An operating system does not know every component. Each hardware maker writes a small program that translates the language of that component for the operating system. That program is a driver. Without the right driver, the component either does not work at all or works only with basic features.
An everyday example#
You buy and install a new graphics card, but the picture shows only at low resolution and without acceleration. After installing the official driver, the correct resolution, gaming speed and graphics features become active. The same relationship applies to printers, scanners, Wi-Fi, sound cards and even special mice.
Where will you meet it?#
- After installing a fresh Windows, when some components show a warning sign in Device Manager.
- When connecting a new printer or modem.
- When a new game needs an updated graphics driver.
Practical tips#
- Get the driver from the component maker's or laptop maker's website.
- Stay away from unknown "automatic driver updater" programs; some are advertising-driven or dangerous.
- If a driver update causes a problem, you can roll back to the previous version.
- On Linux, many drivers are inside the kernel and need no separate installation.