Update Driver Software: When You Need It and How to Do It

When it comes to updating your computer's drivers, there are a few things to keep in mind. Sometimes, Windows will only provide generic versions of the drivers from Microsoft, which may not offer all the features you're looking for. For example, a generic mouse driver might allow you to use your mouse, but won't let you adjust its DPI settings or customize buttons as finely as software from Logitech.

However, in most cases, these generic drivers will do just fine and can often be updated through Windows Update. In fact, updating drivers is usually a simple process that can be done in just a few clicks.

But when should you update your drivers? If a game you play gets a performance bump from the latest driver, it's definitely worth updating to take advantage. And if you're a gamer with a dedicated graphics card from Nvidia or AMD, new drivers are constantly being released with performance improvements for the latest games.

There is one major exception to the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' rule when it comes to drivers: graphics drivers. If you're having issues with your graphics hardware, or if you know that a driver has a security flaw that needs fixing, updating your graphics drivers can be a good idea.

On the other hand, if your hardware is working as intended, it's best to leave things alone, since new drivers can sometimes introduce problems as well as fix them. In general, you shouldn't need to update your drivers very often, but every once in a while, they may require updates to fix certain issues, introduce new features, or improve performance.

In conclusion, updating your driver software is usually a straightforward process that can be done through Windows Update. However, there are some exceptions where updating your drivers may be necessary to fix specific issues or take advantage of new features and performance improvements.

Update driver software