Windows Drivers · Device Manager · Updated 2026

How to Roll Back a Driver in
Windows 10 & Windows 11

A practical guide to reverting a bad driver update, fixing broken graphics, audio, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, printer, and USB devices, and choosing the right recovery method when the Roll Back Driver button is unavailable.

📖 8 min read 🖥 Windows 10 & 11 🧩 Device Drivers ✅ Beginner Friendly
Overview

What Does Rolling Back a Driver Mean in Windows?

Rolling back a driver means replacing the currently installed device driver with the previous driver version that Windows saved before an update. This is useful when a newer driver causes crashes, missing devices, poor performance, sound problems, display flickering, Bluetooth dropouts, Wi-Fi instability, or Device Manager errors.

The rollback feature is built into Device Manager. It does not remove your personal files, apps, or Windows settings. It only changes the driver used by the selected hardware device.

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Rollback target

The previous driver version for one selected device.

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Safer than deleting

Rollback is usually safer than uninstalling a driver package completely.

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Admin rights

You may need an administrator account to change device drivers.

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Restart likely

Restart Windows after rollback, especially for graphics, audio, chipset, and network drivers.

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Key idea Roll back the driver only for the device that started causing problems. For example, if Bluetooth stopped working after an update, roll back the Bluetooth adapter driver, not every driver on the computer.
Symptoms

When Should You Roll Back a Driver in Windows 10 or Windows 11?

A driver rollback is most useful when the device worked correctly before a driver update, Windows Update, manufacturer utility update, or manual driver installation.

Problem after update Likely device category Rollback priority
Black screen, flickering, low resolution, games crashing Display adapters High
No sound, microphone missing, audio crackling Sound, video and game controllers High
Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, or headphones disconnect Bluetooth High
Wi-Fi disappears, slow network, adapter error Network adapters High
USB device not recognized, external drive disconnects Universal Serial Bus controllers Medium
Printer missing or prints incorrectly Printers or Print queues Medium
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Be careful Do not randomly roll back storage controller, chipset, ACPI, firmware, or system device drivers unless you know the exact device and have a recovery plan. A wrong driver change can make Windows unstable or unbootable.
Preparation

Before Rolling Back a Driver: Important Checks

Before you change a driver, identify the exact device and write down the current driver version. This makes it easier to undo your changes if the rollback does not help.

  1. Press Win + X and open Device Manager.
  2. Expand the category that matches the problem, such as Display adapters, Bluetooth, or Network adapters.
  3. Right-click the device and choose Properties.
  4. Open the Driver tab and note the Driver Provider, Driver Date, and Driver Version.
  5. Create a restore point if the driver is important for boot, graphics, networking, or storage.
Run commanddevmgmt.msc

You can also open Device Manager quickly by pressing Win + R, entering devmgmt.msc, and pressing Enter.

Main Method

How to Roll Back a Driver Using Device Manager

The fastest and safest way to revert a recently updated driver is through the Driver tab in Device Manager.

Device Manager → Device Properties → Driver tab → Roll Back Driver
  1. Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
  2. Expand the device category. For example, expand Display adapters for a graphics driver or Bluetooth for a Bluetooth adapter.
  3. Right-click the device that started causing problems and select Properties.
  4. Open the Driver tab.
  5. Click Roll Back Driver.
  6. Select a reason, such as Previous version of the driver performed better, and confirm.
  7. Restart Windows if prompted. If no prompt appears, restart manually anyway for major drivers.
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Recommended first step Use rollback before uninstalling the device. It keeps a working driver path and usually creates less risk than removing the driver package from the system.
Windows 11

How to Roll Back a Driver in Windows 11

Windows 11 still uses Device Manager for driver rollback. Settings may show device information, but the actual rollback button is in the classic Device Manager properties window.

Start→ Device Manager→ Device→ Properties→ Driver→ Roll Back Driver

Windows 11 Step-by-Step Driver Rollback

  1. Right-click the Start button on the taskbar.
  2. Select Device Manager.
  3. Find the problematic device and open Properties.
  4. Go to the Driver tab.
  5. Choose Roll Back Driver and follow the prompts.

If you opened Settings → Windows Update → Advanced options → Optional updates and installed a driver from there, use Device Manager to roll it back. Optional driver updates can still be reverted from the device properties window if Windows kept the older version.

Windows 10

How to Roll Back a Driver in Windows 10

The Windows 10 procedure is almost identical to Windows 11. The main difference is only the interface around the Start menu and Settings app.

Win + X→ Device Manager→ Properties→ Driver tab→ Roll Back Driver

Windows 10 Step-by-Step Driver Rollback

  1. Press Win + X and click Device Manager.
  2. Expand the category of the failing device.
  3. Right-click the device and select Properties.
  4. Open the Driver tab.
  5. Click Roll Back Driver, choose a reason, and confirm.
  6. Restart the PC and test the device.

If Device Manager does not appear in the Win + X menu, use the Run command: devmgmt.msc.

Common Issue

Why Is the Roll Back Driver Button Greyed Out?

If the Roll Back Driver button is greyed out, Windows cannot use the standard rollback function for that device. This usually means there is no previous driver package saved for the selected hardware.

✅ Rollback button available

  • Windows has a previous driver version saved.
  • The selected device was updated recently.
  • The device properties window is opened for the correct hardware.

✗ Rollback button disabled

  • The old driver package was deleted or cleaned up.
  • The device was freshly installed with only one driver version.
  • Windows is using a generic inbox driver with no older version stored.
  • You selected the wrong device entry in Device Manager.

What to Do When Roll Back Driver Is Greyed Out

  1. Make sure you selected the real hardware device, not a parent category or generic software component.
  2. Check View → Show hidden devices in Device Manager.
  3. Download an older stable driver from the PC, motherboard, laptop, or hardware manufacturer.
  4. Install the older driver manually using Update driver → Browse my computer for drivers.
  5. If the whole system became unstable after a driver update, use System Restore.
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Important A greyed-out rollback button does not mean the driver cannot be changed. It only means Windows cannot automatically restore a saved previous version from that button.
Recovery Mode

How to Roll Back a Driver in Safe Mode

If Windows freezes, shows a black screen, crashes with a blue screen, or becomes too unstable after a driver update, try driver rollback from Safe Mode. Safe Mode loads a minimal set of drivers, which can make it easier to remove or revert the problematic driver.

Open Safe Mode from Windows

  1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
  2. Go to System → Recovery in Windows 11 or Update & Security → Recovery in Windows 10.
  3. Under Advanced startup, click Restart now.
  4. Choose Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart.
  5. Press 4 for Safe Mode or 5 for Safe Mode with Networking.
  6. Open Device Manager and use Properties → Driver → Roll Back Driver.

Open Safe Mode When Windows Will Not Start Normally

If Windows fails to boot repeatedly, it may enter the Windows Recovery Environment automatically. From there, use Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings, then start Safe Mode and roll back or uninstall the problematic driver.

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Do not rush If the issue involves a storage controller, disk driver, RAID driver, or chipset driver, create a backup first whenever possible. Changing the wrong boot-critical driver can prevent Windows from starting.
Manual Method

How to Install an Older Driver Manually When Rollback Is Not Available

If the rollback button is disabled, manually installing a known stable driver version is the next best option. This is common for graphics cards, Wi-Fi adapters, Bluetooth adapters, audio chips, printers, and laptop-specific hardware.

Download the Correct Older Driver

Install the Older Driver from Device Manager

  1. Download and extract the older driver package if it comes as a ZIP file.
  2. Open Device Manager.
  3. Right-click the device and choose Update driver.
  4. Select Browse my computer for drivers.
  5. Choose the folder that contains the older driver files.
  6. If needed, click Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.
  7. Select the older driver version and complete the installation.
  8. Restart Windows.
Optional: list installed third-party driver packagespnputil /enum-drivers

Use pnputil only if you understand driver package names such as oem42.inf. Removing the wrong package can break a device.

Fallback

Use System Restore After a Bad Driver Update

System Restore can return Windows system files, registry settings, and drivers to an earlier restore point. Use it when multiple drivers were changed, Windows Update installed a driver automatically, or you cannot identify which device caused the failure.

How to Start System Restore

  1. Press Win + R.
  2. Type rstrui.exe and press Enter.
  3. Select a restore point created before the driver problem started.
  4. Review the affected programs and drivers.
  5. Start the restore process and wait for Windows to restart.
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Good fallback System Restore is often better than manual rollback when the problem began after a large Windows Update, chipset driver bundle, graphics suite, or driver utility installation.
Device Tips

Driver Rollback Tips for Graphics, Audio, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB, and Printers

Display

Graphics Driver Rollback

If the screen flickers, resolution is wrong, or games crash after an update, roll back the driver under Display adapters. Restart immediately after rollback.

High impact
Sound

Audio Driver Rollback

For missing sound, crackling, or microphone issues, check both Sound, video and game controllers and Audio inputs and outputs.

Common fix
Bluetooth

Bluetooth Driver Rollback

If headphones, keyboards, or mice disconnect, roll back the Bluetooth adapter driver rather than the paired device entry.

Adapter first
Network

Wi-Fi or Ethernet Rollback

Roll back the driver under Network adapters if the connection disappeared or became unstable after an update.

Keep installer ready
USB

USB Controller Rollback

Be careful with USB host controllers and hubs. If a keyboard or mouse uses USB, prepare an alternative input method before changing USB drivers.

Use caution
Printer

Printer Driver Rollback

If printing broke after a driver update, rollback may help, but reinstalling the manufacturer package is often cleaner.

Package matters
Prevention

How to Stop Windows from Reinstalling the Bad Driver

Sometimes Windows Update reinstalls the same problematic driver after you roll it back. If the issue returns, use one of these methods to reduce the chance of automatic reinstallation.

Method Best for Notes
Pause Windows Update temporarily Short-term testing Useful while you confirm whether the rollback fixed the device.
Install manufacturer driver manually Graphics, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, audio A newer or older manufacturer package can replace the Windows Update driver.
Hide a problematic driver update Repeated unwanted driver update Use only when you have confirmed that the offered driver is the source of the issue.
Group Policy driver update controls Windows Pro, Enterprise, Education Useful on managed PCs, but it can also block legitimate driver updates.
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Security note Do not permanently block all driver updates without a reason. Some driver updates fix stability, security, firmware, and compatibility problems.
Troubleshooting

What to Do After Rolling Back a Driver

After the rollback, test the device and check whether Windows is stable. If the issue remains, the driver may not be the only cause.

Quick Post-Rollback Checklist

Useful Device Manager Error Codes

Error code Meaning Possible next step
Code 10 The device cannot start. Rollback, reinstall, or update the device driver.
Code 28 Drivers are not installed. Install the correct manufacturer driver.
Code 31 Windows cannot load the required driver. Rollback, reinstall, or repair the driver package.
Code 43 Windows stopped the device because it reported a problem. Rollback graphics, USB, or device-specific driver if the issue started after an update.
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions About Driver Rollback in Windows

Q Is it safe to roll back a driver in Windows? ⌄
Yes, rolling back a driver is generally safe when you choose the correct device. It restores the previously installed driver for that device. Avoid experimenting with storage, chipset, firmware, or unknown system drivers unless you have a backup or restore point.
Q Why is Roll Back Driver greyed out? ⌄
The button is usually greyed out because Windows does not have a previous driver version saved for that device. You can still install an older driver manually from the manufacturer.
Q Does rolling back a driver delete my files? ⌄
No. Driver rollback changes the driver used by a hardware device. It does not delete personal files, documents, photos, installed applications, or user accounts.
Q Can I roll back a graphics driver after a black screen? ⌄
Yes, if you can start Windows normally or in Safe Mode. Open Device Manager, expand Display adapters, open the graphics adapter properties, and use the Driver tab. If Safe Mode is the only working mode, do the rollback there.
Q Should I roll back or uninstall the driver? ⌄
Try rollback first if the device worked before a recent update. Uninstall the driver only if rollback is unavailable, the driver is corrupted, or you need to remove the package before installing a clean version.
Q Can Windows Update install the same bad driver again? ⌄
Yes. If the driver is offered again through Windows Update, it may reinstall later. Pause updates temporarily, install the correct manufacturer driver, or hide the problematic driver update after confirming it is the cause.
Q How do I check whether the rollback worked? ⌄
Open Device Manager, right-click the device, choose Properties, open the Driver tab, and compare the Driver Date and Driver Version with the values you wrote down before rollback.
Summary

Final Recommendations for Rolling Back Drivers in Windows

Best approach

For most Windows 10 and Windows 11 users, the best first step is Device Manager → Properties → Driver → Roll Back Driver. It is direct, reversible, and designed for cases where a newer driver causes problems.

If the rollback button is unavailable, install a stable older driver manually from the device manufacturer. If Windows became unstable after a broad update or driver bundle, use Safe Mode or System Restore instead of changing random drivers one by one.