To update CPU drivers, start by identifying what actually needs updating: Windows, the motherboard's chipset software, integrated graphics, or BIOS/UEFI firmware. A typical desktop CPU does not have a standalone performance driver to download like a graphics card. Use Windows Update and your hardware manufacturer's official support pages.
Intel explicitly states that its processors do not require a separate driver to be detected and work in a supported operating system. A processor with integrated graphics may need a graphics driver, but that serves a different function. Choosing the correct component is the first useful step.
What people mean by “CPU drivers”
| Component | What it does | Where to obtain an appropriate update |
|---|---|---|
| Windows processor support | Helps the operating system manage supported processor hardware | Windows Update |
| AMD chipset drivers | Provide platform components for supported AMD hardware | PC maker, motherboard support page, or AMD chipset downloads |
| Intel Chipset Device Software | Supplies identification information for chipset devices | Motherboard or system support page, or Intel where applicable |
| Integrated graphics driver | Supports the graphics hardware inside a processor that has it | System maker or the relevant graphics vendor |
| BIOS/UEFI firmware | Initializes the platform and may include processor-support changes | Exact motherboard or complete-PC model's support page |
| Processor microcode | Addresses applicable processor behavior or security issues | Supported firmware or operating-system delivery, as specified for the update |
These are not interchangeable downloads. In particular, Intel explains that its Chipset Software Installation Utility supplies INF information rather than functional device drivers. Installing it is not the same as installing a new graphics or storage driver.
Identify your system before downloading anything
Record the CPU model, motherboard or PC model, and Windows version. Task Manager's Performance → CPU page shows the processor name. Windows System Information, available by searching for msinfo32, can help identify the system and baseboard. Confirm an unclear motherboard model or revision against its label or documentation.
For a laptop or branded prebuilt, begin with its manufacturer's support page. A retail motherboard with a similar name is not necessarily the same board as an OEM version. Check the supported operating systems and the update's release notes.
Save your work and keep a backup of important files. On a managed work or school computer, follow the organization's update process. If you are updating to solve a particular error, record that error first so you can check whether the change actually fixes it.
1. Check Windows Update
Press Windows + I to open Settings. The key is the letter I, not the number 1.
- Windows 11: Open Windows Update → Check for updates. To review optional driver updates, use Advanced options → Optional updates.
- Windows 10: Open Update & Security → Windows Update → Check for updates. If View optional updates appears, review its driver section.
Install applicable updates and restart. Optional drivers are not a checklist that every PC must exhaust: select updates relevant to your hardware and problem. Microsoft's driver-update instructions distinguish recommended automatic updates from optional ones.
Windows 10 reached its general end of support on October 14, 2025. As of September 8, 2026, using it requires attention to the applicable support or Extended Security Updates arrangements; installing a chipset driver does not extend operating-system support. Check Microsoft's Windows 10 lifecycle guidance for your situation.
2. Install the correct platform package
For an AMD motherboard
Find the chipset package supported for the motherboard and Windows version. On AMD's official support site, select the chipset, rather than assuming that the CPU's download page contains every motherboard component you need.
Read the release notes, download the official installer, save and close applications, and run it with administrator permission when requested. Review the supported components, complete installation, and restart. AMD documents this process in its Ryzen chipset installation guide.
Do not manually delete individual chipset components from Device Manager to “clean up” an installation. AMD specifically warns against that approach. If installation fails, use the reported error and AMD's documented troubleshooting instead of repeatedly installing unrelated packages.
For an Intel motherboard
Use the board or system support page to determine which platform packages are required. Intel's Download Center is an additional official source when the package is appropriate. Chipset INF software, Management Engine components, storage drivers, and graphics drivers have different purposes. Install a package because it matches your system and requirements, not merely because “Intel” appears in its name.
Intel Driver & Support Assistant can identify updates for supported Intel products. Intel states that DSA is free and covers a subset of its available drivers and software. It is not a paid CPU-speed unlock and does not replace the motherboard vendor's instructions.
For integrated graphics
First verify whether the exact processor has integrated graphics and whether you use it. A graphics-driver package supports that graphics device; it does not add an iGPU to a processor that lacks one. Follow the PC manufacturer's guidance on OEM versus generic graphics drivers.
3. Use Device Manager to investigate a specific device
Device Manager is useful for checking device status, inspecting driver details, and installing a suitable driver you have already obtained. It is not a requirement to right-click every entry under Processors whenever the PC feels slow.
If a device has a warning, open its properties and record the error code. Match the device to the correct support package. An automatic search reporting that the best driver is installed is not proof that no newer vendor package exists elsewhere. Microsoft's Device Manager guide explains the supported update and rollback options.
Is a BIOS update the same thing?
No. BIOS/UEFI firmware and Windows drivers are separate layers. Firmware updates can add support for a processor, change platform behavior, or incorporate applicable microcode fixes. They do not automatically install all Windows chipset and graphics packages.
Intel's microcode documentation explains that firmware is the preferred delivery route and that only some updates support operating-system loading. Its Linux package is not a Windows driver download; the relevant point is that not every microcode fix arrives through the same channel.
Before flashing firmware, verify the exact board and revision, read prerequisites and release notes, and follow its update procedure. If the reason is a CPU upgrade, check motherboard CPU compatibility first. A matching socket alone does not settle support.
Confirm the result before making another change
Restart, check for device errors, and repeat the activity that exposed the problem. If one driver update introduced a new issue, use its documented rollback or reinstall route. Rollback is not always available, and firmware recovery is a separate procedure.
Driver maintenance cannot guarantee extra FPS, higher clock speeds, or lower temperatures. If the original symptom persists, diagnose high CPU usage or missing and underused CPU cores rather than collecting more update utilities.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a paid CPU-driver updater?
No. Windows Update and official hardware support channels provide the updates described here. Paying for a third-party updater is not required to maintain processor support.
Will a driver update make a CPU compatible with any motherboard?
No. Physical, electrical, chipset, and firmware requirements still apply. Read the guide to upgrading a CPU without changing the motherboard before buying a replacement.
Should I update everything to fix low FPS?
Start by identifying the limiting factor and checking relevant updates. An update that addresses your specific issue may help, but it cannot guarantee a performance gain or compensate for incompatible hardware.
