How to Roll Back a Problematic Driver

When a new driver makes things worse

Sometimes a driver update fixes nothing and breaks something: a device stops responding, performance drops, or you see crashes that were not there before. Rolling back returns the device to the previous driver version that was working. Windows keeps the prior version in reserve specifically so you can do this, and it is usually the fastest fix.

Confirm the driver is the cause

Before rolling back, make sure the timing lines up. Ask yourself:

• Did the problem start immediately after a driver update?
• Does the affected device match the driver you changed?
• Has anything else changed at the same time, such as a Windows update or new software?

If a driver update and the onset of the problem coincide, a rollback is a sound first move. If not, investigate other causes first.

Roll back through Device Manager

This is the primary method:

1. Press Windows + X and open Device Manager.
2. Expand the category and find the affected device.
3. Right-click it and choose Properties.
4. Open the Driver tab.
5. Click Roll Back Driver.
6. Choose a reason if prompted, confirm, and reboot.

Windows reinstalls the previous version. The device should return to its earlier behavior.

If the Roll Back button is grayed out

The button only works when Windows has a previous version stored. It is unavailable when:

• This is the first driver ever installed for the device.
• A cleanup removed the older package.
• Enough time or updates have passed that the prior version was cleared.

When rollback is not available, you have other paths.

Reinstall a known-good version manually

If you cannot roll back, download the specific earlier version from the manufacturer's official support site, if they still offer it, and install it over the current one. Many vendors keep an archive of previous releases. This effectively performs a manual rollback using a trusted source. Choose the exact version you know worked.

Use a restore point

If you created a restore point before the update, as recommended in our restore point guide, use it:

1. Search for "Create a restore point" and open System Protection.
2. Click System Restore.
3. Pick a point dated before the driver change.
4. Confirm and let Windows restart.

This reverts the driver along with any other system changes made since the snapshot.

When the device fails to load at all

If the bad driver causes a black screen, a boot loop, or a device you cannot even reach normally, use Safe Mode:

1. Enter the Windows Recovery Environment by interrupting startup a few times.
2. Go to Troubleshoot, Advanced options, Startup Settings, and restart.
3. Choose Safe Mode.
4. In Safe Mode, open Device Manager and roll back or uninstall the problem driver.
5. Reboot normally.

Safe Mode loads minimal drivers, so a misbehaving one will not block you.

Prevent a repeat

Once you are stable again:

• Note which driver version caused the problem so you do not reinstall it.
• If Windows Update keeps pushing the bad version, pause updates temporarily while you wait for a corrected release.
• Stay on the known-good version until the manufacturer publishes a fix.

Know when to stop rolling forward

If every recent driver for a device causes issues but an older one is stable, there is no obligation to update. Running a proven, stable driver is a legitimate choice. Updating for its own sake carries risk without expected benefit, so let a concrete need, not novelty, drive your decision.