4 Ways to Fix Unable to Install Drivers on Windows 11

Pankil is a Civil Engineer turned freelance writer. Since his arrival at Guiding Tech in 2021, he delves into the world of how-tos, and troubleshooting guides for Android, iOS, and Windows. Besides his new-found love for mechanical keyboards, he’s a disciplined footfall fan and loves international travel with his wife.

Try Basic Fixes

Fix 1: Use the Driver Installation Package

Device Manager and the Settings app are two of the most preferred utilities forinstalling drivers on Windows. However, if you are having trouble with both, download the relevant driver package from the manufacturer’s website and install it manually.

For instance, if you can’t install display drivers on Windows 11, visit the manufacturer’s website (such asNVIDIA,AMD, orIntel), and fill in details like your PC’s model number and other relevant information to download the latest compatible driver.

Once downloaded, run the installer file and follow the on-screen instructions to install the drivers. If you encounter errors like “Cannot Complete the Device Driver Installation Wizard” during installation, continue with the fixes below.

Fix 2: Install Drivers in Clean Boot Mode

When you boot Windows in a clean boot state, it only runs essential programs and services. If the issue is caused by interference from a background app or service, installing the driver in aclean boot stateshould work.

Step 1:PressWindows + Rto open the Run dialog box, typemsconfig.msc, and pressEnter.

Step 2:Go to theServicestab, check the box for Hide all Microsoft services, and clickDisable all.

Step 3:Switch to theStartuptab and click onOpen Task Manager.

Step 4:In the Task Manager window, select a third-party app or program and clickDisableat the top. Repeat this step to disable all startup apps and programs one by one.

Restart your PC to enter a clean boot state, and try to install the driver again. If this method works, it means one of the apps or programs you disabled was responsible for the problem. Hence, review the recently installed apps and programs to uninstall the troublesome ones.

Fix 3: Turn Off Driver Signature Enforcement

Driver Signature Enforcement is a security feature that allows Windows to verify the digital signature of drivers before installation. However, if you try to install drivers for specialized hardware that does not have a digital signature, turn off the driver signature enforcement feature.

Note:Turning this feature off can put your system at risk. Hence, you should only do so if you trust the source of the driver.

Step 1:Open the Start menu and click thepower iconat the bottom. Then, hold theShift keyand selectRestart.

Step 2:After your PC restarts, click onTroubleshootto continue.

Step 3:Click onAdvanced options.

Step 4:SelectStartup Settings.

Step 5:Click theRestartbutton to visit the Startup Settings menu.

Step 6:Press7orF7on your keyboard to boot your PC with the driver signature enforcement feature disabled.

Try installing your driver again to check if it works. The driver signature enforcement feature will automatically be re-enabled the next time you restart the PC.

Fix 4: Perform a System Restore

If you still can’t install drivers, recent modifications made to your Windows 11 PC are causing the issue. You can try performing a system restore to undo those changes and restore your computer to its normal state.

Step 1:Click thesearch iconon the taskbar, typecreate a restore point, and pressEnter.

Step 2:Under the System Protection tab, click theSystem Restorebutton.

Step 3:ClickNextto continue.

Step 4:Select a recent restore point and clickNext.

Step 5:ClickFinishto proceed.

After Windows restores your system to the specified state, you can install drivers as before.

Was this helpful?

Last updated on 08 April, 2024

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

Your email address will not be published.Required fields are marked*

Name*

Email*

Comment*

Δ

The article above may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. The content remains unbiased and authentic and will never affect our editorial integrity.

More in Windows

How to Remove Profile Icons from Chrome on Taskbar

11 Easy Ways to Restart Windows With or Without Keyboard

JOIN THE NEWSLETTER

Get Guiding Tech articles delivered to your inbox.

© 2024 Guiding Tech Media. All Rights Reserved.