When and why you might uninstall a driver
You uninstall a driver when a piece of hardware stops working properly, when you are replacing that hardware with something new, or when a driver update has caused problems you need to reverse. Unlike uninstalling a program, removing a driver does not delete files from your computer — it tells Windows or macOS to stop using that specific set of instructions to talk to your device.
The most common reason to uninstall is troubleshooting. If your printer suddenly prints garbage, your graphics card causes games to crash, or your network adapter drops connection constantly, removing the driver and reinstalling a fresh copy often fixes it. You might also uninstall before installing a newer version, though many driver installers do this automatically.
A third reason is security or privacy. If a manufacturer stops supporting a device or a driver has a known security flaw, removing it prevents that code from running on your system. This matters most for older hardware that no longer receives updates.
Key Takeaways
- On Windows, you uninstall drivers through Device Manager by right-clicking the device and selecting "Uninstall device" — the process takes under a minute.
- Restarting your computer after uninstalling is essential because Windows needs to reload the driver or detect the hardware fresh.
- If uninstalling breaks something (your monitor goes dark, your mouse stops working), restart in Safe Mode and reinstall the driver from there.
- On Mac, most drivers uninstall by dragging the manufacturer's utility to Trash, then restarting — check the manufacturer's website for exact steps.
- Before uninstalling, write down the device name and model number so you can find the correct replacement driver if you need one.
Uninstalling drivers on Windows using Device Manager
Open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button and selecting "Device Manager" from the menu. You can also type "Device Manager" into the Windows search box. Look for the category that contains your device — printers are under "Printers", graphics cards under "Display adapters", network cards under "Network adapters", and so on.
Click the arrow next to the category to expand it and see the devices inside. Right-click the specific device you want to remove and select "Uninstall device" from the menu. A dialog box will appear asking you to confirm. Check the box that says "Delete the driver software for this device" if you want to remove the driver files completely — this is usually the right choice if you are troubleshooting or replacing the hardware. Click "Uninstall" to finish.
Windows will remove the driver when ready. Restart your computer as soon as you finish. On restart, Windows will either automatically find and reinstall the driver, or it will detect the hardware as new and prompt you to install a driver. If you are replacing the device, plug in the new hardware after the restart.
Uninstalling drivers on Windows using Settings
You can also uninstall some drivers through the Settings app, though Device Manager is more reliable. Open Settings, go to "System," then "About," and scroll down to find "Advanced system settings" or "Device specifications." Click "Device Manager" from there.
Alternatively, some manufacturers provide their own uninstall utilities. If you installed a printer, graphics card, or network adapter using the manufacturer's installer, check your Programs list (Settings > Apps > Apps and features) for an entry like "NVIDIA Driver" or "Canon Printer Utility." You can uninstall from there, though you will still need to restart afterward.
What to do if uninstalling breaks your computer
If you uninstall a critical driver — your graphics driver, network driver, or chipset driver — your computer might become unusable. Your screen might go black, your mouse might stop responding, or you might lose internet connection. This is fixable, but you need to act carefully.
Restart your computer and hold down the F8 key repeatedly as it boots (on some computers it is F5 or Delete — you will see a prompt). This opens Safe Mode, which loads only the most basic drivers. From Safe Mode, you can open Device Manager again, right-click the problematic device, and select "Update driver." Choose "Browse my computer for drivers" and point it to a folder where you have downloaded the correct driver file, or let Windows search for one online.
If you cannot get into Safe Mode or do not have a driver file, restart again and use System Restore. Press Windows key + R, type "rstrui.exe," and press Enter. Choose a restore point from before you uninstalled the driver. This will roll back your system to that earlier state, including the driver.
Uninstalling drivers on Mac
Most drivers on Mac come as installer packages from the manufacturer. To uninstall, the manufacturer usually provides an uninstaller utility. Check the manufacturer's website for your specific device — search for "uninstall" or "remove driver" along with the device name.
If the manufacturer provides an uninstaller, read it, run it, and follow the prompts. If they do not, look in your Applications folder for a utility with the manufacturer's name (like "Canon Utilities" or "Epson Software"). Open it and look for an "Uninstall" or "Remove" option.
Some older drivers are installed as kernel extensions (files that load at startup). These live in /Library/Extensions or /System/Library/Extensions. Do not delete these manually — use the manufacturer's uninstaller instead, or contact their support. After uninstalling any driver on Mac, restart your computer.
Finding and downloading a replacement driver
Before you uninstall, note the exact device name and model number. You can find this in Device Manager on Windows (right-click the device and select "Properties") or in System Information on Mac (Apple menu > About This Mac > System Report).
Go to the manufacturer's website and search for "drivers" or "support downloads." Enter your device model and your operating system version. read the driver file to your computer — it will usually be a .exe file on Windows or a .dmg or .pkg file on Mac. Do not install it yet if you have not uninstalled the old driver.
After you uninstall the old driver and restart, run the new driver installer and follow the prompts. Restart again when it finishes. Your device should now work with the new driver.
Preventing driver problems before they start
Windows Update automatically installs drivers for many common devices, so you do not always need to visit a manufacturer's website. However, automatic updates sometimes introduce bugs. If a driver update breaks something, you can roll back to the previous version by opening Device Manager, right-clicking the device, selecting "Properties," going to the "Driver" tab, and clicking "Roll Back Driver."
For devices you use frequently — your graphics card, network adapter, or printer — check the manufacturer's website every few months for updates. Manufacturers release new drivers to fix security issues, improve performance, or add features. Keeping drivers current is one of the easiest ways to prevent problems.
If a device works fine, you do not need to uninstall or update its driver. The phrase "if it is not broken, do not fix it" applies directly to drivers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I uninstall a driver and do not restart?
The driver will remain in memory until you restart. Windows will not detect the hardware as missing or try to reinstall the driver until the next boot. Restarting is the step that actually completes the uninstall and lets Windows respond to the missing driver.
Can I uninstall a driver without uninstalling the program that came with it?
Yes. The driver and the program are separate. You can uninstall the driver through Device Manager while keeping the program installed, or vice versa. However, if you uninstall the driver, the program will not be able to talk to the hardware, so it will not work.
Is it safe to uninstall a driver I do not recognize?
Check the device name in Device Manager first. If it says something like "Unknown Device" or has a yellow warning icon, it is usually safe to uninstall — it is likely a device you do not use. If you are unsure, search the device name online before uninstalling. Never uninstall a driver for something you actively use without having a replacement ready.
Why does my computer ask for a driver after I uninstall one?
Windows detected the hardware is still physically connected but has no driver to use it. This is normal. You can either install the driver you downloaded, let Windows search for one automatically, or leave it uninstalled if you do not need that device.
Can I uninstall multiple drivers at once?
You can select multiple devices in Device Manager by holding Ctrl and clicking each one, then right-click and uninstall them together. However, uninstalling one at a time and restarting between each one is safer, especially if the drivers are for critical hardware like your graphics card or network adapter.