Yes, you can safely delete unused or outdated drivers in Windows. It is important to keep your computer’s drivers up to date in order to ensure optimal performance and security. Outdated drivers can cause various problems such as compatibility issues with certain programs, system instability, and even security risks. By deleting unused or outdated drivers, you can improve the overall performance of your system and reduce the risk of running into any potential issues.
It is recommended that you start by using a driver update utility, such as DriverDoc, Driver Easy, or DeviceDoctor, to scan for and update out-of-date drivers automatically. Once you have updated all the available drivers, you can then proceed to delete any unused or outdated drivers.
To delete unwanted or outdated drivers manually, you will need to open Device Manager first. This can be done by typing “Device Manager” into the Windows search bar and selecting it from the list of results. Once the Device Manager window is open, you can select the device whose driver you wish to delete and right-click on it to open its Properties window.
In the Properties window, you can select the Driver tab and then click on the Uninstall button. This will open a pop-up asking you if you are sure you want to delete the device driver; click Yes to continue. After the driver has been deleted, a message will appear, stating that the process has been completed successfully. You can repeat the same process for all the other drivers you wish to remove.
Once all of the unwanted or outdated drivers have been uninstalled, you will need to restart the computer for all changes to take effect. After the computer has rebooted, you can run a driver update utility to check for any missing or corrupt drivers. If any are found, you can then install the latest version of the necessary driver.
It is important to note that some drivers are essential for certain hardware components to function properly; therefore, it is recommended that you only delete drivers that you are certain are no longer needed. Uninstalling essential drivers can cause serious problems, so make sure to research each driver thoroughly before deleting them.
In conclusion, it is safe to delete unused or outdated drivers in Windows as long as you double-check that the driver is not necessary for your computer’s hardware components to function optimally. Updating to the latest version of all drivers is the best way to ensure optimal performance and security, so make sure to use a driver update utility regularly.