Why do I need to update device drivers?
Your drivers are software that connects your devices to your computer. These devices can be anything from speakers to your video card. Drivers help devices communicate with your computer so that they speak the same language and can operate together. That's because different manufacturers make different components.
If this communication breaks down it means that a device could slow down, malfunction, or stop working altogether. Recent analysis by Microsoft found that 70% of all blue screens and PC crashes are caused by device drivers.
Device driver software is regularly maintained and monitored by manufacturers to check that everything is working as intended and that no new bugs or glitches have occurred along the way. If they find something wrong then they'll work to fix it and release a new version.
Obviously, people who buy a new device get the latest drivers associated with that component. However, if you bought your device some time ago or it came with your computer (like your graphics card) you will likely be running an older version.
This can be fine for a period of time or sometimes it can break the connection fairly quickly. Driver updates will usually happen along with system updates but not all are picked up every time for a number of reasons. The only safe way to update your drivers is by manually checking all of the websites pertaining to your device manufacturers or using an automated driver updater.
How often should I update my drivers?
You should update your drivers whenever a new release is launched. How often is this? Whenever a manufacturer deems it necessary. There is no set time period so you need to constantly check if you don't want to miss one. Developers will work on new software versions when they need to fix a bug or close security breaches found along the way.
Hackers are very good at finding weaknesses in software once they've had enough time to study and play with it. That means that the oldest versions usually equal the highest risk. Developers are always trying to stay a step ahead to help keep your software and computer safe.
Device manufacturers won't contact you to tell you they've released a new version either. That's not their job. This means you need to stay on top of it and search for updates before your devices stop connecting to your PC.
Here are some occasions when you have to update your drivers:
- When a driver is missing or corrupted
- If you need the latest features a device has to offer
- When your hardware starts to fail (try not to let it come to this)
How to update drivers in no time
To take the guesswork out of the process and ensure you find as many drivers that need updating as possible, we recommend using an automatic updater. You can manually look up your drivers on your PC but you will need to cross-reference some of the versions with the latest ones on the manufacturers' websites and it can take time and get a little messy.
On the other hand, a good automatic driver updater will do this in no time and:
- Have millions of drivers on its database to be able to search
- Help keep your computer running smoothly
- Offer multiple features that work together to maximize your PC's potential
We have created a driver updater that will scan and update your connected device drivers using over 25 million entries in its database. It will also help enhance your PC's performance in other ways because we bundled it into our CCleaner Professional package. This way, you can take advantage of our award-winning PC optimization features and update your software and devices at the same time.
If you want to see how many drivers you need to update and get them quickly and easily updated for you, try CCleaner Professional and its Driver Updater free for 14 days - no card details required!