Windows drivers, also known as controllers, are programs that tell the computer’s operating system how to communicate with a particular piece of hardware. When a driver is outdated, this prevents the PC from being able to interact with the hardware in question, which will cause the platform to crash.
For example, if your mouse driver is out of date, this could cause it to stop working because your computer will not be able to communicate with it.
To avoid this situation, there are programs that allow you to update Windows drivers automatically, as you will see in this article:
Recommended software to update Windows drivers
These programs have the ability to scan each driver on your PC on their own to keep them up to date, which will help you avoid errors and failures in the operating system.
Snappy Driver Installer Origin
With Snappy you can update drivers automatically, although it also allows you to download the drivers you need to start the installation process whenever you want without having to be connected to the Internet.
The best thing about the software is that it is free and imposes no limits on the number of drivers you can download and update. Snappy’s interface will inform you about drivers that are not installed, the newest versions, and the ones that best fit your PC’s hardware.
Driver Genius
This program will give you a complete list of all the drivers on your computer and their status (updated and outdated). By simply clicking on the driver, the software will proceed to search for the most recent version of the driver.
Driver Genius also has the ability to backup drivers, which is useful in cases where the newer version is buggy. The program’s Professional edition is priced at $25.95, while the Platinum edition costs $35.95.
Bit Driver Updater
Offering both a free and a Pro version, the free software will allow you to scan your computer for drivers that are failing or require an update. It will also give you information about the driver and allow you to install the ones you need. A big plus is that it backs up your drivers.
The Pro version, meanwhile, features an optimized download speed, a larger driver database, and the ability to make a backup with the push of a button. The cost of this edition is $49.95.
Driver Easy
Driver Easy has a “Lite” version that is free and functional, as it will allow you to search for the drivers your computer requires. The program will detect those that are missing and those that need to be updated to avoid problems. In addition, the software will perform the updates on its own, although the download speed is a bit slow.
For faster driver downloads, you can opt for the Pro version of Driver Easy, which guarantees fast downloads, customer support, and backups of each driver. It costs $29.95 per year.
Driver Booster
With Driver Booster you can count on a free version that has a huge database with more than three million Windows drivers. The program will also help you find the drivers that need updating so you can update them with just a click of a button.
In the Pro edition, download speed is improved for faster installations and the driver database is increased to four and a half million. You can also perform offline installations, make backups and receive technical support from Driver Booster staff. The cost of this version is $19.95 per year.
