Device driver

More commonly known as a driver, a device driver or hardware driver is a group of software files that enable one or more hardware devices to communicate with the computer's operating system. Without drivers, a hardware device such as a computerprinter would not be able to work with the computer, which is why every hardware device in and connected to your computer has associated drivers.

If the appropriate driver is not installed, the device may not function properly if at all. For Microsoft Windows users, a driver conflict or an error can be seen in the Device Manager. If problems or conflicts are encountered with a driver, the computer manufacturer or hardware manufacturer will release a driver updates to fix the problems.

Related pages

• How do I locate software or drivers for my computer?
• How do I install a computer driver?
• What hardware device drivers should be updated?
• What order should I install my computer drivers in?
• How do I determine the version of a driver in Windows?
• Full listing of computer drivers and help documents relating to drivers.
• Listing of third-party driver link pages.