How to Find a Driver Version in Windows

Finding the exact version number of a driver in Windows is useful when you’re troubleshooting hardware problems, checking if an update is needed, or verifying that a new installation matches the manufacturer’s latest release. This guide shows you how to locate the version using built-in tools like Device Manager and Windows Settings, with no extra software required.

What You’ll Need

• A Windows PC (Windows 10 or Windows 11)
• Administrator access (for some methods)

Step-by-Step

Method 1: Using Device Manager

1. Press Windows + X on your keyboard and select Device Manager from the menu that appears. (Alternatively, type “Device Manager” in the Start menu search and press Enter.)
2. In Device Manager, expand the category that contains your hardware. For example, if you need the graphics driver version, expand Display adapters; for a network card, expand Network adapters.
3. Right-click the specific device (e.g., “NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060”) and select Properties.
4. In the Properties window, click the Driver tab.
5. Look for the Driver Version field. This is the version number of the currently installed driver. It typically appears in a format like 31.0.15.3742 or 10.0.19041.1.
6. You can also click Driver Details to see the specific files and their versions, but the main version number is what you need for most purposes.

Method 2: Using Windows Settings

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Windows Update (or Update & Security in Windows 10) and click Advanced options.
3. Click Optional updates (or Driver updates in some versions).
4. Expand the Driver updates section. Windows will list available driver updates, but this only shows the version you could install, not the currently installed one. To see the installed version, you need Device Manager or PowerShell.

Method 3: Using PowerShell (for advanced users)

1. Right-click the Start button and select Windows PowerShell (Admin) or Terminal (Admin).
2. Type the following command and press Enter to list all drivers and their versions:

   Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPSignedDriver | Select-Object DeviceName, DriverVersion

3. To filter for a specific device, use the Where-Object filter. For example, to find a graphics card driver:

   Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPSignedDriver | Where-Object {$_.DeviceName -like "*NVIDIA*"} | Select-Object DeviceName, DriverVersion

4. The output will show the device name and its driver version. This method is especially useful when you need to list multiple drivers at once.

Common Mistakes

• Confusing driver date with version: The “Driver Date” and “Driver Version” are different. The date shows when the driver was released, not its version number. Always use the version field.
• Looking at the Windows version instead: The driver version is not the same as the Windows OS version (e.g., 22H2). Make sure you’re looking at the driver properties, not the system information.
• Checking the wrong device: If you have multiple devices of the same type (e.g., two network adapters), you might check the wrong one. Verify the device name matches the hardware you’re investigating.
• Using outdated methods: Some older guides suggest using the “System Information” tool (msinfo32) to find driver versions. While that tool lists drivers, it doesn’t show the version number in a straightforward way; Device Manager is more reliable.

Tips

• Write down the version: Before updating a driver, note the current version so you can roll back if the new one causes issues.
• Use the manufacturer’s website for comparison: The version number you see in Device Manager is what the manufacturer uses to identify the driver. Compare it to the latest version listed on their support page.
• Check the driver date too: While the version is the primary identifier, the date can help you quickly see if a driver is old.
• Export the list: In PowerShell, you can pipe the output to a text file for easy reference: Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPSignedDriver | Select-Object DeviceName, DriverVersion > drivers.txt

Troubleshooting

Device Manager shows no Driver tab

If the Properties window lacks a Driver tab, the device might not have a driver installed (it’s using a generic Microsoft driver) or the device is not properly recognized. Try uninstalling the device from Device Manager (right-click > Uninstall device) and then restarting Windows to reinstall the driver automatically.

PowerShell returns no results

If the PowerShell command returns nothing, make sure you’re using the correct device name. Try running the command without the filter to see all drivers, then look for your device. Also, ensure you’re running PowerShell as administrator.

The version number seems weird (like 10.0.19041.1)

This is normal. Windows drivers often use a version format that includes the Windows build number. The last four digits are typically the actual driver build. For example, in 10.0.19041.1, the 19041 is the Windows build, and the final 1 is the driver’s own revision.

Can’t find the device in Device Manager

If the device isn’t listed under its expected category, it might be hidden. Click View in the Device Manager menu and select Show hidden devices. If it still doesn’t appear, the hardware might be disconnected or malfunctioning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between driver version and driver date?

Driver version is a numerical identifier that uniquely defines the driver build. Driver date is the release date of that build. Both are useful, but the version is more precise—two drivers could have the same date but different versions.

How do I find the driver version for a printer?

Printers are usually listed under Print queues in Device Manager (not under a “Printers” category). Right-click your printer, select Properties, and go to the Driver tab. The version will be shown there.

Why does the driver version in Device Manager differ from the one on the manufacturer’s website?

Manufacturers often use their own versioning scheme (e.g., 537.58 for NVIDIA) while Windows reports the internal Microsoft version (e.g., 31.0.15.3758). To compare, you need to look at the release notes or use the manufacturer’s tool that matches the Windows version.

Can I find the driver version without opening Device Manager?

Yes, you can use PowerShell as shown above, or you can use the command prompt with driverquery (though it doesn’t show versions for all drivers). PowerShell is the most reliable alternative.

Is it safe to update a driver to the latest version?

Generally yes, but it’s wise to check the manufacturer’s release notes for known issues. If your current driver works fine, you might not need to update. Always create a system restore point before updating.

What does “Driver Version: 10.0.19041.1” mean?

The first four numbers represent the Windows version and build (10.0.19041 is Windows 10 version 2004). The last number (1) is the driver’s own revision. This format is common for Microsoft-provided drivers.

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