6 Best Driver Updater Software

Windows 10 has done wonders for drivers, and Microsoft now rolls out drivers for a range of products via the Windows Update service. But the sheer number of hardware devices out in the wild, means that driver updater software programs still remain an important part of the computing puzzle.

Now, admittedly, you can search for and download many of the drivers for devices that make up your device from their official websites. But not all drivers are readily available, particularly if you own an older machine and have upgraded to Windows 10. And the process itself is cumbersome — finding the right driver version for the right model number takes time and effort.

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Driver update software become a bit of a blessing, then, in how they can easily locate and quickly download device drivers, even obscure ones.

That convenience, and the management functionalities that driver updater software provide, is what makes them useful to many users. Features like providing complete details of the connected hardware, backing up and restoring device drivers, automatically checking for and installing new ones, and scanning for changes are some of the options that are included in the best driver updater programs.

If you’re ready to grab a driver updater, then this group test will show you your best available options.

6 Best Driver Updater Software for Windows 10

Sr NoDriver UpdaterProsConsRating
1.Driver BoosterAccurate scanning and reporting, sleek UI, easy driver installation
Annoying notifications, ads and promotion for other programs
★★★★★
2.Driver EasyClean UI, fast scanning, huge database of driversDownloading a little slow★★★★★
3.Driver ReviverLarge drive database, neatly designed user interface, fast, malware checkingExpensive yearly license for the functionality it provides★★★★☆
4.Driver GeniusFast, streamlined, handy toolkit that cleans up filesLimited database of devices★★★★☆
5.AVG Driver UpdaterTidy UI, lightweight, fast and easy to useOnly 127,000 drivers★★★☆☆
6.DriverFinderExcellent driver scanning toolNo install-all option★★★☆☆

Now we will explain the features of these driver updaters in detail. 

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Driver Booster

IObit made a name of itself in system maintenance software, and their expertise is at show with Driver Boosters, a neatly designed program that thoroughly scans your system and provides details on outdated drivers.

The user interface is about as slick as it can be, with a dark design, and excellent use of icons.

Information regarding the age of drivers, and whether they need updating is also provided. As are buttons to easily update a chosen driver with one click. You can, of course, update all drivers at once, if you want — which is very handy when you do a fresh install of Windows.

Driver Booster

Driver Booster can identify and update over 400,000 drivers provided by more than 5,000 companies, including the likes of Intel, AMD, NVIDIA and Realtek. It is particularly adept at fixing issues with network controllers and audio chipsets.

Updating a driver with this program is entirely done within the app, and the whole process is streamlined to perfection. The program only provides WHQL (Windows Hardware Quality Labs) tested drivers, and it automatically backs up a previous copy of the driver, while also creating a restore point before updating to prevent any unexpected problems.

In addition, the download process also makes use of an advanced driver compression algorithm that reduces download time by at least 30%. Along with all these neat options, IObit has packed in dedicated features for gamers that can detect and update various individual components like DirectX, PhysX, and Adobe Flash.

Most of these features are available in the pro version of the program, though, including a larger database with a bigger collection of rare drivers, but it’s hard to ask for more from either variant of the program, which is practically the best choice available right now.


Driver Easy

Now, this is a good name for a drive management program! Driver Easy is a program that is billed as a solution to finding whether new updates to drivers are available, and it also helps locate drivers for unidentified devices in the Windows Device Manager panel.

With drivers for over 13 million individual devices and computers!

The developers boast that they have more than 3 terabytes of drivers currently in their database, and these include drivers of all major computer hardware and device manufacturer. More are added every week, and more importantly, all drivers are reviewed by humans using specialized compatibility tools.

Driver Easy

In our tests, Driver Easy did not have any issues finding the drivers for the most common devices and peripherals. Hardware scans were completed very quickly, and downloads were lightning-quick, too, thanks to smart caching of the drivers.

Along with a very clean and clear interface, Driver Easy also has a few extra features that make it unique and worthy of a podium finish. Namely, support for both WHQL and non-WHQL drivers, offline scan, and the ability to provide device names for unknown devices before updating their drivers.

A premium version is also on offer that includes the backup and restores functions for drivers, along with a nifty little system maintenance toolbox that includes components like system monitor.


Driver Reviver

Creative name for a rather colorful looking program! Driver Reviver helps you find outdated drivers on your system by scanning for all the installed hardware, and then providing a summary of device drivers that need updating.

An intuitive and friendly user interface combined with quick speed of scanning ensures that this app updates drivers without any hassle — all thanks to its huge database of drivers that are delivered safely and securely. The company claims that it has access to over 10 million driver files, including a wide range of system drivers, and in our tests Driver Reviver had no issues detecting the necessary drivers for all types of makes and models.

Driver Reviver

The efficient scanning process produced detailed results, and the program also includes a number of handy security measures to prevent system instability after the update process. These include backups, creation of restore points, and exclusive use of OEM drivers. Files are also checked for malware, and on top of that there is a reporting system in place that allows users to provide feedback on suspect drivers.

Overall, this incredibly easy to use app is one of the better driver management program available on the market today, and ticks all the right boxes when it comes to features and speed.

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Driver Genius

Just like all other capable drive management programs, Driver Genius detects missing and obsolete drivers on a computer, and provides the ability to download them after a detailed scan. The automatic drive update feature in this app ensures minimal efforts and interactions from the user.

And the program also throws in some neat little system monitoring features into the package that monitor the hardware temperature of the CPU, GPU and hard disk drives.

Back to its main ability, though. Driver scanning and updating.

The program supports more than 1 million drivers, which may seem a little low compared to the other software in this list. But it’s enough for most hardware included in modern PCs and is certainly adequate unless you are rocking a really ancient machine.

Driver Genius

As for the included features, all the standard ones have made the cut — scans, backups, restores, uninstalls, even a scheduler. One useful feature is the ability to uninstall drivers and driver files that are no longer in use to free up space. Another very welcome security option is the ability to scan the drivers for malware with whatever antivirus a user has at hand.

This works with almost all major antivirus solutions out there, without any issues.

The program is very easy to use, and its home screen displays plenty of useful information. Everything in Driver Genius is clearly labeled, and the company’s website offers a user guide, a FAQ section, to get users up and running with this neatly designed program. It may be slightly more expensive, and slightly less comprehensive in its database of drivers, but that takes nothing away from the capabilities on offer with Driver Genius.


AVG Driver Updater

Many might have recognized AVG as an antivirus provider company. Well it also provides the driver management tool -AVG Driver Updater.

Like most similar products, AVG Driver Updater runs a scan upon installation to determine which drivers are out of date. The installation took less than a minute to complete, the scanning barely took a second more — the program is fast and superbly optimized.

The user interface is a standard affair for popular software like this. Clean, and to the point, with easily recognizable visual cues that guide you through everything. Devices are clearly marked with iconography, and the same can be said for the available actions.

Speaking of which, the process itself is very similar to other programs on the list.

AVG Driver Updater provides an easy way to download and install the latest drivers for the hardware that you have connected to your system. A fully functional driver restore feature is also available here, along with a scheduler and startup scan option so that your computer is always kept updated.

AVG Driver Updater

Unfortunately, the number of drivers it has in its database is quite less i.e. only 127,000. But during our tests, the program had no trouble locating and finding updates for the drivers for the most commonly used hardware like network cards, input devices, printers, and scanners.

Backup systems are in place, and the program creates a system restore point every time a new driver is installed as a fallback if anything goes south.

Overall, this effective and incredibly easy to use program, quickly and reliably finds and installs drivers, though it misses out on some advanced features and the trial version does not update but only scan.


DriverFinder

DriverFinder is a user-friendly software that is a good lightweight solution to keep your PC safely up to date with the latest versions of the required hardware drivers.

It may lack the flash and flare of other premium software in the list, but if you want a no-frills solution that can automatically detect your installed hardware, and the required drivers according to your version of Windows, then this breezy little program is worth a peek.

The free version displays the entire list of drivers that are installed on your system in just a few seconds and also lists the version number and manufacturer details. All the important information is displayed in the main overview window of the program, which also shows the current RAM and CPU usage for good measure.

DriverFinder

That’s where all the fun and games ends, though.

The application does not provide a one-click install all option. It means you need to click on every outdated driver that it detected to update it.

DriverFinder keeps things light and simple. You may want to take it for a spin to see whether its process of automatically checking for available updates is worth your attention, even if it offers limited capabilities beyond this.

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7 thoughts on “6 Best Driver Updater Software”

  1. unless you’re being paid for promoting these software programs, many other computer user websites say that drivers should NOT be updated, unless there is a real problem to be fixed, such as a new computer update to Win 10 or a rebuilt computer or you are experiencing a problem. Except for gamers and high-def-video users, most Windows installed drivers will work just fine. Gamers and high-def-video users may need to make sure video card drivers are up-to-date and going directly to the video card manufacturer’s website will usually suffice for that and it is FREE to do it. Downloading and install a driver update program gives you more chance of installing garbage on your system that you do not need. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

    Reply
    • I disagree with you. Driver updates exist for that reason, to be updated. Driver updates are supposed to improve your experience, otherwise manufacturers would not bother releasing them in the first place.

      GPU drivers are the best example of this. You will notice a huge improvement on FPS before and after installing the latest GPU drivers. Your GPU was not broken in the first place, but the driver update offered an improvement to you. So, why would you reject them?

      Reply
  2. George … you just answered my main question … GPU are graphics drivers … so you download the GPU drivers for your graphics card or video game system, because those do change … but many other system drivers do not … even if they do and need to be updated, you can go to those websites and get the latest copies … I”m saying that these software programs that supposedly check for you, are generally a waste of money … many other “geek” websites with more experience than I have generally agree as well … so please feel free to update your drivers, especially graphic system drivers, but do it through the manufacturer’s website, not with an expensive package that may download malware or bad advertising … or put a new driver on your PC that is not needed and may cause more problems than you already had.

    Reply
    • I don’t think that any of those programs will “put” drivers that are not needed inside your computer. Define “waste of money”. If you’re someone like me who knows exactly where and when to look at a website to update his drivers, then these programs are indeed a waste of money.

      However, if you’re somewhat of a non tech-savvy person who doesn’t know much about drivers and such, then why not rely on a program that automates the process? Technology is extremely relative.

      It’s like saying that Antivirus and Anti-Malware programs are not needed and are a waste of money just because some people have the knowledge to remove malware manually and take care of their computer on their own.

      I hope that you understand what I’m trying to say.

      Reply
      • I do understand what you are saying. Realize that comparing system driver files to antivirus and anti-malware, are comparing cement to lettuce leaves (always hated apples to oranges) … your system drivers basically do NOT change … but many of the packages, including some advertised here, were said to have “Annoying notifications, ads and promotion for other programs” … BECAUSE users may not be tech-savvy, we in the industry need to make them AWARE not to get suckered in to buying software that they simply do not need. Many of these programs say “your drivers are dangerously out of date” … I”ve downloaded some myself to check what happens … and the “dangerously out of date” drivers generally cannot be loaded on my computer, because my operating system has more current versions already installed (thus they lied) or else those drivers could conflict with company programs already in place. Anti-virus and Anti-malware definitions change all the time, so they MUST be updated on a frequent basis. I was hit with an annoying email virus at work in the early 2000’s because my virus scan software was not updated daily automatically but only manually … my company changed that practice almost immediately. But many websites say that changing system drivers, except for purposes of fixing a problem or preventing known found security issues, should not be done on a regular basis. Many of these “dangerously out of date” system drivers as found by various “free” driver check packages won’t upgrade unless you pay them a fee, and then you find your system never needed them anyways, but hey you paid the fee, so they made their money and suckered someone in the process.

        That is why we need to make the non-tech savvy consumer aware … don’t just download, install and follow the blinking light. Ask questions, get answers, find the tech savvy users who have gone on ahead of you and can answer the questions you have. Some of those questions can be answered by you and I, the more tech savvy. I want to save that guy who just upgraded to Win 10 his $40 a year and instead spend it somewhere else. Buy the best anti-virus, before you spend on a driver update program that could update you to a version that causes problems. While Microsoft is not always the best source, they do get a lot of driver updates better than the expensive banner ads that pay for Google and Yahoo to bombard us with advertisements.

        Certain things you pay for and get updated on a regular basis. System Driver software is not generally one of those, even for the non-tech savvy person. Let the buyer be smart and aware. Ask questions, demand answers, become more savvy about your system. That is why they come to websites like this, to become more effective. So we need to help them out.

        It’s a supermarket out there – you pick and choose what you want when you want it … but you don’t need to waste your supermarket budget on fluff and nonsense either. Ask the grocer for help and opinions – take what you want and leave the rest. My opinion is one of many. Some will agree, some will think about it and others will ignore it.

        Reply
        • Can you please define what kind of system drivers these are? Because there seems to be a bit of confusion/misunderstanding here.

          Reply

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