{"id":335461,"date":"2021-09-06T14:00:41","date_gmt":"2021-09-06T11:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/should-you-install-windows-10s-optional-driver-updates\/"},"modified":"2021-09-06T14:00:41","modified_gmt":"2021-09-06T11:00:41","slug":"should-you-install-windows-10s-optional-driver-updates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/should-you-install-windows-10s-optional-driver-updates\/","title":{"rendered":"#Should You Install Windows 10\u2019s Optional Driver Updates?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2a04cae7a6c\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2a04cae7a6c\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/should-you-install-windows-10s-optional-driver-updates\/#Only_Install_Them_If_You_Have_a_Good_Reason\" >Only Install Them If You Have a Good Reason<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/should-you-install-windows-10s-optional-driver-updates\/#What_Is_an_Optional_Driver_Update\" >What Is an Optional Driver Update?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/should-you-install-windows-10s-optional-driver-updates\/#How_to_Install_Optional_Driver_Updates\" >How to Install Optional Driver Updates<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><strong>&#8220;#Should You Install Windows 10\u2019s Optional Driver Updates?&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<div>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage alignnone size-full wp-image-751908\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/win10-default.png?width=398&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1 400w, https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/win10-default.png?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, 400w, 1200w\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/win10-default.png?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Windows 10's original desktop background.\" width=\"2616\" height=\"1471\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>On Windows 10, Windows Update no longer installs every hardware driver update it has available. Instead, it offers a list of optional driver updates. You should only install these in specific situations\u2014if in doubt, leave them alone<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Only_Install_Them_If_You_Have_a_Good_Reason\"><\/span>Only Install Them If You Have a Good Reason<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>We\u2019ll explain what\u2019s going on in more detail, but here\u2019s the quick answer: We recommend you avoid installing these optional driver updates unless you have a good reason to do so. In other words, if your computer and all its hardware devices are working properly, you should not install any of these optional driver updates.<\/p>\n<p>If there is a problem with a hardware device on your system, it\u2019s a good idea to check for and install any available hardware driver updates. For example, if your printer isn\u2019t working properly, you might want to look for a printer driver update here and install it, if it\u2019s available. if your computer is experiencing sound problems, you might want to install an updated audio driver.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s the advice we\u2019re giving, and it\u2019s the same advice Microsoft gives in Windows 10\u2019s Windows Update interface:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>If you have a specific problem, one of these drivers might help. Otherwise, automatic updates will keep your drivers up to date.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_an_Optional_Driver_Update\"><\/span>What Is an Optional Driver Update?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Windows Update automatically installs many driver updates on your system. However, since early 2020, there are two types of driver updates on Windows 10: Automatic ones and optional ones.<\/p>\n<p>The decision of whether an update will install automatically or manually is left up to the hardware device manufacturer when it uploads the driver to Windows Update.<\/p>\n<p>In most scenarios, the updates automatically installed by Windows Update will work well and you won\u2019t need to bother installing other ones. (One exception is graphics drivers: If you\u2019re a <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a>r, you want to regularly install graphics driver updates for improved gaming performance.)<\/p>\n<p>However, in some scenarios, you may experience a problem with a particular hardware device on your system. If a hardware device isn\u2019t working properly\u2014for example, Wi-Fi cutting out, audio issues, or printing problems\u2014you can sometimes install an optional driver update from Windows Update for that particular device to see if it fixes the problem.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Install_Optional_Driver_Updates\"><\/span>How to Install Optional Driver Updates<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To find and install optional driver updates on Windows 10, head to Settings &gt; Update &amp; Security &gt; Windows Update. (You can press Windows+i to open the Settings window.)<\/p>\n<p>Click the \u201cView Optional Updates\u201d link. If you don\u2019t see it, no optional updates are available. You can also click \u201cCheck for Updates\u201d to refresh the list of available updates.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-751909\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/view-optional-updates.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Click &quot;View Optional Updates.&quot;\" width=\"650\" height=\"407\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Expand the \u201cDriver Updates\u201d section here to view optional driver updates.<\/p>\n<p>If you don\u2019t see the Driver Updates section, no optional driver updates are available. This screen also offers other types of optional updates, including optional quality updates, also known as C and D updates.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-751910\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/optional-updates-screen.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Expand the &quot;Driver Updates&quot; section.\" width=\"650\" height=\"322\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>You will see a list of available optional driver updates here. For each, you will see the hardware manufacturer name, device type, date, and version number.<\/p>\n<p>Some drivers will have incorrect dates or no dates at all. For example, we saw an Intel driver update marked as released in 1970. This is the Unix epoch\u00a0and <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ears to be a sign that Intel forgot to use a real date for the driver.<\/p>\n<p>You may also see duplicate versions of a driver with several different version numbers.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-751911\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/driver-updates-list.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Optional driver updates displayed in Windows 10's Settings app.\" width=\"650\" height=\"409\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>To install an optional driver update, just check it and then click \u201cDownload and Install\u201d at the bottom of the list.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"admonishment_tip\"><p><strong>Tip:<\/strong> You shouldn\u2019t install any of these optional driver updates unless you have a specific problem with the hardware device it\u2019s associated with. Optional driver updates could introduce new problems. Don\u2019t fix what isn\u2019t broken!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-751912\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/install-an-update.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Check a driver and click &quot;Download and Install&quot; to install it.\" width=\"650\" height=\"409\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>If you want to uninstall an optional driver update, you will need to roll back the device driver in the Windows Device Manager. You can use this function to have Windows 10 use the device\u2019s normal, automatically installed driver if the optional driver causes problems.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. 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Instead, it offers a list of optional driver updates. You should only install these in specific situations\u2014if in doubt, leave them alone Only Install Them If You Have a Good Reason We\u2019ll&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":335462,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/win10-default.png?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-335461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335461","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=335461"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335461\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/335462"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=335461"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=335461"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=335461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}