How to Create a Backup of Drivers on Windows 10

Creating a backup of drivers in Windows 10 is a practical step that can save you a lot of time and hassle when reinstalling the system or facing a malfunction. This guide covers how to back up drivers easily using Windows’ built-in tools and third-party software.

Why Do You Need a Driver Backup?

Drivers allow the operating system to communicate with your computer’s hardware, like the graphics card, audio, network, and other components. If a failure occurs or you reinstall the system, you may need to install drivers manually if they’re not saved. A driver backup is essentially "insurance" against these issues.

Ways to Create a Backup of Windows 10 Drivers

Method 1: Using PowerShell Command Line

This method is ideal for users who prefer Windows’ native tools:

  1. Open PowerShell with administrative privileges. Type PowerShell in the search bar, right-click the application, and choose "Run as administrator".
  2. In the command line, enter the following command: 
    Export-WindowsDriver -Online -Destination "D:\Backup"
    where D:\Backup is the path where the drivers will be saved. You can specify any folder you prefer.
  3. Press Enter, and the copying process of all drivers will begin. Once complete, you’ll see a list of driver files saved in the folder.

Method 2: Using Device Manager

If you need to save specific drivers, you can do so through the Device Manager:

  1. Open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button and selecting the option.
  2. Locate the device you want, right-click it, and choose Properties.
  3. Go to the Driver tab and click Driver Details. Here, you can see the driver files and their location. Copy these files manually to a safe location.

Method 3: Using Third-Party Programs

Several programs are available that help you automatically create and restore driver backups:

  • DriverBackup! — a free application that allows you to save drivers with a single click. It supports driver export and import, which is especially convenient.
  • DriverMax — a program with a straightforward interface that can automatically find and create driver backups.

Make sure to download these programs only from official websites to avoid installing unwanted software.

How to Restore Drivers from a Backup

If you need to restore the drivers you saved, you can do so manually through Device Manager:

  1. Open Device Manager and select the device you need.
  2. Right-click, select Update Driver, then Browse my computer for drivers.
  3. Specify the path to the backup folder, and the system will install the necessary driver.

To fully restore all drivers, using PowerShell with the specified backup path is often the quickest method.