Missing or accidentally deleted drivers can indeed put you in trouble as well as affect your system’s hardware functionality.
These are very crucial software components that enable your device OS to communicate with hardware devices such as printers, graphics cards, network adapters, and more, and losing it simply means losing the connectivity with these hardware devices.
Worry Not!! As you have landed on this guide, we will surely help you get out of this trouble and make you understand how to recover deleted drivers on Windows 11 using various methods and also ensure your device performance remains intact.
Yes, due to the availability of several Windows data recovery methods and tools, it is surely possible to recover the deleted drivers.
Before you proceed with any Windows data recovery method to recover deleted drivers, it is vital to find the exact cause of driver loss.
Drivers can be deleted accidentally or become corrupted due to several reasons, such as:
Accidental Deletion: You may have unintentionally deleted drivers when attempting to clear disk space or troubleshoot system issues.
Windows Updates: Sometimes, after a major update, certain drivers become incompatible with the new system version, leading to deletion or malfunction.
Third-party Software: Some optimization or cleanup tools may mistakenly delete required drivers when clearing unnecessary files.
Virus or Malware Attacks: Malicious software can corrupt or delete required drivers, affecting the system’s overall performance.
Quick Methods to Restore Deleted Drivers on Windows 10/11
When a driver is deleted, the hardware associated with it may become unusable, causing issues such as no internet connectivity, malfunctioning audio, or a non-functioning printer.
To resolve this, it is vital to immediately proceed with the exact method.
You can go through the methods given in this part of the blog to recover your deleted drivers on Windows 11:
Method 01: Use Device Manager to Reinstall Drivers
Windows in-built Device Manager is a quick and easy option to recover a deleted driver on a Windows PC. It allows you to easily manage hardware devices and their drivers. All you have to do is:
Firstly, press the Windows + X keys and select Device Manager from the menu that appears.
Now, locate the device with the missing or malfunctioning driver in the Device Manager window. You might see a yellow triangle icon next to it.
Select the Update driver or Reinstall driver option.
When you select the “Update driver” option, choose Search automatically for drivers from the pop-up that appears. Windows will search online for the correct driver and install it.
After installation, restart your PC to ensure the driver is working correctly.
Method 02: Use Windows Update to Install Missing Drivers
Sometimes, Windows Update can often detect missing or outdated drivers and automatically install them on your device. For this:
Press the Windows + I keys to open the Settings menu.
Click on Update and Security, and then click Windows Update from the left navigation pane.
Now, click the “Check for updates” button. Windows will automatically start searching for any updates, including driver updates, and install them.
Once the update process is complete, restart your computer to apply the changes.
Method 03: Restore Drivers Using System Restore Point
If you have a system restore point saved before the deletion of the driver on your Windows 11 system, you can use this feature to recover the driver. Just follow the easy steps below to restore deleted drivers:
Press the Windows + S keys and search for Create a restore point, then click the corresponding result.
Now, click System Restore from the System Properties window.
Select a restore point created before the deletion of the driver. Go through the on-screen instructions to restore your system.
After completion of the restoration process, restart your computer. The missing driver should be restored.
Method 04: Download Drivers from Manufacturer’s Website
Instances may occur when the above manual workarounds to recover deleted drivers on Windows PC fail. In such cases, you can try downloading the lost or deleted drivers from the manufacturer’s website. You can follow the below steps to download drivers online:
Firstly, identify the manufacturer and model of the hardware with the missing driver.
Open any web browser and go to the website of the hardware manufacturer (e.g., Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, etc.).
Navigate to the driver section on the website and download the appropriate driver for your device and operating system (Windows 11).
Run the installer and go through the on-screen instructions to install the driver.
After installation of the driver, restart your device to finalize the process.
Method 05: Download Drivers Using Windows Data Recovery Software
There are several third-party Windows data recovery software available online that are specially designed to completely scan your device and find the missing or deleted drivers. Tools like Stellar Data Recovery Standard allow you to recover driver .exe files deleted due to several reasons, including accidental deletion, formatting, power outages, etc.
This all-in-one data recovery software is free from viruses or malware, which makes it a 100% safe and secure option for quick data recovery.
Restore files deleted from multiple storage devices, including SD cards, USBs, SSDs, etc.
Compatible with Windows 11/10/8/7/XP. MacOS version is also available.
Allows you to preview the recoverable files before saving them on your device.
Supports recovery of data from formatted, corrupted, encrypted drives.
Recovery support for NTFS, exFAT, and FAT formatted drives.
Here’s how to recover deleted drivers .exe files on Windows 11 using the Stellar Data Recovery Standard tool:
Step 1: Download and install the Stellar Data Recovery Standard software on your Windows 11 device. Launch the software and from the homepage, select the type of data that you need to recover and click Next.
Step 2: Select the folder location or storage drive where the files were stored before deletion and click Scan to initiate the scanning process.
Step 3: Preview the recoverable files and choose the ones you need to restore. Click the Recover button to save selected files at the desired location.
Preventive Tips to Avoid Driver Deletion on Windows
You can consider the following preventive measures to avoid the hassle of recovering deleted drivers in the future:
Create Driver Backups: You can use a third-party backup tool to back up your drivers on a regular basis.
Set Restore Points: You may also set restore points to protect your device against accidental changes.
Regularly Update Drivers: You must regularly check for updates through Windows Update or the manufacturer’s website so as to keep your drivers updated.
Use Reliable Antivirus Software: Prevent malware from corrupting or deleting drivers by keeping a reliable antivirus program installed and updated.
Be Cautious with Third-Party Software: Avoid using untrusted third-party tools as they might delete necessary system files, including drivers.
Conclusion
Losing a driver on a Windows 11 system can surely cause serious disruptions, therefore we suggest you follow the above-mentioned Windows data recovery methods to easily recover deleted drivers.
Even if you use built-in tools like Device Manager and Windows Update, manually download drivers from the manufacturer’s website, or use third-party software, you can restore your system to working order.
Moreover, you can consider preventive measures like creating backups and setting restore points to protect your device from future issues.
