How to Remove Old Drivers on Windows

Over time, Windows tends to accumulate old drivers, which take up space and can slow down your system. Removing these unused drivers can help free up disk space and improve performance. Here’s a guide on how to safely remove old drivers on Windows.

Step 1: Enable Hidden Files and Folders

Before removing drivers, enable hidden files and folders in Windows:

• Open File Explorer.
• Go to the View tab, select Options, then click Change folder and search options.
• In the View tab, check Show hidden files, folders, and drives, then click Apply and OK.

Step 2: Open Device Manager

To start removing old drivers, open the Device Manager:

• Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
• In the device list, locate the category for the outdated driver, such as Display Adapters or Sound Devices.
• Right-click the device and choose Uninstall device. If prompted, check Delete the driver software for this device to remove it completely.

Step 3: Clean the DriverStore Folder

The DriverStore folder holds all versions of drivers used by Windows. You can clean up older versions here, but be careful not to delete active drivers:

• Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository.
• Delete folders that don’t correspond to current drivers.
• Using dedicated tools like Driver Sweeper or Driver Booster can help avoid accidental removal of essential files.

Step 4: Use Built-in Disk Cleanup

Windows also includes a built-in tool to remove old files and drivers:

• Open Control Panel and go to Administrative Tools → Disk Cleanup.
• Select your system drive (usually C:), then let the scan complete.
• Choose Clean up system files, check Old drivers and Previous Windows installations.
• Click OK to delete selected files.

Step 5: Restart Your System

After removing old drivers, restart your system to apply changes and ensure there are no errors. Once restarted, verify that all devices are working properly.