Windows 10 can show which driver a printer is using through the printer’s properties, and the installed driver packages can also be viewed through Print Management on editions where that console is available. Use this information before replacing a working driver.
Check a printer’s driver
- Open Control Panel.
- Open Devices and Printers or the printer-management view available on your Windows 10 installation.
- Right-click the printer and open Printer properties.
- Select the Advanced tab.
- Read the driver name shown for that print queue.
The displayed name identifies the driver assigned to the queue; it does not necessarily tell you whether a newer package exists.
Where to get a replacement driver
Start with Windows Update or the printer manufacturer’s official support page for the exact model. Business printers connected through a company print server may use a driver chosen and distributed by the administrator.
Avoid generic driver-download sites. If printing works and there is no security, compatibility, or feature problem, replacing a driver solely because another version number exists can create unnecessary trouble.
Windows 10 left standard free support in October 2025, which can increasingly affect driver and printer-software availability as vendors move to supported operating systems.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.