You installed Windows — but now the sound is gone, the touchpad is dead or Wi-Fi does not even appear. Nothing is broken. The drivers are simply missing, and this guide shows all 4 right ways to get them back.
A driver is the small software that lets Windows talk to your hardware. After a fresh Windows install, Windows carries basic drivers for common parts — but the touchpad, audio, Wi-Fi or graphics driver is often missing or outdated, and the device either disappears or works badly. The good news: there are exactly 4 reliable ways to download and install drivers, and one of them fits every situation. Start with Method 1 and move down only if your device is still missing.
👆 This is what Device Manager usually looks like after a fresh install — yellow warning marks mean the real driver is missing.
This is the safest and easiest method, and the one to try first. Windows Update delivers drivers that Microsoft has tested for your hardware, and a second hidden section — Optional updates — holds extra drivers that never install automatically.
On Windows 10 the same section is under Settings → Update and Security → Windows Update → View optional updates. If your PC has no internet yet because the network driver itself is missing, skip to Method 2 or 3.
The most accurate driver for a laptop or motherboard always comes from its maker — Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus, Acer, MSI and so on. This is the best method when one specific device is missing or when you need the newest graphics driver.
wmic csproduct get name in Command Prompt⚠️ Always match the exact model. A driver for a similar-looking model is the most common reason a device still does not work after installing.
When half the devices in Device Manager carry a yellow mark, installing one by one takes forever. Snappy Driver Installer (free and open source) scans the PC and installs the correct drivers in a batch. The full version even works offline, which makes it the rescue tool when the network driver itself is missing.
Be honest with yourself here: ticking every single item blindly can replace a working driver with a worse one. Install what is missing, not everything that is offered.
If all your drivers work today and you plan to format the PC, export them first. Windows stores every installed third-party driver in its driver store, and two built-in commands can copy them out and put them back — no internet, no hunting.
DISM /Online /Export-Driver /Destination:D:\DriverBackuppnputil /add-driver D:\DriverBackup\*.inf /subdirs /installThis is the method professionals use on machines with rare or old hardware whose drivers are hard to find online.
All 4 methods to download and install drivers — live demo, step-by-step.
▶️ Watch Full VideoHonestly, no. If every device works — sound, Wi-Fi, display, touchpad — there is no need to chase the latest driver. Update a driver when a device is missing, misbehaving, or when a game or a Windows feature specifically needs a newer graphics driver.
Be careful. Many unknown driver updater tools bundle adware or install wrong drivers. The 4 methods in this guide are the safe ones: Windows Update, your manufacturer's official website, the well-known free Snappy Driver Installer used with a restore point, and your own driver backup.
Install the chipset driver first, then the network driver (LAN or Wi-Fi) so the PC gets internet. After that, let Windows Update and Optional updates bring the rest, and finish with the graphics driver from the manufacturer.