While missing drivers are less common these days, it can still happen depending on your hardware. For instance, it might be because the hardware component is pretty old or rare. In my case, Windows 11 failed to install a driver for a USB Ethernet adapter. When this happens, the Device Manager highlights the hardware component with a yellow caution icon, indicating a missing or faulty driver.
Fortunately, you can manually install the missing driver quite easily. In fact, on both Windows 11 and Windows 10, you have two methods to do it. In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through both methods step by step so that you’ll never be in a situation with a missing driver. Let’s get started.
Before You Begin
- To install a missing driver, you require administrator rights.
- The steps are tested to work on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Install Missing Driver Using Windows Update
Most don’t know this but on both Windows 10 and Windows 11, you can install missing drivers using Windows Update. Here’s how:
On Windows 11:
- Open Settings with “Windows key + I”.
- Go to “Windows Update” on the sidebar.
- Click the “Check for updates” button.
- Windows 11 scans the system, downloads any missing drivers, and installs them automatically.
- Once done, restart your computer when prompted to complete the installation procedure.
On Windows 10:
- Press “Windows key + I” to launch the Settings window.
- Click the “Update & Security” option.
- Go to the “Windows Update” tab on the sidebar.
- Click the “Check for updates” button.
- This triggers Windows 10 to install any missing drivers.
- Once done, restart your computer to apply the changes.
That is all. It is that simple. Once the updates are installed, try using the hardware with the missing driver. If it works then everything’s good and you are done. If not, follow the second method below.
Manually Install Missing Driver Using Device Manager
Note: Before proceeding, ensure you’ve downloaded the driver from the manufacturer’s website. If the driver file is in ZIP format, extract it first. If the extracted file is an EXE, double-click it and follow the on-screen instructions to install the driver. If not, follow the steps below.
- Right-click the Windows icon on the taskbar.
- Select the “Device Manager” option.
- Look for the yellow caution icon to identify the hardware with the missing driver.
- Right-click on the driver
- Select the “Update driver” option.
- Click the “Browse my computer for drivers” option.
- Click the “Browse” button.
- Select the extracted driver folder and click “OK“.
- Select the “Include subfolders” checkbox.
- Click the “Next” button.
- With that, Windows installs the missing driver from the selected folder.
- Restart your computer to apply the changes.
Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)
First, open the Device Manager tool. To do that, right-click the Windows icon on the taskbar and select the “Device Manager” option.
Identify the hardware with the missing driver using the yellow caution icon. Next, right-click on it and select the “Update driver” option.
Now, select the “Browse my computer for drivers” option.
Click the “Browse” button, select the folder with the driver files, and click the “OK” button.
Select the “Include subfolders” checkbox and click the “Next” button.
As soon as you do that, Windows scans the folder for installation files and installs the missing drive. Once done, click the “Close” button and you are done.
Note: If Windows doesn’t find any compatible or updated driver, it will not install the missing driver.
Finally, restart your computer to apply the changes. After restarting, your hardware device should work normally.
Wrapping Up — Installing a Missing Driver on Windows
In conclusion, there are two methods to install a missing driver on Windows: using Windows Update to automatically download and install the driver or manually installing it via Device Manager. In most cases, Windows Update will do the job. However, if it doesn’t work, follow the second method after downloading the driver files. Just remember, if the driver file is in EXE format, simply double-click it and follow the on-screen instructions. Otherwise, use the Device Manager steps I’ve shown to install the driver manually.
If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to help.
