How to Download Microsoft Surface Pro 9 Drivers: A Comprehensive Guide
Struggling to find reliable methods to download drivers for your Microsoft Surface Pro 9? Look no further. In today’s guide, we’ll dive into detailed ways to ensure your device is running with the latest drivers, keeping it optimized for performance.
Method 1: Windows Update
Why Choose this Method? Windows Update is the most straightforward and secure method because Microsoft pushes the most compatible drivers for your device through this channel.
- Access Settings: Use the keyboard shortcut Win + I to open the Settings window directly.
- Navigate to ‘Update & Security’: Scroll down and click on the “Update & Security” option.
- Locate ‘Windows Update‘: On the left-hand side, you’ll see a list of options; click on “Windows Update.”
- Check for Updates: On the right-hand side, click on the “Check for updates” button.
- View Update Details: If updates are available, they will be listed. Click on “View optional updates” to see more details.
- Driver Section: Under “Driver Updates,” look for any that mention “Surface Pro 9.”
- Select and Install: Check the box next to the drivers you want to install and click on “Download and install.”
Additional Tips:
- Make sure your device is connected to a stable internet connection.
- Don’t interrupt the update process once started.
Method 2: Microsoft’s Official Website
Why Choose this Method? For users who want to manually control which drivers to install or keep a local copy for future use.
- Open Web Browser: Launch your preferred web browser; you can use Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or any other of your choice.
- Visit Microsoft Surface Support: Navigate to the Microsoft Surface support page. Make sure the page fully loads to display all the available options.
3. Locate Device Section: Often, the Surface devices are categorized under a specific section, sometimes labeled as “Surface Devices” or “PC & Tablets.” Scroll through the page until you find this section.
4. Find Surface Pro 9: The devices are usually listed in alphabetical order or by release date. Scroll through the list until you find ‘Surface Pro 9.’ Click on Your Device: After locating Surface Pro 9, click on the device name to navigate to its dedicated support page.
5. Click on Your Device: After locating Surface Pro 9, click on the device name to navigate to its dedicated support page.
6. Scroll to Drivers Section: Once on the device-specific page, you’ll need to scroll down to the section that offers drivers for download. This is typically labeled as “Drivers and Firmware” or “Software Updates.”
7. Choose the Driver: You’ll find various drivers listed, often alongside their release dates and version numbers. Select the latest driver that corresponds with your device’s operating system. Make sure you’re downloading the correct architecture (32-bit or 64-bit).
8. Click Download: Once you’ve made your selection, click on the ‘Download’ button. A dialogue box may appear, asking you to confirm the download or choose a download location.
9. Save the File: Choose a suitable location on your computer to save the .msi file. This could be your ‘Downloads’ folder or a dedicated folder for driver files.
10. Run the Installer: Once the download is complete, navigate to the folder where you saved the .msi file. Double-click on the file to initiate the installation process.
11. Follow On-Screen Prompts: A series of prompts will appear on your screen. Follow them carefully to complete the installation.
12. Restart Your Device: After the installation is completed, it’s generally a good idea to restart your Surface Pro 9 to ensure that the new drivers are properly integrated.
Additional Tips and Caveats:
- Archived Versions: Some people keep an archive of old driver versions for troubleshooting purposes. This is optional but can be helpful.
- Compatibility Check: Always make sure that the driver you are downloading is compatible with your version of Windows.
- Internet Connection: Ensure that you have a stable internet connection during the entire process to prevent download interruptions.
- Backup: It’s prudent to backup important data before installing any new drivers, as a precautionary measure.
Method 3: Device Manager
Why Choose this Method? For advanced users who want to manage specific hardware components individually.
- Access Device Manager: Use the Win + X keyboard shortcut and select “Device Manager” from the menu that appears. Alternatively, you can type “Device Manager” in the Windows search bar and click on the result.
- Understand the Interface: Device Manager displays a hierarchical list of hardware categories. These categories can range from “Display adapters” to “Sound, video and game controllers” and even “Universal Serial Bus controllers.”
- Locate Hardware Category: Expand the hardware category relevant to the component for which you want to update the driver. For instance, if you’re looking to update your Surface Pro 9’s graphics driver, you would expand “Display adapters.”
- Identify Specific Hardware: Within the expanded category, locate the specific hardware component. Right-click on it to reveal a dropdown menu.
- Select Update Driver: From the dropdown menu, click on “Update driver.” This will open a new dialog box with two options: “Search automatically for updated driver software” and “Browse my computer for driver software.”
- Automatic Search: If you choose “Search automatically for updated driver software,” Windows will search its database and the internet for the latest suitable driver.
- Manual Selection: If you choose “Browse my computer for driver software,” you will be prompted to navigate to the folder where you’ve stored the downloaded driver files. This is particularly useful if you’ve downloaded a specific driver version from the manufacturer’s website.
- Install the Driver: Once the appropriate driver is identified (either through automatic search or manual selection), click “Next” to proceed with the installation.
- Follow On-Screen Prompts: Additional dialog boxes may appear, requesting your permission to install the driver. Follow the prompts and click “Install” or “Yes” when prompted.
- Completion and Restart: After the driver is installed, a completion message will appear. Close all open windows and, to ensure the changes take effect, restart your Surface Pro 9.
Additional Tips and Caveats:
- Backup First: Before making any changes, consider creating a System Restore point. This allows you to roll back the system settings in case something goes awry.
- Driver Details: Right-clicking on the hardware component and selecting “Properties,” then navigating to the “Driver” tab will show you information about the currently installed driver, such as the version and release date.
- Rolling Back: If a newly installed driver causes issues, you can easily roll it back. Just navigate to the “Driver” tab in the device’s properties window and click on “Roll Back Driver.”
- Driver Uninstallation: In rare cases, you might need to uninstall a driver completely before installing a new one. This option is also available under the “Driver” tab in the properties window.
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