How To Check If Your Drivers Are Up To Date Best Jun 2026

Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select Check for updates .

Expand a category (e.g., for graphics cards).

Right-click the Start button → . Expand any category (Display Adapters, Network Adapters, etc.). Right-click a device → Properties → Driver tab. how to check if your drivers are up to date

To check if your drivers are up to date, you can use built-in system tools like or macOS Software Update , which automatically scan for the latest versions compatible with your hardware. For Windows 10 & 11

Note your driver version from Device Manager. Then Google: [Your device name] driver version [number] latest Check forums like Reddit or TenForums. If you see “Driver version 30.0.15.1299 released 2 weeks ago” and you have version 30.0.14.1100 from last year — Go to Settings > Update & Security >

Drivers are the translators between your operating system and your hardware. When they fall out of date, they don’t send a postcard saying, “I’m obsolete.” Instead, they whisper lies:

If the version number on the manufacturer's website is higher than the version number installed on the system, an update is available. Expand any category (Display Adapters, Network Adapters, etc

For critical components—specifically Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), motherboards, and audio interfaces—native OS tools often lag behind the latest releases. In these cases, proprietary software is the superior method.

Check for "Optional updates" under Advanced options to find specialized driver versions that aren't installed by default. Option 2: Device Manager (For specific hardware) Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager .

Right-click your device and select > Driver tab to see the current version and install date.