How to update GPU drivers like a pro
You don't need to be a computer whizz to update drivers these days, especially if you do it the easy way! We're going to show you how to check and install updates yourself, no code necessary (you can breathe a sigh of relief now). If your graphics processing unit (GPU) driver is outdated you've possibly noticed some issues already. Or maybe you're here because drivers have become a bit of a buzzword lately and you're curious.
More and more people are keen to maintain their PCs in top condition by performing health checks and improvements at home. We've noticed a massive increase over the past year in the number of downloads of our CCleaner app which optimizes and cleans computers. That's probably because the global situation has forced everyone to stay at home more and that's driven an increase in home computer usage.
The more time you spend on your PC the more you're going to notice it lag and be able to identify new issues it throws your way. We've now had 2.5 billion (yes 2,500,000,000!) downloads of our CCleaner Professional package and we have to say a big thanks to everyone who's already using it.
We have just released a new feature that everyone can use, both new and old users. It's our CCleaner Driver Updater tool which is going to keep your drivers up to date so you don't have to think about it in the future. We'll let you know more about this later but essentially it automates the process of searching for and installing new GPU drivers (and any others like audio or Bluetooth drivers that need updating) with just a few clicks of a button.
In the meantime, we're going to share how to update GPU drivers in Windows 10 and Windows 7. Then you can decide if you prefer the manual or the automatic process for yourself.
How to update GPU drivers Windows 10
This is the manual way, recommended if you're more technical or enjoy fiddling about on your computer. If you're looking for a quicker and easier solution, read on to see how you can use a tool to do this for you.
Checking if there is a newer GPU driver in Windows 10 involves using the device manager and letting Windows scan for the latest driver. If this doesn't work, you need to go to the manufacturer's website and make sure you're running the latest version. If not, you find the right software on the site and download and install it.
You can manually update this on a Windows 10 system by following these steps:
- Go to the taskbar and enter "Device Manager" in the search box
- Select "Device Manager"
- Click on the "Display Adaptors" category and find your GPU
- Right-click on your GPU
- Click on the "Driver" tab and then "Update Driver"
- Select "Search automatically for updated driver software"
- If Windows can find a newer version you can follow the instructions to install it
- If it doesn't find a new version, compare your driver model and version against the manufacturer's most current driver on their website
- If you're running an older version, download and install the latest version, following the instructions on the manufacturer's page
How to update GPU drivers Windows 7
This describes how you can update drivers manually but there are tools available to do this for you. If you're looking for an easier way, read on.
Checking if there is a newer GPU driver in Windows 7 involves using the device manager and letting Windows scan for the latest driver. If this doesn't work, you need to go to the manufacturer's website and make sure you're running the latest version. If not, you find the right software on the site and download and install it.
You can manually update this on a Windows 7 system by following these steps:
- Open the start menu in the bottom left corner
- Type "Device Manager" in the search bar
- Select "Device Manager" which will appear under the Control Panel options
- Expand the "Display Adaptors" option
- Right-click on your GPU, then choose "Update Driver Software"
- Select "Search automatically for updated driver software"
- If Windows can find a newer version you can follow the instructions to install it
- If it doesn't find a new version, compare your driver model and version against the manufacturer's most current driver on their website
- If you're running an older version, download and install the latest version, following the instructions on the manufacturer's page
How to update all drivers automatically using a tool
As you can see from the instructions above, it's not difficult to update your drivers if you are fairly technical but that was just an example for one set of drivers (GPU). You may have many, many outdated drivers on your machine and would need to follow that same process for each of your drivers and that would be time-consuming and probably not the most exciting way to spend your time.
That's why we created a tool to update drivers for you. You can search and install all driver updates in a matter of minutes or even seconds. That means you can have more time to do the things you enjoy. It's a double bonus because you save time by not having to manually perform this less than glamorous task and doing it this way will make your PC perform better too.
We bundled our Driver Updater into our CCleaner Professional package so you will also have access to all our other fancy cleaning and optimization tools. You can try it for two weeks for free and see how it improves your computer's performance. Simply download it and let it do all the hard work for you.