How to Backup and Restore Device Drivers on Windows 10?

As you all know, Microsoft changes and improves a few things with every Windows update. The same goes for Windows 10 as compared to the previous versions. It also comes with a  factory reset feature similar to the one you get on a phone. You can even resize partitions on Windows 10 without erasing your data. You can also backup/restore Registry keys without any third-party tool. Although many options are available all over the internet, DriverBackup is a portable tool that you can use to back up Windows 10 drivers. But if you are a person who doesn’t prefer installing a third-party tool on your computer, you don’t have to worry. You can still back up and restore drivers using built-in Command Prompt or Power Shell.

If you plan to install Windows 10, you might not find the correct drivers on the manufacturer’s website. Therefore, we recommend you keep a backup of your hardware. The efficient working of the drivers depends on the DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management). It is a built-in command-line tool available on Windows 8 and later versions. You can use it to prepare Windows images, scan, and repair them, etc. Not only this but it can also be used to back up and restore the drivers.

In this risewindows post, we will guide you on how you can back up the drivers on Windows 10.

How to backup device drivers in Windows 10 using Command Prompt?

Step 1: Firstly, go to the Start button on your taskbar and type cmd or command prompt.

Step 2: Next, run Command Prompt with elevated privilege by right-clicking on Command Prompt app and selecting Run as administrator.

Step 3: As the command prompt window opens, type the following:-

dism /online /export-driver /destination:"full_path_of_folder"

Now you need to replace full_path_of_folder with your folder location. The one that you want to keep the backup of your drivers in. Suppose you have created a folder and named it Drivers_Backup under the “F” drive. In this case, the command will be:-

dism /online /export-driver /destination:"F:\Drivers_Backup"

However, you can avoid typing long commands in the command prompt, and you can copy them from here and paste them by right-clicking on the command prompt window.

Step 4: Press Enter to execute the command.

Step 5: The drivers will export to the folder that you have selected. A message, “The operation completed successfully,” will pop up on your screen after completing the process.

On a side note, you can also use the following command to get your drivers backed up on your Windows 10:-

pnputil /export-driver * "full_path_of_folder"

Note: Replace the full_path_of_folder with the path of the folder where you want to create a backup of drivers.

Step 6: The device drivers will now be available in your chosen location. (For example, F:\Drivers_Backup).

How to back up device drivers on Windows 10 using Power Shell?

Step 1: To begin, go to the Start button on the taskbar and type PowerShell.

Step 2: Next, right-click on the Windows PowerShell app and select Run as administrator.

Step 3: If User Account Control prompts, click the Yes button.

Step 4: Type the following command and press Enter from the keyboard:-

Export-WindowsDriver -Online -Destination “Full_path_of_location”

Now you need to replace full_path_of_folder with your folder location. The one that you want to keep the backup of your drivers in. Suppose you have created a folder and named it Drivers_Backup under the “F” drive. In this case, the command will be:

Export-WindowsDriver -Online -Destination “F:\Drivers_Backup”

You can also avoid typing long commands in the command prompt, and you can copy them from here and paste them by right-clicking on the PowerShell window.

Step 5: It will begin the export of drivers from your computer.

Step 6: Close the PowerShell once the process completes. Your drivers will now be back up in the new location.

How to restore device drivers on Windows 10 using Command Prompt?

You can use the command method to restore all drivers on your Windows 10 system at once.

Step 1: Start by clicking the Start button on the taskbar and typing the cmd or command prompt.

Step 2: Right-click on Command Prompt app and select Run as administrator to run Command Prompt with elevated privilege.

Step 3: As the command prompt window opens, type the following:-

pnputil /add-driver "full_path_of_folder*.inf" /subdirs /install /reboot

Now you need to replace full_path_of_folder with your folder location. The one that you want to keep the backup of your drivers in. Suppose you have created a folder and named it Drivers_Backup under the “F” drive. In this case, the command will be:

pnputil /add-driver "F:\Drivers_Backup*.inf" /subdirs /install /reboot

Step 4: Type the command and press Enter.

Step 5: Once the process is complete, you can close the Command Prompt window.

How to restore a device driver on Windows 10 using Device Manager?

You can restore/install/update a selected device driver with the help of this method:-

Step 1: Find the device manager in the Start menu on the taskbar.

Step 2: Open the Device Manager in the search results.

Step 3: Find the device you want to install or update the drivers in the next window.

Step 4: After locating the device, right-click on it and select the Update driver option.

Let us suppose we are updating the drivers for Bluetooth.

Step 5: Click on “Browse my computer for driver software.”

Step 6: Find the path of the backup folder you have created by clicking on the Browse option.

Step 7: Check “Include subfolders” and click on the Next button.

Step 8: As you click on Next, it will find the correct drivers in the path that you have selected and will automatically install the drivers.

That is it.

You guys are amazing; Keep reading, learning, and growing.

Also, read Free CBackup Premium, KeepSolid VPN, Uninstaller Pro, and More: Giveaway.