Want to update your computer’s hardware drivers? Get your driver updates from Windows Update or your device manufacturer’s website. Here’s how.

是否要更新计算机的硬件驱动程序？ 从Windows Update或设备制造商的网站获取驱动程序更新。 这是如何做。

Hardware drivers are the bits of software Windows uses to communicate with your PC’s hardware. Device manufacturers create these drivers, and you can obtain drivers straight from the manufacturer of your devices. Manufacturers also submit drivers to Microsoft for testing and signing, and you can get many drivers from Microsoft through Windows Update. Often, you won’t need to bother with updating drivers, but you may sometimes need to get the latest version—especially if something isn’t working right. While they are tempting, we recommend that you don’t use driver-update utilities.

硬件驱动程序是Windows用于与PC硬件进行通信的软件的一部分。 设备制造商会创建这些驱动程序，您可以直接从设备制造商处获取驱动程序。 制造商还将驱动程序提交给Microsoft以进行测试和签名，并且您可以通过Windows Update从Microsoft获得许多驱动程序。 通常，您无需费心更新驱动程序，但有时可能需要获取最新版本-尤其是在某些情况下，如果工作不正常。 当他们很诱人时，建议您不要使用driver-update实用程序 。

In general, we don’t recommend updating hardware drivers unless you have a reason to. The driver for the SD card reader that came built into your computer is probably just fine. Even if the manufacturer does offer a slightly newer version, you probably won’t notice the difference. There’s no reason to obsess about having the latest hardware drivers for every component in your computer.

通常， 除非您有理由进行更新，否则我们不建议您更新硬件驱动程序 。 计算机内置的SD卡读卡器驱动程序可能还不错。 即使制造商确实提供了稍微更新的版本，您也可能不会注意到差异。 您不必为计算机中的每个组件都拥有最新的硬件驱动程序而着迷。

There are some good reasons to update drivers, though. In particular, gamers generally should keep their graphics drivers as up-to-date as possible to ensure the best graphics performance and the fewest bugs with modern games. In other cases, you might need to get the latest version of a hardware driver if the current one is causing problems with your computer.

不过，有一些很好的理由来更新驱动程序。 尤其是，游戏玩家通常应保持其图形驱动程序尽可能最新，以确保现代游戏具有最佳的图形性能和最少的错误。 在其他情况下，如果当前驱动程序导致计算机出现问题，则可能需要获取最新版本的硬件驱动程序。

If you do want to update your drivers, skip the driver-updating utilities. We can’t repeat that enough. Go right to the source for your hardware drivers. This means downloading drivers from the hardware manufacturer’s individual websites, or letting Microsoft’s Windows Update do the work for you.

如果确实要更新驱动程序，请跳过驱动程序更新实用程序。 我们不能重复那么多。 转到硬件驱动程序的源代码。 这意味着可以从硬件制造商的各个网站下载驱动程序，或者让Microsoft的Windows Update为您完成工作。

Assuming you’re using Windows 10, Windows Update automatically downloads and install the latest drivers for you. Windows 7 and 8 provide driver updates via Windows Update, too, but Microsoft is being much more aggressive about this in Windows 10. It all happens automatically. Even if you install your own hardware drivers, Windows sometimes automatically overwrite them when a new version is available. Windows is pretty good about not overwriting things like graphics drivers, though—especially if you’ve got a utility from the manufacturer that keeps up with updates.

假设您使用的是Windows 10，Windows Update会自动为您下载并安装最新的驱动程序。 Windows 7和8也通过Windows Update提供驱动程序更新，但是Microsoft在Windows 10中对此进行了更积极的开发 。 这一切都是自动发生的。 即使安装了自己的硬件驱动程序，Windows有时也会在有新版本可用时自动覆盖它们。 Windows非常擅长不覆盖图形驱动程序之类的东西-特别是如果您从制造商那里获得了一个实用程序来跟上更新。

Using Windows Update in Windows 10 is the automatic, set-it-and-forget-it solution. You don’t need a driver-updating utility because Windows has one built-in.

在Windows 10中使用Windows Update是一种自动设置即忘的解决方案。 您不需要驱动程序更新实用程序，因为Windows具有内置的。

On Windows 7, 8, and 8.1, hardware drivers appear in the Windows Update interface as an optional update. If you want the latest hardware drivers, be sure to go open Windows Update, check for updates, and install any available hardware driver updates.

在Windows 7、8和8.1上，硬件驱动程序作为可选更新出现在Windows Update界面中。 如果需要最新的硬件驱动程序，请确保打开Windows Update，检查更新，然后安装所有可用的硬件驱动程序更新。

For graphics drivers, you can use the control panel included with your graphics drivers to check for updates them. NVIDIA, AMD, and even Intel provide control panels that automatically check for and download the latest graphics driver updates for you.

对于图形驱动程序，可以使用图形驱动程序随附的控制面板来检查更新 。 NVIDIA，AMD甚至Intel提供控制面板，可自动为您检查并下载最新的图形驱动程序更新。

Just open the NVIDIA GeForce Experience application, AMD’s Radeon Software Crimson Edition, or Intel’s Graphics Control Panel—whichever is on your computer. These often appear in your system tray, and you can usually find them with a quick Start menu search.

只需打开NVIDIA GeForce Experience应用程序，AMD的Radeon Software Crimson Edition或英特尔的图形控制面板(无论您使用的是计算机上的哪个)。 这些通常显示在系统托盘中，通常可以通过“开始”菜单快速搜索找到它们。

You could also just go straight to the source here. Head to NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel’s website to download the latest graphics driver package for your hardware and install it.

您也可以直接在这里找到源代码。 请访问NVIDIA，AMD或Intel的网站，以下载适用于您硬件的最新图形驱动程序包并进行安装。

Even if you’re using Windows 10, you’ll probably want to do this — at least, if you’re a gamer. Windows 10 won’t be automatically updating graphics drivers every time NVIDIA or AMD releases a new version. These updates are really only necessary for people playing PC games, after all.

即使您使用的是Windows 10，也可能要这么做-至少，如果您是游戏玩家。 NVIDIA或AMD每次发布新版本时，Windows 10都不会自动更新图形驱动程序。 毕竟，这些更新实际上仅是玩PC游戏的人所必需的。

For other drivers, go straight to your hardware manufacturer’s website. If you have a laptop or a prebuilt desktop PC, go to its manufacturer’s website and look up the driver-download page for your specific model of computer. You’ll usually find a single web page with a long list of drivers you can download. New versions of these drivers are posted to this web page when available, and you’ll often see the dates when they were uploaded so you know which are new.

对于其他驱动程序，请直接访问您的硬件制造商的网站。 如果您有一台笔记本电脑或一台预装的台式PC，请访问其制造商的网站，并查找特定型号计算机的驱动程序下载页面。 通常，您会发现一个网页，其中包含可下载的驱动程序列表。 这些驱动程序的新版本(如果有)会发布到此网页上，并且您经常会看到它们的上传日期，以便了解哪些是新的。

This is also the place you’ll generally find BIOS and UEFI firmware updates, but we don’t recommend installing these unless you have a really good reason to do so.

这也是通常可以找到BIOS和UEFI固件更新的地方 ，但是我们不建议您安装这些更新 ，除非您有充分的理由这样做。

If you built your own desktop PC, you’ll have to download drivers from the manufacturer of each individual component. For example, go to your motherboard manufacturer’s website and look up the specific model of motherboard to find your motherboard drivers. Repeat this process for each individual hardware component.

如果您构建了自己的台式PC，则必须从每个组件的制造商那里下载驱动程序。 例如，访问您的主板制造商的网站并查找特定型号的主板，以找到您的主板驱动程序。 对每个单独的硬件组件重复此过程。

The good news is that you don’t have to do most of this. Windows—especially Windows 10—automatically keeps your drivers reasonably up-to-date for you.

好消息是您不必执行大多数操作。 Windows(尤其是Windows 10)会自动为您合理地更新驱动程序。

If you’re a gamer, you will want the latest graphics drivers. But, after you download and install them once, you’ll be notified when new drivers are available so you can download and install them.

如果您是游戏玩家，则需要最新的图形驱动程序。 但是，一旦下载并安装它们，就会在有新驱动程序可用时通知您，以便您下载并安装它们。

For other driver updates, you can simply check the manufacturer’s website for new versions. This isn’t usually necessary, and you don’t need to do it unless you have a specific reason to do so. Windows keep your hardware drivers up-to-date enough.

对于其他驱动程序更新，您只需检查制造商的网站以获取新版本。 通常这不是必需的，并且除非有特殊原因，否则您不需要这样做。 Windows使您的硬件驱动程序保持足够的最新状态。

Image Credit: Quasic on Flickr

图片来源： Flickr上的Quasic

翻译自: https://www.howtogeek.com/233115/the-only-way-to-safely-update-your-hardware-drivers-on-windows/