On computers, a device driver is a package with instructions that allows (in this case) Windows 10 to communicate and control a particular piece of hardware (such as a graphics card, printers, Bluetooth, and network adapters).
Understanding the version of the driver currently installed on your computer can be useful information to determine if an upgrade is required, as manufacturers often release driver updates several times a year to improve performance and stability, add new features, and fix problems.
In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to check the version of a device driver using Device Manager and PowerShell.
How to determine the driver version using Device Manager
To find the driver version for a particular hardware device, follow these steps:
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In the lower left corner, in the search field, search for ” device manager “;
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Click on the result that appears to open the window with the hardware list of your computer;
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Expand the branch to the device you want to check the driver version of;
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Right-click the device and select the Properties option, as shown in the screen below.
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In the window that opens, click on the ” Driver ” tab ;
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Check the installed driver version of the device.
After you complete these steps, you will know the current version of the driver, which can be verified in the version number available on the manufacturer’s support website to determine if Windows 10 is using the most up-to-date version.
Along with the driver version, using the ” Driver ” tab, you can also find other useful information such as the date the current version of the driver was installed and whether it was signed correctly.
How to determine the driver version using PowerShell
If you want to check the driver version for one or more devices, you can use this PowerShell command. Follow the steps below:
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In the lower left corner, in the search field, search for ” PowerShell “;
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Right-click the main result (usually the first one in the list) and select the ” Run as administrator ” option ;
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Enter the following command to list the drivers installed on your computer and press the ” Enter ” key: Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPSignedDriver | select DeviceName, Manufacturer, DriverVersion
The screen below shows the command highlighted:
The version of all device drivers on your PC is in the third column on the right, in alphabetical order with manufacturers names and versions.
If you need help, have doubts or concerns, do not hesitate to leave a comment in the comment box below and we will try to help you as soon as possible!