What Is WinZip Driver Updater?

WinZip Driver Updater is a Windows program from WinZip that checks your PC for out-of-date drivers and updates them for you. This guide explains what drivers do, what the program does, how to use it, and how its backup, restore and exclusion features let you undo or skip any update.

1. What Drivers Do and Why They Need Updates

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A driver is the software that lets Windows work with a piece of hardware, such as your graphics card, sound chip, printer or network adapter. Think of it as a translator between the device and Windows.

Every time Windows and your apps are updated, your hardware may need new drivers to keep working fully. Many manufacturers don't tell you when they release a new driver, so you can miss bug fixes, power improvements, new features and important security patches.

Windows helps too: Windows Update installs recommended drivers automatically, while optional driver updates wait until you choose them. Checking every device by hand in Device Manager, though, takes time.

2. What WinZip Driver Updater Does

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• Finds driver problems: it scans your PC and identifies outdated, incorrect and corrupt drivers, then recommends updates.
• Uses manufacturers' drivers: it sources driver updates from the original equipment manufacturer only and updates drivers with the latest versions from the original manufacturers.
• Delivers the correct drivers: installing the wrong or outdated drivers can cause problems with your PC, so it identifies and delivers only the correct drivers for your system.
• Saves time: tracking down drivers for all the hardware in your PC can take hours. A quick scan and update takes minutes.
• Includes safety features: automatic backups, a restore wizard, exclusions and a scheduler.

3. How to Update Your Drivers With It

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1. Download the free trial from the WinZip Driver Updater page.
2. Double-click the downloaded file to run the installer, and follow the steps. When it's installed, Driver Updater opens and runs a first scan.
3. To scan again later, select the Home tab, then Start Scan Now.
4. Review the results. Select Update next to a driver to install it, and wait for one driver to finish before you start the next.
5. A message tells you when the installation is complete. With the registered version, you can select Update All instead to install every update at once.

Expected result: the drivers you updated show as up to date when you scan again.

4. Back Up, Restore, Exclude and Schedule

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These features let you undo an update, skip one you don't want, and run scans when it suits you.

• Back up before you update: select the Backup icon on the top menu, then Start Backup. Choose the type of backup, select Next and follow the steps.
• Restore if an update causes trouble: select Backup > Start Restore, choose a backup, then select Load Backup and Restore. Restart your PC when it's done.
• Exclude a driver: after a scan, right-click a driver update in the results and select Exclude this driver from future scans. To undo it, remove the driver from the Driver Exclusion List.
• Schedule scans: select Options > Schedule. Under Schedule Settings, choose the type of schedule and your preferences, then select Apply.

5. Free Trial vs Registered Version

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The free trial scans your PC for out-of-date drivers, so you can see which updates are available. The registered version makes updating faster and easier, and adds:

• One-click install of all driver updates, instead of reviewing and updating each driver one by one
• Early access to new drivers
• Dedicated email support

The WinZip Driver Updater page lists Windows 10, 8, 7 and Vista as compatible.

6. How to Uninstall It

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If you decide you don't need it, you can remove WinZip Driver Updater like any other Windows app.

1. Select Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Find WinZip Driver Updater, select More (…) > Uninstall, and follow the steps.

You can also use Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features: select WinZip Driver Updater, then Uninstall/Change.

Expected result: WinZip Driver Updater no longer appears in your list of installed apps.