Where Windows 10 and 11 Store Device Drivers — What You Need to Know
Honestly, figuring out where your device drivers are stored on a Windows 10 or 11 PC was pretty frustrating for me at first. You might be used to thinking they’re just in a folder called “Drivers” in Documents or Downloads, right? But nope, it’s way more complicated than that. If you’re looking to back them up, manually tweak driver files, or troubleshoot driver issues, you need to get familiar with the actual system locations and how Windows manages these files. Spoiler: it’s not exactly obvious or user-friendly.
What Are Drivers Anyway, and Where Are They Hidden?
Drivers are basically files (like INF, sys, or others) that let your hardware—printers, graphics cards, Wi-Fi adapters—to communicate with Windows. Without them, hardware just sits there doing nothing. The thing is, Windows keeps all the official copies of these driver packages in what’s called the Driver Store. Think of it like a secure vault for driver files — ready to install or reinstall if needed.
Inside the Driver Store — The Main Storage Location
The primary folder where these files are stored is:
C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\
And inside, there’s a folder called FileRepository. That’s where the real magic happens. If you browse there, you’ll see folders with crazy names like xxx.inf_****. These contain the INF files, actual driver binaries, and related files needed for installation. But—and here’s the important bit—tinkering with these folders directly can be risky. The system is designed to prevent casual users from messing with these files because it could break driver installs or even affect system stability.
How Windows Uses These Files
Whenever Windows detects a new device, it looks in this Driver Store for a suitable driver. If it finds one, it copies it into the system, registers it, and your device starts working. Sometimes, Windows keeps multiple versions of similar drivers—say, an older, signed version and a newer beta—to allow rollbacks or handle device compatibility better.
During driver installation, Windows signs the driver files with a digital signature—this is a security feature. If the files aren’t signed or are unsigned, Windows might refuse to install them, especially on Windows 11 with Secure Boot enabled. You can check if a driver is signed by right-clicking the INF files in FileRepository and selecting Properties > Digital Signatures.
Locations + How to Back Up Drivers
To view the driver files, go to:
C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\
And for printer drivers, in:
C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\
If you want to copy drivers for backup or transfer, you can browse to FileRepository and copy the folders. However, be aware that these folders have strange names, and manually copying them isn’t the most reliable way to do a full restore. For a more dependable approach, use the DISM /Online /Export-Driver command in PowerShell or Command Prompt, like this:
DISM /Online /Export-Driver /Destination:C:\DriverBackupThis creates a proper backup of your installed drivers, which you can later restore using DISM /Online /Add-Driver or other tools. Trust me, manually copying files can sometimes miss key registry info or signatures, so it’s better to use these official methods.
Checking Driver Files and Security
Since Windows enforces driver security, only signed files are usually accepted. If a driver isn’t signed or is unsigned, Windows security may block it or warn you that it could be unsafe. To check signatures, right-click an INF file inside the FileRepository folder, select Properties, then look under Digital Signatures. That’s your clue as to whether the driver is legitimate or potentially risky.
If you’re experimenting with drivers, you might find it helpful to temporarily disable driver signature enforcement—on Windows 11, you’ll need to go into Advanced Startup, then Startup Settings, and select Disable driver signature enforcement. Just remember to turn it back on afterwards!
The Bottom Line — What You Should Know
In short, Windows stores all device drivers inside the C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository folder, but it doesn’t want just anyone poking around there without good reason. It’s more for system integrity than casual access. If you need to back up, restore, or troubleshoot drivers, the best approach is using built-in tools like PowerShell, DISM, or Device Manager instead of manually copying files.
Most users don’t realise how hidden this system is—and that’s why driver problems can be so tricky. The files are buried deep in the OS, with extra security measures to keep your system running smoothly. Poking around blindly in these folders can cause more troubles than it’s worth.
Hopefully this sheds some light — it took me ages to figure out exactly where these driver files reside. Always check driver signatures, use official tools, and back things up properly before making changes. Good luck, and I hope this saves others from wasting hours trying to get to the bottom of driver storage!