Windows · Devices
Manage Hardware with Device Manager
Device Manager is a classic Windows tool (devmgmt.msc) that lists every piece of hardware attached to your PC — display adapters, network adapters, storage controllers, USB devices, and more — organized into categories. It's where you update, roll back, disable, or uninstall a specific driver, and where a small yellow warning icon points you directly at hardware Windows is having trouble with.
How to open Device Manager
- Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager, or run 'devmgmt.msc' from the Run dialog.
- Expand the category containing the hardware you want to check.
- Right-click the specific device and choose Update driver, Disable, or Uninstall as needed.
- Restart the PC if prompted, especially after installing or rolling back a driver.
What you should know
- Expand a hardware category to see individual devices, and right-click one for Update driver, Disable device, or Uninstall device.
- A yellow warning triangle on a device usually means a driver problem; check its Properties → General tab for the exact error code.
- 'Roll Back Driver' (Properties → Driver tab) reverts to the previously installed driver if a recent update caused a regression.
- 'Show hidden devices' under the View menu reveals devices that have been unplugged but whose drivers remain installed.
Device Manager is a legacy Control Panel-style tool with no equivalent page in the modern Settings app — you open it via Win+X, search, or running devmgmt.msc directly, not through ms-settings.
Why it matters
Device Manager is the most direct way to see exactly what hardware Windows recognizes and how healthy each device's driver actually is, which matters the moment something like a webcam, network adapter, or graphics card starts behaving oddly. Because it exposes error codes and lets you roll back a driver update in a couple of clicks, it's often faster than uninstalling and reinstalling software blindly. For anyone troubleshooting hardware that suddenly stopped working after an update, this is usually the very first place to look.
Best practices
- Check Device Manager for yellow warning icons first whenever a specific piece of hardware stops working, before assuming it's a bigger system problem.
- Use 'Roll Back Driver' immediately after a driver update causes a regression, while the previous driver is still available to restore.
- Prefer Windows Update or the manufacturer's official driver download over generic 'Update driver' searches for hardware with known compatibility issues.
- Avoid disabling a device you don't recognize without researching it first, since some entries represent essential chipset or system components.
- Use 'Scan for hardware changes' under the Action menu if a newly connected device doesn't appear automatically.
Common problems and fixes
- A device shows a yellow warning triangle in the list.
- Open its Properties → General tab to read the specific error code, then try 'Update driver' or check the manufacturer's website for a driver matching that exact error.
- A driver update makes a device stop working correctly.
- Open the device's Properties → Driver tab and click 'Roll Back Driver' to restore the previous version, if the button isn't greyed out.
- A device that was recently unplugged still shows up.
- Enable 'Show hidden devices' under the View menu, then right-click the greyed-out entry and select Uninstall device to remove its leftover driver registration.
- 'Update driver' says the best driver is already installed, but a known fix exists.
- Download the manufacturer's driver package directly and choose 'Browse my computer for drivers' instead, since Windows' automatic search doesn't always surface the newest manufacturer release.
Tips and tricks
- Press Win+X and select Device Manager for the fastest way to open it without searching.
- Sort the device tree by connection instead of type (View menu) to see exactly which physical port or hub a problematic device is attached through.
Frequently asked questions
Is Device Manager the same as the Settings app's device list?
No, Settings → Bluetooth & devices manages user-facing peripherals like mice and printers, while Device Manager exposes the full underlying hardware and driver stack, including internal components you'd never see in Settings.
Can I permanently delete a driver from Device Manager?
Uninstalling a device removes its currently installed driver, and checking 'Delete the driver software for this device' during uninstall also removes the driver package itself, though Windows may reinstall a default driver automatically if the hardware is still connected.
Why does Device Manager show unfamiliar entries like 'System devices' or 'Unknown device'?
These typically represent internal chipset components or hardware Windows couldn't fully identify a driver for — an 'Unknown device' usually needs a specific driver installed from the motherboard or laptop manufacturer.
Related settings
- Windows UpdateWindows Update allows you to download and install the latest security patches, feature updates, and performance improvements. Keeping your system updated helps protect against vulnerabilities and ensures optimal performance.
- Optional FeaturesOptional Features lets you install additional Windows components that aren't part of the default setup, such as OpenSSH Client, additional language handwriting packs, or legacy tools like Windows Media Player. It's a separate list from Windows Features (the older 'Turn Windows features on or off' dialog), which handles larger platform components like Hyper-V or .NET Framework 3.5.
- Graphics SettingsGraphics Settings lets you assign specific apps to your PC's high-performance or power-saving GPU on laptops with both integrated and dedicated graphics, override the automatically chosen graphics preference, and enable Auto HDR and Variable Refresh Rate for supported games. It's most relevant on 2-in-1s and gaming laptops with more than one graphics processor installed.
More Devices guides for Windows
- MouseMouse settings control pointer speed, scroll behavior, primary button assignment, and additional pointer options for both wired and Bluetooth mice. This is where you fine-tune how the cursor responds to physical movement and clicks.
- KeyboardKeyboard settings cover autocorrect, text suggestions, and physical/touch keyboard behavior through the Typing settings page, alongside language-specific layout options managed under Language & region. This is where you tune how Windows interprets and assists your typing.
- TouchpadTouchpad settings let you adjust sensitivity, enable or disable tap-to-click, and configure multi-finger gestures for switching apps, virtual desktops, and zooming. These options only appear on laptops with a built-in precision touchpad.
- Pen & Windows InkPen settings control how Windows responds to a stylus on touchscreen devices, including which hand you write with, shortcut actions for the pen's button, and the Windows Ink Workspace for sketching and screen annotation. This only appears on devices with pen/stylus support.
- Printers & ScannersPrinters & Scanners settings let you add, remove, and manage printing and scanning devices connected via USB, network, or Bluetooth. From here you can set a default printer, view print queues, and run scans directly from connected multi-function devices.
- AutoPlayAutoPlay settings control what Windows does automatically when you insert removable media or connect a device, such as a USB drive, memory card, or camera.