Roll Back Driver returns a device to the package it used before the most recent driver change. Understanding when the option appears, and what it can and cannot restore, helps you decide whether it suits your situation.
What the option actually does
When a newer package replaces an older one, Windows can keep the previous package available. Roll Back Driver tells Windows to reinstate that earlier package for the selected device. Unlike the other guides in this library, this procedure changes your system, so read it fully first.
The button is greyed out when no previous package was kept, for example if the device has only ever used one driver. Microsoft's documentation does not promise that rolling back will resolve every symptom; it simply reverses one change.
Before you begin
Save your open work, because a restart may be requested. If the device in question is your display adapter, the screen may flicker or briefly change resolution during the switch. If the problem started after something other than a driver change, rolling back is unlikely to help.
Steps
Follow these only if you have decided to restore the previous package.
- Open Device Manager and expand the device's category.
- Right-click the device and choose Properties.
- Open the Driver tab and select Roll Back Driver.
- Choose a reason in the prompt if one is shown and confirm.
- Restart the computer if Windows asks you to.
- Recheck the Driver tab to confirm the earlier version is now listed.
If the button is unavailable
A greyed-out button is information rather than a fault: there is nothing stored to return to. In that case the device maker's reference information site is the appropriate place to look for an earlier release and its installation notes. Windows Update may also stop reoffering a package after a rollback, but that behaviour varies, so it is worth checking optional updates later.
Good to know
Afterwards, the Events tab of the device records the change with a timestamp, which is a helpful confirmation if you are keeping notes.
Before you start
Have these ready
A guide goes more smoothly with the basics written down.
- The device or computer model
- The current driver version, if the guide involves one
- What changed most recently on the system
- Whether a restore point or backup is available on your system
