How to export and import drivers in Windows when changing PCs

When we upgrade our computer or make significant changes to the system, Windows drivers become critical . You can have the best graphics card on the market or a high-end motherboard, but if the driver isn't compatible, the hardware will perform at half capacity or simply won't work at all.

Furthermore, every time we format or perform a clean install of Windows, reinstalling all the drivers one by one is, frankly, a real pain if you're not prepared . Luckily, Windows and various third-party tools allow you to export, import, and back up drivers so switching PCs isn't such a hassle.

What are drivers and why are they so important?

In short, a driver is a small program that acts as a translator between Windows and the hardware . Without this translator, the operating system wouldn't know how to communicate with the graphics card, network card, audio equipment, chipset, or any other component of the computer.

When you install, for example, a dedicated GPU, Windows needs a specific driver to understand how to send it video instructions , what resolutions it supports, how to manage 3D acceleration, video decoding, and so on. With the correct driver, everything runs smoothly; with a generic or incorrect one, you'll experience stuttering, graphical errors, or even a black screen.

The same applies to the network card, sound card, motherboard chipset, SATA or NVMe controller, or any other peripheral. Each device needs its own driver or a compatible one to function stably and securely.

That's why manufacturers strive to release new versions regularly: they fix bugs, improve performance, and close security vulnerabilities , as well as strengthen driver signatures . Ignoring these updates can result in crashes, blue screens, performance issues in games, or even vulnerabilities that malware can exploit.

Types of drivers you'll find in Windows

When we talk about drivers in Windows, we tend to lump them all together, but in reality, there are several types and distribution formats. Understanding them is very helpful when exporting and importing drivers when switching PCs.

A first important distinction has to do with how those drivers get to your system and how they are installed:

• .inf type controllersThey are delivered as a set of files (usually .sys, .dll, etc.) accompanied by an .inf file that tells Windows how to install them. They don't come with a graphical wizard; they are integrated through the... Device administrator, DISM or pnputil.
• .exe type driversThese are the most common for users. They arrive as an executable installer with a step-by-step wizard. Inside, there are usually INF files and libraries, but the installer does everything for you.
• Critical drivers of Boot (boot-critical): These are the drivers that Windows absolutely needs to start the system, such as those for storage (disk controllers, SATA, NVMe, RAID) or the basic video ones. If one of these drivers fails, the system may not even boot.

Regardless of the format, they all end up at the same point: the Windows driver database ( DriverStore ), from where the system loads or reuses them when it detects new compatible hardware.

How to view installed drivers before exporting them

Before you consider exporting or copying anything, it's a good idea to know which drivers you currently have installed and in use . This helps you decide what's worth backing up and detect potential conflicts. If you prefer the command line , you can use `driverquery`.

The starting point is the classic Windows Device Manager , which acts as a master list of hardware and its drivers:

• Right-click the Start button.
• Choose Device administrator.
• A window will open with all the hardware categories of the computer.

From there you can expand each category and, on a specific device, right-click and go to Properties . In the Driver tab you will see information such as:

• Controller provider.
• Controller date.
• Installed version.
• Buttons for Update, Revert, Disable or Uninstall.

This panel is key because it lets you check the exact version you have before copying anything, and restore a previous driver if something breaks after an update. However, it's best not to uninstall indiscriminately: removing the driver for a critical device can render your PC unusable until Windows manages to reinstall it.

The good news is that many basic drivers (chipset, HID, standard storage, etc.) are automatically reinstalled after a restart if Windows detects they are missing. Even so, with sensitive components like RAID controllers, exotic network cards, or highly specialized hardware, it's best to take precautions with a backup.

Why it's worth backing up your drivers

Formatting a PC after years of use, Windows version changes, and dozens of updates is usually the best course of action, but it has a side effect: the deletion of all installed drivers . If you don't plan ahead, you'll be scrambling to find the Wi-Fi or sound driver when you need it most.

Besides formatting, there are other scenarios where having a driver backup can save you from a nasty surprise :

• Hard drive replacements or SSDcloning or migration to another team.
• Major Windows updates (for example, from Windows 10 to Windows 11).
• Hardware failures that require reinstalling the system from scratch.
• Manufacturer withdrawal of support for older equipment, where drivers disappear from the website.

Among the clear advantages of backing up your drivers are:

• Huge time savingsYou don't have to go website by website hunting for installers or resort to tools to automate the installation nor crossing their fingers that Windows Update I caught everything.
• Guaranteed compatibilityYou know that those drivers already worked well with your hardware and version of Windows.
• Rapid recovery after a disasterA disk failure, malware, or a broken driver ceases to be a drama if you have the driver package saved.
• Easy to revert to a previous versionIf a new driver is a disaster, you can easily reinstall one of the previous ones you have saved.

Ideally, these driver backups should be stored on a dedicated USB drive, an external SSD, or even in the cloud . Many people choose to use several small USB drives labeled: BIOS , Windows installer, drivers, various tools, etc. This is much more practical than a single, gigantic USB drive with everything mixed together.

Methods for exporting drivers in Windows before changing PCs

Windows includes several utilities that allow you to export all installed drivers to a folder . You can then copy them to a new PC or a clean system installation. The two most useful commands are DISM and pnputil.

First, create the folder where you'll save the backup , ideally on a different drive than your Windows drive (a USB drive, an external SSD, or a second internal hard drive). The simpler the path, the fewer problems you'll have with the commands.

For example, you can create a folder called DRIVERS in the root of your external drive, which could be E:. Your path would then be E:\DRIVERS\ , easy to remember and type.

Export drivers with DISM

DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) is an advanced Windows tool designed to manage system images, but it can also be used to export all drivers from the DriverStore to a specific path.

Basic steps for using it:

• Open the Start menu, type cmd.
• Right-click on “Symbol of the system”> Run as administrator.
• In the black window, type a command similar to this (adjusting the path to your case):

dism /online /export-driver /destination:E:\DRIVERS

This command tells DISM to take all the drivers installed in the online image (your current Windows installation) and export them to the E:\DRIVERS folder. It essentially takes them from C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore and places them there as subfolders.

It's important that the destination folder exists before running the command, because if it doesn't, DISM will likely fail . Once it finishes, you'll have a complete driver package ready to import to your new PC or for a clean reinstall.

Export drivers with pnputil

Another very useful utility that comes standard with Windows is pnputil , specifically designed for managing Plug and Play drivers. It also allows you to quickly export all installed drivers. If you're interested in command-line management, you can read about how to list and manage drivers using PowerShell.

The process for using it is virtually the same :

• Opens PowerShell o Command Prompt as administrator.
• Run the command:

pnputil /export-driver * E:\DRIVERS

This tells Windows to extract all registered drivers and copy them to that location . It's a very convenient way to create a current driver backup without having to go device by device.

If you want to be more precise, pnputil also allows you to list the installed drivers and manage each one separately , but for a PC change, the normal thing is to export everything and that's it.

How to restore or import drivers on a new PC or after formatting

Once you have your folder with drivers safely stored, the moment of truth arrives: reinstalling Windows, changing PCs, or cloning the system and wanting to recover all those drivers without going crazy.

There are two main ways to restore drivers: using commands to import them in bulk or manually associating them from Device Manager. You can also use third-party programs if you saved the backup with them.

Restore drivers with DISM

If you exported using DISM, you can use this tool again to inject the drivers into your current Windows installation . This is very useful when you've just performed a clean install and want the system to recognize all the hardware at once.

These are the steps to follow :

• Copy the drivers folder to the new computer, for example to C:\Backup-drivers or similar.
• Open Command Prompt as administrator.
• Spear:

dism /online /Add-Driver /Driver:C:\Copia-seguridad-drivers /Recurse

The /Recurse switch tells DISM to search all subfolders for drivers . The system will then add valid drivers to the DriverStore, and after a restart, many devices that previously showed a warning symbol in Device Manager will begin to function correctly.

It is important that the path to the /Driver parameter is correct and that the folder contains the corresponding .inf files. Otherwise, DISM will simply ignore anything it doesn't understand or that is incompatible with the installed version of Windows.

Manually restore drivers from Device Manager

If you prefer to go device by device, or only want to restore some specific drivers, the classic method is to use Update Driver pointing to your backup folder.

The procedure is:

• Open the Device administrator.
• Locate a device with a yellow triangle or hardware that is not working properly.
• Right-click > Update Driver.
• Choose Search for drivers on my computer.
• Select the folder where you saved the drivers (for example, C:\Backup-drivers).

Windows will search that path for a driver compatible with the device. If it finds one, it will install it and associate it normally . This process is slightly slower than bulk import, but it gives you complete control over what is installed at any given time.

How to uninstall drivers from the command line if something goes wrong

Sometimes, when restoring old drivers or using automatic tools, incorrect drivers can be installed, causing errors . If the problem is serious, it may be easier to remove these drivers from the command line rather than the graphical interface. For guidance, you can consult how to uninstall drivers in Windows 11.

You can again use DISM, this time targeting an image (or a system) and asking it to list the installed drivers so you can then remove any conflicting ones. Working from the command line is helpful for this.

A typical flow would be:

• Open Command Prompt as administrator.
• List drivers with a command like this:

Dism /Image:C:\test\offline /Get-Drivers

This command is primarily used with offline images, but the idea is the same: to obtain a list of drivers and their published identifiers (usually OEMX.inf). Once you know the name of the one you want to remove, you can use:

Dism /Image:C:\test\offline /Remove-Driver /Driver:OEM1.inf /Driver:OEM2.inf

Naturally, you'll need to replace OEM1.inf and OEM2.inf with the actual names of the drivers you want to delete. It's a powerful and practical method, but it should be used with caution to avoid deleting essential drivers and leaving your system unstable.

Common driver problems when changing PCs

Even with careful handling, drivers are a classic source of headaches. When migrating computers, reinstalling, or restoring driver backups, errors can occur that are important to know how to identify.

One of the most common problems is driver conflicts . This occurs when two drivers try to manage the same hardware or when a new driver doesn't work well with the system. In Device Manager, this is usually indicated by a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark.

Follow these diagnostic steps to investigate what's wrong:

• Right-click on the problematic device.
• Select Properties.
• Review the tabs General y Controllerwhere error codes and a brief description usually appear.

Another very common problem when changing PCs is the installation of an incorrect or incompatible driver . This can happen if you make a mistake when downloading it manually, or if an automated tool "messes up" by installing a similar but not identical driver.

In these cases, the solution involves uninstalling the problematic driver from Device Manager or using the tool's own options, and then downloading the appropriate version for your specific hardware model and Windows version from the official website.

It's also relatively common for a Windows update to replace a specific driver with a generic one . A typical example is Realtek audio, which, after an update, switches to a basic driver and suddenly stops working. In this case, the following is usually sufficient:

• run the Problem Solver Windows for audio.
• Reinstall the official driver from the manufacturer's website.

Finally, if a critical driver (such as the storage driver) becomes corrupted, the system might not even boot and could display a blue screen . In these situations, booting into Safe Mode can save you, because Windows loads a minimal set of generic drivers that allow you to enter and reinstall the correct driver or restore a previous one.

Tips and best practices for keeping your drivers under control

To make exporting and importing drivers when changing PCs a relatively painless process, it's worth adopting some driver-related maintenance routines .

Here are some practical tips :

• Keep your drivers up to dateespecially the most critical ones: GPU, chipset, network, audio, and storage. You can enable automatic updates or check them manually from time to time.
• If you pay for a third-party tool, make sure it offers a large database, backup and restore, and support for third-party drivers in addition to Windows drivers.
• When you make a backup, try to include also third-party controllers (printers, specific cards, uncommon peripherals), not just those that Windows installs by default.
• Try to have at least two copies of your driver backups: a physical disk and cloud storage, for example.
• Label the folders with the date and, if you change hardware, create a new backup associated with the new configuration.
• If you copy the folder by hand FileRepository From DriverStore, remember that it's not as clean a method as using DISM or pnputil, but it can get you out of trouble when the system won't boot and you can only access it from a live environment.

Alongside all of this, don't forget to back up your personal data and your entire system . Disk imaging tools like AOMEI Backupper or other backup solutions allow you to safeguard your operating system, applications, settings, and files simultaneously. Combined with a good driver package, this will leave you prepared to handle almost any disaster.

Keeping your computer's drivers under control, with well-organized and up-to-date backups, turns what could be a nightmare (changing PCs, formatting, serious Windows failure) into a relatively quick process: you prepare the driver backup, reinstall Windows or set up the new computer, import the drivers, and in a short time, everything works as before or even better.