How to Export & Backup Windows Drivers Before Reinstall

Backing up your Windows drivers before reinstalling the OS saves you from hunting down network, audio, chipset, and graphics drivers after a fresh install. This guide shows you how to capture every installed driver into a folder you can keep on a USB drive or external disk, then restore them quickly. You’ll need a Windows PC that still boots, a USB drive or external storage with enough space (2–4 GB is plenty), and administrator access.

What You’ll Need

A USB drive or external hard drive with at least 2 GB of free space (4 GB is safer).
Administrator rights on the current Windows installation.
Windows 10 or Windows 11 (the steps are the same for both).
Optional: a second computer to download drivers if the network driver is missing after reinstall.

Step-by-Step

Create a backup folder. Plug in your USB drive and create a folder named DriverBackup (or anything you’ll recognize). Note the drive letter (e.g., E:\DriverBackup).
Open Command Prompt as administrator. Click Start, type cmd, right-click “Command Prompt� and choose “Run as administrator.� Accept the UAC prompt.
Run the export command. Type the following and press Enter:
dism /online /export-driver /destination:E:\DriverBackup
Replace E: with your USB drive letter. This exports all third-party and OEM drivers (not Microsoft inbox drivers) as .inf files with subfolders.
Wait for the process to finish. It may take a few minutes. You’ll see “The operation completed successfully.� when done.
Verify the backup. Open File Explorer and check the DriverBackup folder. You should see a list of subfolders, each containing .inf, .sys, and .dll files.
Optionally, also export only the drivers you need. If you want a smaller backup, you can use PowerShell: Export-WindowsDriver -Online -Destination E:\DriverBackup. It does the same thing.
Safely eject the USB drive. Right-click the drive in File Explorer and choose “Eject.� Keep it safe until after Windows reinstall.
After reinstalling Windows, restore the drivers. Plug in the USB drive, open Device Manager (right-click Start > Device Manager), right-click any device with a yellow exclamation mark, choose “Update driver,� then “Browse my computer for drivers.� Point to the DriverBackup folder and check “Include subfolders.� Windows will install the matching drivers.
Alternatively, restore via DISM. In an elevated Command Prompt after reinstall, run:
dism /online /add-driver /driver:E:\DriverBackup /recurse
This installs all drivers in the folder at once. Reboot afterward.

Common Mistakes

Using the wrong drive letter. If the USB drive isn’t recognized, the command fails. Double-check in File Explorer.
Not running as administrator. DISM requires elevation; otherwise you get an error about permissions.
Forgetting to include subfolders when restoring. If you uncheck “Include subfolders,� Windows won’t find the drivers nested inside subfolders.
Backing up only to the same disk you’re about to wipe. If you save the backup to the C: drive, you’ll lose it during reinstall. Always use external media.
Assuming all drivers are exported. DISM only exports third-party drivers, not Microsoft’s inbox drivers. That’s usually fine because Windows includes those, but if you have a rare device, you may need to download its driver manually.

Tips

Create a system restore point before exporting. It’s a safety net if something goes wrong during the driver export (rare but possible).
Keep the backup on a separate USB drive. If your main drive fails, you’ll still have the drivers.
Label the backup with the date and Windows version. Drivers for Windows 10 may not be fully compatible with Windows 11, though many are.
After restore, run Windows Update. It will often find newer driver versions than the ones you backed up.
If you’re upgrading to a new PC, don’t use the old drivers. They’re tied to the old hardware and can cause conflicts.

Troubleshooting

DISM error 87 or “The parameter is incorrect.� Check the destination path. Make sure the folder exists and the drive letter is correct. Also ensure you’re using the exact syntax with a colon after the drive letter.
“You do not have permission� error. Close Command Prompt and reopen it as administrator. If you’re on a work PC, you may need IT approval.
The export completes but the folder is empty. This can happen if there are no third-party drivers installed. That’s rare, but if it happens, check Device Manager for any devices with yellow marks—those are the ones you need to back up manually.
After restore, some devices still show errors. Try updating the driver via Device Manager and let Windows search automatically. If that fails, download the driver from the manufacturer’s website using another computer and transfer it via USB.
Restore takes a long time or seems stuck. The /recurse option can be slow if you have many drivers. Let it run; it will eventually finish. If it hangs for more than 30 minutes, cancel and try restoring only the problematic devices via Device Manager.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does DISM export ALL drivers, including graphics and network?

Yes, DISM exports all third-party drivers that are currently installed, including graphics, network, audio, chipset, and others. It does not export Microsoft’s built-in inbox drivers, but those are automatically included in Windows.

Can I use the backup on a different computer?

Technically yes, but it’s not recommended. Drivers are often hardware-specific, and installing drivers from another machine can cause instability. Only use the backup on the same PC model.

Will the backup work if I upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11?

Many drivers are compatible, but not all. It’s safer to let Windows Update find new drivers after the upgrade, and only use the backup if a device is missing.

How long does the export take?

Usually 2–5 minutes, depending on the number of drivers and the speed of your USB drive. Larger driver packs can take longer.

Is there a way to back up only specific drivers?

DISM doesn’t allow selective export. If you only need a few, use a tool like DriverStore Explorer (third-party) or manually copy the driver folders from C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository.

What if I forget to back up before reinstalling?

You can still download drivers from the manufacturer’s website. For network drivers, use another computer to download them and transfer via USB. Alternatively, use a driver pack from a trusted source (like the OEM’s support page).

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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