It can be pretty frustrating when the internet doesn’t work on your computer. And often, the issue occurs because of outdated or corrupted drivers. However, Windows automatically downloads and installs the latest driver for all your devices. But sometimes, it may fail to do its job. Hence, you may want to update the network adapter driver in Windows 11 or Windows 10.
Updating the network adapter on Windows is a straightforward job. However, if you haven’t done it before, then below is a quick guide that you can follow.
How to Update Network Adapter Driver Windows 11/10
There are a couple of ways to update network drivers on Windows. These methods are the:
- Using Device Manager
- Update Network Adapter Driver from Windows Update
- Download driver from manufacturer’s website
Now let’s talk about all of these methods one by one:
1] Using Device Manager
Device Manager allows you to update any driver straightforwardly. And for this, you will need to follow the below steps:
- Right-click on the Start menu and select Device Manager.
- Next, expand Network adapters from Device Manager.
- Over here, right-click on the device driver that you want to update. For instance, If the WiFi adapter isn’t working for you, then right-click on it.
- Select Update Driver > Search automatically for drivers.
- If Windows doesn’t find any update, then click on Search for updated drivers on Windows update.
- Click on View optional updates.
- Then under Driver updates, see if there is any update available. If there is, then select it and click on Download and install.
2] Update Network Adapter Driver from Windows Update
Windows 11/10 now offer you a newer way to install device driver updates. It is a pretty simple process and shouldn’t take you a minute. However, it doesn’t always offer you the driver you are looking for. But yes, it defiantly comes in handy for updating drivers on Windows.
Anyway, here are the steps that you have to follow:
- Press Windows + I to launch Settings.
- Go to Updates & Security in Windows 10. Or select Windows Update from the left menu on Windows 11.
- Select Advanced options window > Optional Updates.
- Over here, see if you find anything related to the network adapter driver. If yes, then select it and click on the Download & Install button.
- Once drivers are downloaded, restart your Pc to make the changes.
3] Download the driver from the manufacturer’s website
Another thing that you can do is directly download Driver from your device manufacturing website. For this, you will have to manually search for the latest drivers on the manufacturer’s website and download and install them.
For instance, if you are using a Laptop or PC of dell, you have to go to the Dell website and search for drivers based on your laptop’s model number. Then you will need to look for a network adapter driver and install it.
If you are using a custom PC, you have to go to your PC’s motherboard manufacturing website and download drivers from there.
Also, ensure to download drives from official websites only because other websites may not offer you accurate drivers.
How Do I Update My Wireless Adapter Driver?
Go to Device Manager > Expand Network adapters > Right-click on your wireless adapter and select Update Driver. Next, click on Search automatically for drivers. Or download wireless adapters manually.
Why is My Network Adapter Is Not Working?
Maybe, you are using an outdated or incompatible network driver. To fix it, you should uninstall the existing network adapter drivers and download the fresh ones.
How Do I Reinstall My Network Adapter Driver?
Go to Device Manager, expand Network adapters, right-click on each network driver, and select Uninstall Device. After that, download the fresh drivers using the Windows update feature or from the manufacturer’s website.