Driver updater tools do just what you're probably thinking—they help you update some or all of the device drivers installed in Windows for your computer's hardware.
The Tools: Download Free USB Repair Utility & Data Recovery Software. When you search 'USB flash repair software' or 'pen drive repair software' on Google, a huge number of hard drive repair tools advertise to be able to repair pen drives and recover data. But few of them actually work as well as they advertise. This list of free Driver Update Software for Windows 10/8/7 will let you update device drivers easily without any difficulty. Download Driver Updaters free.
These free driver updater programs make it easy to keep your drivers updated. Use one, and you won't need to deal with Device Manager so much, nor will you need to go find the right driver from your hardware maker yourself.
You need not use free driver updater software to update drivers, but if you use one, don't pay for it. These programs are for your convenience only. See How Do I Update Drivers in Windows? for steps on manually updating hardware drivers.
Driver Booster
What We Like
Downloads drivers from within the program
Creates a restore point before updating drivers
Scans for outdated drivers on a schedule
No limit on driver downloads and updates
What We Don't Like
An internet connection is needed to scan for driver updates
Always shows an 'activate now' button to get the pro version
Driver Booster is the best free driver updater program. It's compatible with all versions of Windows and makes updating drivers simple.
Driver Booster runs automatically to find outdated drivers. When new updates appear, download them from inside the Driver Booster program to avoid downloading them manually.
Before you install a driver, you can see how the new driver version compares with the currently installed driver, which is helpful. Driver Booster creates a restore point before installing a driver in the event something goes wrong with the installation.
There's an option in the settings to install drivers in the background, which hides installation wizards and other popup messages. This is handy so you don't have to click through so many windows when installing new drivers.
Driver Booster works in Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP.
Free Driver Repair Software
DriverPack Solution
What We Like
Lets you install outdated drivers even when offline
Downloads are performed quickly
Drivers can be installed without any prompts or user input
What We Don't Like
Doesn't support scheduled scans
The program is often sluggish
Drivers can't be hidden so as to avoid seeing them in scans
DriverPack Solution has a user interface that's easier to use than most of the others on this list. There are only a few buttons and no confusing screens or options.
This program supports bulk downloads and automated installs so that you don't have to click through any installation wizards.
When you first open DriverPack Solution, choose to download and install all of the drivers automatically or pick for yourself which ones you want to update.
There's also some basic system information included in DriverPack Solution, as well as a software downloader that can install some recommended programs to your computer.
DriverPack Solution supports Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP.
Snappy Driver Installer
What We Like
Has no advertisements
Completely portable (no install necessary)
Downloads drivers from within the software
Supports offline driver installations
What We Don't Like
Scan schedules are not supported
The program isn't as easy to use as similar software
Snappy Driver Installer is another freeware driver updater tool that's a bit like DriverPack Solution.
Download several drivers at once for many different types of devices. After they're downloaded, the program gives you immediate access to install the updates—with or without an internet connection.
Snappy Driver Installer is easy to use and doesn't even need to be installed. Use something like an external hard drive to transport and install the downloaded drivers to any other computer.
Snapper Driver Installer doesn't advertisements, doesn't limit download speeds, and can install as many drivers as you need without any limitations.
This program works with both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
Driver Talent
What We Like
Installs quickly
You don't have to download drivers manually—they download from inside the software
The program is easy to use
Drivers get backed up before each installation or uninstallation
What We Don't Like
Setup might try to install an unrelated program
Bulk downloading is not supported (you have to download each driver one by one)
The schedule for scanning for outdated drivers can't be customized
Driver Talent (previously called DriveTheLife) is a straightforward driver updater program that downloads device drivers so you don't have to search the internet for official download links.
This application not only updates outdated and missing drivers but also fixes corrupted ones and backs up all your installed drivers.
The size of a driver as well as its release date and version number are displayed for you before you download it to verify you're getting what you're after.
An alternative version includes network drivers and works offline, which is perfect if you need to install drivers but don't have the proper network driver installed.
There's also a feature within Driver Talent that lets you download all the drivers necessary for the computer so that you can easily reinstall them should you reinstall the OS later.
Driver Talent works with Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP.
Some antivirus engines identify Driver Talent as malicious. You can see the results here. However, the overwhelming results show that it's clean, so proceed with caution.
DriversCloud
What We Like
Lets you install beta driver updates
Has the option to show only WHQL certified driver updates
Shows lots of detail on the drivers
What We Don't Like
Drivers have to be downloaded manually
Doesn't support bulk downloads or updates
DriversCloud (previously called Ma-Config) is a free web service locates detailed information about your hardware and software, including outdated drivers.
The process works by downloading a program that allows a web browser to gather information from your computer.
From the website, you can find categories such as BSOD Analysis, My Drivers, Autorun, Network Configuration, and other areas you can browse.
When you need to update a driver, inspect the new driver's information compared to the currently installed driver—the version number, manufacturer, INF file name and date, and hardware ID.
Available for Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, XP, and Windows 2000.
DriverIdentifier
What We Like
Works offline without a connection to the internet
Use it as a portable program
It's easy to understand and use
Includes helpful information about the drivers
What We Don't Like
Drivers have to be downloaded manually from your web browser
Won't check for outdated drivers on a schedule
You must create a user account before you can download drivers
DriverIdentifier is a simple but useful free driver updater program.
It scans for drivers if you don't have an internet connection, helpful if your network card driver isn't working. When the scan completes, DriverIdentifier saves the list of drivers to an HTML file.
Just open the file on a computer that does have an internet connection so the DriverIdentifier website can cross-reference the results with their databases. Drivers that need updating will have an Update link next to them.
There's also a portable version of DriverIdentifier available.
DriverIdentifier finds Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP drivers.
Free Driver Scout
What We Like
Can be configured to update drivers automatically
Multiple drivers can be downloaded in bulk
Supports scheduled outdated driver scans
What We Don't Like
Other driver updaters find more outdated drivers
Setup might try to install other programs
An update hasn't been released for the software in a long time
Free Driver Scout is an amazing driver updater because it provides true automatic updating.
Free Driver Repair Software
This means the program will automatically scan for any required updates, automatically download the updates, and then automatically install them, without requiring any input from you, which can't be said for any other program in this list.
Device drivers can be excluded from a scan with Free Driver Scout so they don’t show up as needing an update in the future.
Free Driver Scout backs up backs up some or all of your drivers and restores them as needed.
Free Driver Scout includes a helpful utility called the OS Migration Tool. Run it if you’re going to install a different Windows operating system to your computer. It will find the device drivers for the new OS and save them to a custom location, like a flash drive. Then, when you have the other Windows operating system installed, you can use the same tool to restore those OS-specific drivers so you don’t have to worry about finding the device drivers again.
Driver Scout v1.0 works in Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP.
Driver Easy
What We Like
Scheduling is supported to check for driver updates automatically
Can be used at home and at work
Driver scans are quick
Downloads driver updates directly from within the software
What We Don't Like
Drivers download slowly
Updates have to be installed manually
Doesn't support bulk downloads
Some features are available only after payment
Driver Easy finds updates for drivers in Windows. Schedule a scan to check for outdated drivers and it'll prompt you to download an update. A scan can be scheduled daily, weekly, monthly, when your PC is idle, or even every time you log on to Windows.
Driver Easy downloads drivers from inside the program without opening an external web browser.
There are additional features included in Driver Easy as well, like viewing hardware information and scanning for driver updates when you don't have an internet connection.
Driver Easy runs in Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP.
Device Doctor
What We Like
Drivers get downloaded from inside the application
Outdated drivers are checked when the computer goes idle
The program is simple to understand
Can be used as a portable program
What We Don't Like
Limits driver downloads to one per day
A driver's version number and date isn't shown to verify that the update is newer than the current one
Won't automatically update the driver after the download
Doesn't make restore points before updating drivers
Shows ads
Device Doctor is a simple and easy to use driver update program. It runs as a regular program or as a portable one that doesn't need to be installed.
Schedule scans to check for outdated drivers and then when an update is found, you'll be taken to a website to manually download it.
Because you have to download updates outside of Device Doctor, you may sometimes need to unzip driver files before using them. You can do that with a file unzip tool like the one included in Windows or a utility like 7-Zip.
Device Doctor is limited to downloading just one driver per day. It's designed to find drivers for Windows XP through Windows 10.
DriverHub
What We Like
Really clean, easy-to-understand interface
Downloads drivers automatically after you click the install button
Bulk downloading is supported
Supports an easy and an advanced mode depending on how you want to use the program
What We Don't Like
You might be asked to install another program during setup
The DriverHub driver updater is easy to use because it downloads and installs the drivers for you and has a whole section of the program dedicated to recovery should something go wrong.
The program itself has a clean interface with only a few menu buttons. In the settings are some options for changing the download folder and disabling program update checks.
You can keep things simple and install whatever DriverHub recommends, or you can go into Advanced Mode to pick which drivers to get, to see version numbers, and to install alternate drivers (i.e., a newer driver but not the current version).
The Useful programs section of DriverHub isn't driver related but does include some helpful links to Windows utilities, like Disk Management, Task Manager, power supply settings, display settings, and more.
DriverHub works in Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.
DriverMax
What We Like
No prompts when updating drivers (they install automatically)
Can optionally install only signed drivers
Drivers are downloaded from inside the program
Also lets you back up all your device drivers
What We Don't Like
Identified as a potentially unwanted program by some antivirus tools
Doesn't always find the right driver
Limits driver downloads to two per day and 10 per month
Only one driver can be downloaded at one time (no bulk download option)
DriverMax is a free Windows program that updates outdated drivers. However, it's limited in a few areas.
In addition to updating old drivers, DriverMax can back up some or all of the currently installed drivers, restore backed up drivers, roll back drivers, and identify unknown hardware.
DriverMax discovered a significantly higher number of outdated drivers than every other program from this list did. We checked the version numbers against the currently installed drivers and they all seemed to be valid updates.
DriverMax finds drivers for Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP.
Although DriverMax limits the number of downloads you can perform per day and per month, you can still check for outdated drivers; you're just limited when it comes to downloading the drivers. We talk more in the review about why this isn't as bad of a limit as it might sound.
Having proper device drivers for your devices is very important for the proper functioning of a computer system as well as the attached hardware devices. Drivers are a key component of a computer system, but we often overlook them which may create various performance issues in the long run. Keeping drivers updated to the latest version helps you get the best performance out of your hardware. But it is true, most of us do not update drivers unless they are offered by Microsoft Updates.
Driver Update Software for Windows 10
Here is a list of 10 best free software to update your drivers and keep your Windows 10/8/7 PC running smooth. These software let you update the device drivers easily without any difficulty, and are especially helpful for those who don’t want to visit the manufacturer’s website to download the driver or manually check for driver updates.
1. Double Driver
Double Driver is a freeware to backup Windows Drivers. Some drivers are not easily available online, and there are times when we don’t have the Driver CD and want to back up some important installed driver, this is where Double Driver helps you. It is a very simple and useful tool which not just let you check the detailed information about drivers installed on your PC, but also helps you taking backups, restore and save the chosen drivers easily.
2. Snappy Driver Installer
Snappy Driver Installer is a handy tool which lets you install and update the drivers on your Windows PC. It is the best application to use if you have recently formatted your PC or updated the OS because it can work offline and you do not really need an internet connection to work. If selected the option, this software also let users know whenever an update is available.
3. Intel Driver Update Utility
Intel Driver Update Utility from Intel automatically identifies, finds and installs the updated drivers for your computer system and keeps your system up-to-date. The software checks the systems thoroughly, suggest the required driver updates on your PC and download them only after getting your permission. It collects no personal information and can be installed very easily. The simple and user-friendly interface makes it worth to be added to the list of free driver update software for Windows machines.
4. Device Doctor
Decide Doctor is a free software for Windows PC which scans the computer hard disk and checks if there are some new updates available for the drivers. The software is best known for its detailed scan as it can locate unidentified drivers which are usually not detected by the default Windows Device Manager. The database of Device Doctor includes almost all major hardware device manufacturers and currently has drivers for more than 13 million devices and PCs.
TIP: Read our DriverFix Review. This driver update software can automatically identify corrupt or outdated device drivers and offer to updated them with their latest versions.
5. AMD Driver Autodetect
AMD Driver Autodetect scans the entire operating system as well as the graphics card of your Windows machine and sees if any update is available. The software also lets you download the official update with just a single click. Easy installation and auto-detect tool are the major features of the AMD Driver Autodetect tool.
6. DUMo Update Monitor
DUMo Update Monitor is a Windows freeware which automatically checks if the most recent versions of drivers are installed hardware on your system and help you keep your PC up-to-date & safe. With Dumo installed on your PC, you do not need to check for the update manually; the tool sends you a notification whenever some update is available for the drivers on your PC.
It includes bundleware – so remember to download the Lite version.
7. Snail Drive promises to offer you the right driver updates.
8. Dell Update utility will help you download or update Dell Drivers
9. IObit Driver Booster Free is another good free Device Driver updater for Windows PC.
Do remember to create a system restore point first before you update your device drivers.
Windows machine needs to have updated drivers, no matter you have moved to a newer version of the operating system or not. Updating the drivers regularly helps you getting the best performance of your PC and other hardware devices attached. If you feel the need, you can refer to this post, to identify computer hardware problems. Go here if you need to Troubleshoot & fix Device Driver Problems.
Related Posts: