- Microsoft has published a new support document about driver updates
- It clarifies that Windows 11 can now handle duplicate drivers
- So you don’t need to worry about any strangeness with doubled-up copies of drivers, or apparently ancient release dates – the OS will sort it out
If you’ve ever been confused by seeing more than one of the same hardware (or software) driver appearing as different numbered versions in Windows 11, or other weirdness with drivers such as release dates that indicate they’re from decades past, Microsoft has assured us there’s nothing to worry about.
Windows Latest noticed that Microsoft has published a new support document on the topic of ‘understanding driver updates’ and it addresses issues around duplicated drivers (and more besides).
With drivers supplied by third-parties – such as AMD, Intel, Nvidia, Qualcomm and the like, or laptop makers – you can get some apparent oddities.
Windows Latest provides an apt illustration of a driver from HP for its ‘software component’ (apps or services for the HP laptop) with two different takes on the same driver shown. One is version 1.xx and the other is version 4.xx, so you’d assume that the latter is the more recent driver – the higher number should be, after all. (You don’t typically go backwards from version 4 to version 1).
But what to do in this case? Select the later one, you might guess, but is it definitely the most recent release? Version numbers could be wrong conceivably, and another point Microsoft raises is that sometimes a driver could have a very old (incorrect) date (thanks to a mistake by the hardware maker).
Indeed, you might wonder: why is the other older driver even showing up at all?
You may have a number of questions, but fortunately, Microsoft’s answer is simple. With Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2, you don’t have to worry even if there are two drivers with different version numbers – or even duplicates that both carry the same number. Whatever the case, Windows 11 can discern what needs to be installed, and will do so.
Microsoft tells us: “Depending on the driver’s provider, their custom version numbers might not be intuitive. However, Windows understands when to install these different drivers, even if the version numbers look older or even duplicative.”
The software giant further notes that: “Driver dates might look old, but that is not true. The driver date is descriptive info set by the driver provider and can be any date they choose. When determining which driver to install, Windows Update uses targeting information set by the provider inside the driver files to determine the best driver. This lets the device provider promote the best driver, regardless of the chosen date.”
Analysis: trusty Windows
Essentially, it’s as simple as trusting that Windows 11 can now sort out any strangeness with driver updates – you don’t have to figure out anything yourself. Although we do have to trust that Windows 11 will get this right, and given that bugs can creep in anywhere – we’ve seen them hit Windows Update in the past – there may still be an element of crossing your fingers and hoping.
Mind you, if you don’t want to let Windows 11 handle your driver updates, you don’t have to. Generally, a lot of driver updates will be filed under optional downloads in Windows Update, as is the case with Windows Latest’s HP drivers mentioned above.
What you can do instead is go to the official website of the manufacturer and check for updates for your component or device there, as grabbing these directly from the original source will ensure you really do have the latest driver. (Watch out for beta releases, though – they might be the most recent, but they should be clearly labelled as beta, and you don’t want any truck with driver releases that are still in testing).
Manufacturers must package up their drivers and have them certified by Microsoft before they get piped through to Windows 11 PCs, which can take some time. So, Windows Update isn’t the fastest, or necessarily the best, way to get your bang-up-to-date third-party driver needs covered – especially in an emergency, like a rushed-out fix for a security hole – but it is the most convenient option, clearly. And the drivers that Windows 11 provides are verified and should (in theory) be the most stable.
Still, for certain PC components – notably graphics cards – you’re really best off getting the driver straight from the manufacturer (AMD, Intel, or Nvidia). However, it can be worth waiting for any new driver release to settle in, as it were, and see how early adopters fare – and whether they run into any bugs.
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