AVG Driver Updater
Description
Windows device drivers — the software components that allow the operating system to communicate with hardware including graphics cards, network adapters, audio devices, printers, and USB controllers — get updates from their manufacturers that fix bugs, address security vulnerabilities, and improve compatibility with new software. Windows Update provides driver updates for common hardware types, but it doesn’t cover all devices and often falls behind the driver versions published directly by manufacturers on their support sites. Outdated drivers can lead to crashes, poor performance in games, audio issues, and failure to recognize devices. AVG Driver Updater scans the installed drivers against a database of current manufacturer releases, identifies outdated versions and installs the newer ones.
AVG Technologies, which is now a subsidiary of Avast (itself part of the Gen Digital group of NortonLifeLock), created Driver Updater as part of its expanded PC optimization product line along with its antivirus and security software.
Driver Scan
AVG Driver Updater scans the Windows system for all the installed hardware devices and fetches the current driver versions from the operating system and device information. The scan compares the versions that are detected with AVG’s database of current driver releases from hardware manufacturers. The results of the scan include the list of each device with its current driver version, the updated version available and the release date of the updated driver. Devices with current drivers are green; devices with available updates are outdated.
Driver Database
The driver database includes a wide variety of hardware types: graphics devices from Nvidia, AMD and Intel; motherboard and chipset drivers; audio devices; network adapters – both Ethernet and Wi-Fi; Bluetooth adapters; USB controllers; printers and scanners; webcams; and storage controllers. Database coverage – you may not know if there are updates available for particular hardware; niche or very old hardware may not be in the database.
Driver Download and Installation
Selecting old drivers for update downloads the latest version from AVG’s servers and executes the installation. Driver installations for graphics and audio usually require a restart for the effects to take place. AVG Driver Updater handles the download and installation process, including the download and installation of the manufacturer’s installer, which is automatic where the installation is silent, and the standard installer wizard for drivers that require user interaction during the installation process.
Driver Backup
Before installing an updated driver, AVG Driver Updater backs up the current version. The backup saves the existing driver files and registry entries in a location that is managed by the application. If an updated driver causes problems — compatibility issues, reduced performance or device malfunction — the backup restores the previous version from the Driver Updater interface without requiring a Windows system restore or manual driver reinstallation.
Rollback
The function of the rollback is to apply the backed-up version of the driver to replace an updated driver. Users who install a graphics driver update and have game crashes, display problems, or performance problems, roll back to the previous working version from the Rollback section of the application. Rollback requires that a backup was made prior to the update being installed.
Scheduled Scans
Automatic scheduled scans are performed at set intervals — daily, weekly or monthly — to check for driver updates without requiring the user to initiate a manual scan. Detected updates either notify the user for review or install automatically based on the setting configured.
Driver Exclusions
Specific devices are excluded from scanning and updated detection by an exclusion list. Users who have manually installed a particular version of the driver — a beta driver, a driver known to work well with certain software or an older driver retained for compatibility reasons — add that device to the exclusions so that AVG Driver Updater will not flag it in future scans.
Update History
The update history log contains all the driver updates installed with AVG Driver Updater with the device name, the previous version, the installed version, and the date. The log serves as a reference for tracing when certain drivers changed and correlating driver updates with any performance or stability changes that occurred.
