Have you ever faced issues with your hardware after installing or updating a driver in Windows 11? Sometimes, drivers can become corrupted, outdated, or incompatible, causing crashes, lag, or device malfunctions. In such cases, the best solution is to uninstall the problematic driver and either reinstall it or replace it with a new version.
In this detailed guide, we’ll show you how to uninstall drivers on Windows 11 safely, using different methods like Device Manager, Control Panel, Command Prompt, and Safe Mode. Whether you’re dealing with a faulty graphics driver, printer driver, or USB driver, this guide has you covered.
📌 Key Takeaways
Windows 11 allows you to uninstall drivers using Device Manager, Control Panel, and Settings.
Uninstalling a driver can fix issues like hardware not working, crashes, or driver conflicts.
After uninstalling, you can reinstall the correct driver manually or let Windows update it automatically.
Advanced users can use Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Safe Mode for stubborn drivers.
What Is a Driver in Windows 11?
A driver is a small software program that helps your operating system communicate with hardware devices like printers, keyboards, graphics cards, and audio systems.
Without drivers, your PC wouldn’t know how to use connected devices.
Bad or outdated drivers can cause blue screen errors (BSODs), crashes, or device malfunctions.
👉 That’s why knowing how to uninstall and reinstall drivers is an essential troubleshooting skill.
When Should You Uninstall a Driver?
You don’t always need to uninstall drivers, but it’s recommended if:
🚫 Device is not working properly after a driver update.
⚠️ You see yellow warning icons in Device Manager.
💻 Experiencing frequent system crashes or BSODs.
🖼️ Updating your graphics driver for gaming performance.
🔄 Installing a clean version of the driver.
Different Methods to Uninstall a Driver in Windows 11
Windows 11 offers multiple ways to remove drivers. Let’s go step by step.
1. Uninstall a Driver Using Device Manager (Most Common)
The Device Manager is the easiest way to uninstall drivers.
Steps:
Press Windows + X and select Device Manager.
Expand the category (e.g., Display adapters, Sound, video and game controllers).
Right-click the device → select Uninstall device.
Check Delete the driver software for this device (if available).
Click Uninstall.
Restart your PC.
👉 This method is best for graphics, sound, and USB drivers.
2. Uninstall Drivers via Control Panel
Some drivers (like printer or audio drivers) also install software packages.
Steps:
Press Windows + R, type:
and press Enter.
This opens Programs and Features in Control Panel.
Find your driver software (e.g., NVIDIA, AMD, Realtek).
Click Uninstall/Change.
Follow on-screen instructions.
👉 Best for graphics card driver suites, printer software, and audio utilities.
3. Use Windows Settings to Uninstall Drivers
Steps:
Press Windows + I to open Settings.
Go to Apps → Installed apps.
Search for your driver (e.g., Intel Graphics, Realtek Audio).
Click Uninstall.
4. Uninstall Hidden Drivers with Device Manager
Sometimes old or unused drivers stay hidden.
Steps:
Press Windows + R, type:
and press Enter.
Run:
In Device Manager, click View → Show hidden devices.
Uninstall old or greyed-out drivers.
5. Uninstall Drivers in Safe Mode
Some drivers can’t be removed while Windows is running normally.
Steps:
Press Windows + I → System → Recovery.
Under Advanced startup, click Restart now.
Choose Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart.
Select Safe Mode with Networking.
Open Device Manager and uninstall the driver.
6. Use Command Prompt (Advanced Users)
You can remove drivers manually with Command Prompt.
Steps:
Search cmd, right-click → Run as administrator.
Enter:
(this lists all installed drivers).
Find the driver you want to remove (look at Published Name).
Run:
👉 Example:
7. Use Third-Party Driver Uninstaller Tools (Optional)
If normal methods don’t work, tools like DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) or Driver Fusion can force-remove stubborn drivers.
⚠️ Use carefully—these tools are powerful and should be used only when necessary.
What Happens After You Uninstall a Driver?
Windows will attempt to reinstall a generic driver after reboot.
For the best performance, you should download the latest driver from the manufacturer’s website (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, Realtek, etc.).
How to Reinstall a Driver After Uninstalling
If you removed a driver by mistake, here’s how to reinstall it:
Method 1: Automatic Update via Windows
Open Device Manager.
Right-click the device → Update driver.
Choose Search automatically for drivers.
Method 2: Manual Installation
Visit the manufacturer’s official website.
Download the latest driver for Windows 11.
Install it and restart your PC.
Comparison of Driver Uninstallation Methods
| Method | Difficulty | Best For | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Device Manager | Easy | Most drivers | Low |
| Control Panel | Easy | Printer/audio suites | Low |
| Settings App | Easy | Installed apps | Low |
| Hidden Devices | Medium | Old/unused drivers | Medium |
| Safe Mode | Medium | Stubborn drivers | Medium |
| Command Prompt | Hard | Advanced users | High |
| Third-Party Tools | Hard | Force removal | High |
Tips Before Uninstalling a Driver
✅ Create a system restore point in case something goes wrong.
✅ Download the new driver before uninstalling the old one.
✅ Only uninstall drivers if you’re sure they are causing issues.
❌ Avoid deleting chipset or essential system drivers unless necessary.
Conclusion
Uninstalling a driver in Windows 11 can solve compatibility issues, crashes, and hardware malfunctions.
Use Device Manager for standard drivers.
Use Control Panel or Settings for driver software packages.
Try Safe Mode or Command Prompt if normal methods fail.
👉 Once uninstalled, reinstall the latest driver from the manufacturer’s site for the best performance.
With this step-by-step guide, you can now confidently uninstall any driver on Windows 11 without fear of breaking your system.
FAQs: How to Uninstall a Driver on Windows 11
1. What happens if I uninstall a driver in Windows 11?
Windows will reinstall a generic version after reboot, but performance may be limited.
2. Can I uninstall graphics drivers without problems?
Yes, but your display may revert to basic drivers until you reinstall NVIDIA/AMD/Intel drivers.
3. Is it safe to uninstall audio drivers?
Yes, but you’ll lose sound until you reinstall the correct driver.
4. How do I completely remove old drivers?
Enable hidden devices in Device Manager or use Command Prompt with pnputil.
5. Should I uninstall drivers before updating them?
For GPU drivers, yes—doing a clean uninstall before installing the new version is recommended.