Because Windows operating system is built by a different company but shipped out to different hardware manufactures, there is the need to create a bridge between some hardware components and the software in order to make things work more efficiently an that is why there are Drivers which are essentially made to fulfill those tasks.
But there are usually some cases whereby the driver might be misbehaving for example if your Windows 10 mouse driver suddenly stop functioning or needs to be updated, it might start misbehaving. In case you are wondering about how you can uninstall the driver from your Windows 10 PC, then follow this 5 short quick steps to getting it done.
Guide 1. use device’s uninstaller
Most drivers usually come with a graphic user interface from which you can make your configurations and also be able to uninstall the driver itself.
One of such is the NVIDIA graphics card as well as the AMD both which comes with complex driver kits that allows for faster Graphic processing. So do note that in most cases, there might just be a driver uninstaller that come bundled with the software itself.
In order to find it, head over to the Windows 10 Settings application and then click on Apps and then check if the device’s software shown is on the list of Apps & Features.
For example, if you want to uninstall Nvidia drivers, all you have to do is find them in the list and click or tap on Uninstall.
If you’re still using the ancient Windows 7, all you have to do is click and open the Control Panel and then go to Programs and click on Programs and Features where you’ll be able to find device drivers which you want to uninstall and then click on the Uninstall button to remove the malfunctioning driver.
If you are unable to locate the driver or unable to uninstall the driver using this guide, then follow the next guide.
Guide 2: Use Device Manager
The fastest way to locate the device manager is by searching it via the search box and then click on the software with the name in the search result.
Guide 3. Skim through the list of hardware component
When you click on the Device Manager, the next thing you need to do is locate the driver from a list of all the hardware components within your Windows PC. For better understanding, there is an icon representation of the device/hardware component beside the label. For example, keyboard and mouse is represented by the icon of those hardware.
There is no sorting order or a search which is pretty unfortunate but you can carefully skim through the list an then look for the hardware component driver you want to uninstall and then click to expand the component and delete/uninstall.
Guide 4. Open the properties of the hardware device to initiate the uninstall
Right-click or press-and-hold (if a touchscreen) the name of the component which you want to uninstall. Then there will be a menu that opens, next thing is to chose properties.
You can also select the device and then press Alt + Enter on your keyboard.
Step 5. Uninstall and delete the drivers completely
There will be another windows with the properties of the hardware driver which you want to uninstall. In order to complete the process, go to the Driver tab and the click on Uninstall Device button.
In the Uninstall Device dialog window, make sure that you check the box that says: “Delete the driver software for this device.” Then, click or tap Uninstall. If you don’t check the box we mentioned, Windows does not completely delete the driver for that device. Instead, it keeps the driver files on your PC and uses them the next time it detects your device.
When the deletion is complete, you might be prompted to restart our PC in order to see the effect of the driver you uninstalled. But that should be the end of the Driver from your Windows 10 PC.
But there could be some scenarios whereby you’ll uninstall a device driver on your Windows 10 PC but then you’ll see it being reinstalled without your consent there is a ay to go about it.
First head to the Start Menu in Windows 7 or the Search bar in Windows 10 and search for “Advanced System settings” and in the list of results, click on “View advanced system settings”
This opens the System Properties window. In it, select the Hardware tab and click or tap on the “Device Installation Settings” button.
Then there will be a window called “Device installation settings” where you will be asked if “[…] you want to automatically download manufacturers’ apps and custom icons available for your devices.” Select “No (your device might not work as expected)” and push the Save Changes button.
IMPORTANT: Enabling this setting means that none of your devices, connected right now or which you will connect at a later time, will get driver updates from Microsoft via Windows Update.
But if during the uninstalling process mentioned above, your Windows crashed to blue screen or blank, you might need to Boot into Safe Mode first in order to be able to fix the error.