How to Roll Back a Driver in Windows 10 and Windows 11

Sometimes, after updating a driver, you may experience issues like crashes, freezes, or incompatibilities. In such cases, rolling back the driver can help you revert to a previous version and restore the stability of your system. Here’s a detailed guide on how to roll back a driver in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Step 1: Open Device Manager

The first step in rolling back a driver is to open Device Manager. Here’s how to do it:

• Press the Win + X keys and select “Device Manager” from the list.
• Alternatively, type “Device Manager” in the Windows search bar and select it from the results.

Step 2: Locate the Device You Want to Roll Back

In Device Manager, you’ll see a list of all the devices installed on your computer. Find the category of the device whose driver you want to roll back (for example, “Display adapters” for a graphics card or “Sound, video and game controllers” for an audio card).

Step 3: Open Device Properties

Right-click the device and select “Properties”. In the properties window, go to the “Driver” tab.

Step 4: Roll Back the Driver

On the “Driver” tab, click the “Roll Back Driver” button. If this button is active, it means there’s a previous driver version available to restore. In some cases, the button may be grayed out, indicating that there’s no previous driver version stored.

Step 5: Confirm the Rollback

After clicking “Roll Back Driver”, the system will ask for confirmation. Select the reason for rolling back (for example, “The previous driver worked better”) and click “Yes”.

Step 6: Restart Your Computer

After completing the rollback process, it’s recommended to restart your computer to ensure the changes take effect. This helps prevent any potential issues and ensures the device functions properly.

What to Do if Rollback Doesn’t Work?

If the “Roll Back Driver” button is grayed out, you can try manually installing an older driver version. Visit the device manufacturer’s website, download the previous driver version, and install it manually via Device Manager by selecting “Update Driver” and specifying the file path.