such as display adapters, storage controllers, keyboards, and mice are required for normal system operation.
• Check the device’s Properties window first. The General, Driver, and Events tabs often provide useful information before you update or reinstall a driver.
• Create a System Restore point before making major manual driver changes. This provides a recovery option if a newly installed driver causes problems.

Frequently Asked Questions