On Windows 11, the “Roll Back Driver” is a feature that uninstalls the current hardware driver and restores the version previously installed on the computer.
The feature comes in handy to restore the last known working version of the driver. Typically, when you manually install a driver update or an update installs automatically for specific hardware (graphics card, network adapter, camera, etc.) and ends up breaking the hardware or a particular feature.
This guide will teach you how to restore a previously working device driver on Windows 11.
Restore previous driver version on Windows 11
To roll back a driver to a previous version on Windows 11, use these steps:
-
Open Start on Windows 11.
-
Search for Device Manager and click the top result to open the app.
-
Expand the category with the driver to roll back on Windows 11.
-
Right-click the adapter and select the Properties option.
-
Click the Driver tab.
-
Click the “Roll Back Driver” button.
Quick note: If the option is grayed out, the system doesn’t have a previous version of the driver. -
Select a reason for rolling back the driver.
-
Click the Yes button.
Once you complete the steps, the older version of the driver will be restored, and the newer version will be removed. If the option to roll back is grayed out, it might be possible to download an older version of the controller from the manufacturer’s support website. If this is the case, you may need to remove the current driver and then use the manufacturer’s instructions to install the older version of the driver on Windows 11.
These instructions are meant for Windows 11 but should also work on Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 7.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].