How to open device manager

How to open Windows Device Manager

Below are the steps for entering the Device Manager in each of the major versions of Windows. Select a link below for the version of Windows on your computer and follow the instructions.

Press the shortcut key Windows key and Pause key at the same time to open the Device Manager.

How to open the Device Manager in Windows 10 and 11

In the Windows search box, you can type device manager and click Device Manager in the search results to open the Device Manager.

Once in the Device Manager, you can start identifying problems in Windows Device Manager.

How to open the Device Manager in Windows 8

In Windows 8.1, you can also access the Device Manager by pressing the Windows key + X key to open the Power User Tasks Menu. In the menu that opens, select Device Manager.

Once in the Device Manager, you can start identifying problems in Windows Device Manager.

How to open the Device Manager in Windows Vista and 7

Once in the Device Manager, you can start identifying problems in Windows Device Manager.

How to open the Device Manager in Windows 2003

Once in the Device Manager, you can start identifying problems in Windows Device Manager.

How to open the Device Manager in Microsoft Windows XP and 2000

Once in the Device Manager, you can start identifying problems in Windows Device Manager.

Open the Device Manager in Windows 95, 98, 98 SE, and ME

Once in the Device Manager, you can start identifying problems in Windows Device Manager.

Microsoft Windows NT 3.x and Windows 3.x users

These versions of Windows do not have a Device Manager feature.

How to Open Device Manager

Here’s where to find Device Manager in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, Vista, or XP

What to Know

This article explains when you’d want to use Device Manager and how to get to it in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

What Device Manager Is Used For

There are plenty of reasons you might need to open Device Manager in Windows, but usually, it’s to troubleshoot some kind of problem with your computer’s hardware.

It doesn’t matter if you’re updating device drivers, adjusting system resources, finding Device Manager error codes, or even just checking in on a device’s status—you’ll need to open this utility before you can do any of it.

Time Required: It should only take a minute or so, no matter which version of Windows you’re using. See Other Ways to Open Device Manager towards the bottom of the page for some other, arguably faster methods in at least some versions of Windows.

How to Open Device Manager via Control Panel

It isn’t listed next to your regular programs, so it can be difficult to find if you don’t already know where it is. The Control Panel method is probably the most straightforward way to get there, but we go over all your options below.

Open Control Panel. In Windows 11, search for it from the search utility on the taskbar.

In some versions of Windows 10 and 8, assuming you’re using a keyboard or mouse, the fastest way is through the Power User Menu—just press the WIN (Windows) key and the X key together.

In some versions of Windows 10, you may also be able to open Device Manager directly from the Start menu, as a submenu under Control Panel.

Depending on your version of Windows, Control Panel is usually available from the Start menu or Apps screen.

What you do next depends on what Windows operating system you’re using:

If you don’t see these options, your Control Panel view may be set to Large icons, Small icons, or Classic View, depending on your version of Windows. If so, find and choose Device Manager from the big collection of icons you see and then skip to Step 4 below.

From this Control Panel screen, look for and choose Device Manager:

In Windows 11, 10 and 8, check under the Devices and Printers heading. In Windows 7, look under System. In Windows Vista, you’ll find Device Manager towards the bottom of the window.

In Windows XP, you have a few extra steps since Device Manager isn’t as easily available in your version of Windows. From the open Control Panel window, select System, choose the Hardware tab, and then use the Device Manager button.

With Device Manager now open, you can view a device’s status, update the device drivers, enable devices, disable devices, or do whatever other hardware management you came here to do.

Other Ways to Open Device Manager

If you’re comfortable with the command-line in Windows, specifically Command Prompt, one really quick way to start Device Manager in any version of Windows is via its command:

The command-line method really comes in handy when you need to bring up Device Manager but your mouse won’t work or your computer is having a problem that prevents you from using it normally.

While you probably won’t ever need to open it this way, you should know that it’s also available in all versions of Windows via Computer Management, part of the suite of built-in utilities called Administrative Tools.

Device Manager takes on a slightly different look in Computer Management. Just select it from the left margin and then use it as an integrated feature of the utility on the right.

Another method that works in Windows 7 is through GodMode. This is a special folder that gives you access to tons of settings and controls found throughout the operating system. If you already use GodMode, opening Device Manager there might be your preferred way to access it.

The easiest way to run as an admin is to create a desktop shortcut by right-clicking empty space on your desktop and selecting New > Shortcut. Next, enter devmgmt.msc and select Next > name your shortcut > Finish. Now, right-click the shortcut and select Run as Administrator.

For an application like Device Manager, use System Information on macOS Lion or later. To get there, go to Go > Utilities > System Information. Alternatively, go to the Apple Menu > About This Mac > More Info > System Report.

How to Open Device Manager in Windows 10

Device Manager is a tool provided in every version of Windows, its main purpose is to identify all the connected devices. It allows the user to perform managerial tasks related to hardware drivers. You can use it to install/uninstall device driver, you can also add a hardware device, and enable/disable a device. The Device Manager can also be used to view vital information about all the known connected devices.

Device Manager

How can the Device Manager be Accessed?

There are a number of ways you can access the Device Manager, here are the most common ones.

Method 1: Opening the Device Manager through the Start menu search

You can easily use the Start menu search to open the Device Manager.

Method 2: Accessing the Device Manager through the Quick Access Menu

This is the only method that will allow you to open Device Manager with elevated administrative privileges.

Method 3: Opening the Device Manager through the Run dialog box

The Run dialog box could also be used to open different directories and different applications. Same can be done for the device manager.

Method 4: Accessing the Device Manager through the Command Prompt

CMD also has the ability to open the Device Manager.

Method 5: Opening the Device Manager through the System Properties

Method 6: Accessing the Device Manager by the Manage menu

The manage menu can easily provide access to the Device Manager.

Method 7: Using the Control Panel to access the Device Manager

You can also access the Device Manager through the Control Panel.

Method 8: Access the Device Manager by using the Windows PowerShell

When all other options are not working then the last resort is to use the Windows PowerShell application to open the Device Manager, this is how to get it done.

How to open the Device Manager in Windows 11/10

The Device Manager in Windows 11/10 provides a central and organized view of all the Microsoft Windows recognized hardware installed on a computer. The Device Manager helps change hardware configuration options, manage drivers, enable or disable hardware, identify conflicts between hardware devices, etc. Device Manager also helps troubleshoot devices when they don’t work properly. Let us see how to open the Device Manager in Windows 11/10. You may need to be logged in using an administrator account.

How to open the Device Manager in Windows 11/10

We will now learn about all these methods in detail.

1] Using the WinX Menu

You can open the WinX Menu by using the keyboard shortcut Windows Key + X. You can also right-click on the Start Menu and then select the option ‘Device Manager’.

2] Using Windows 10 Search

To open the Device Manager using the Search option, click on the ‘Search icon’ or ‘Search box’ next to the Start button. Type in ‘Device Manager’ in the search box and then simply select the option.

3] Using Run box

You can open the Device Manager using the Run box method with the help of any one of the three Run commands- devmgmt.msc or control hdwwiz.cpl in the open field. Simply press the Windows Key + R. Type in any one of the mentioned commands in the Open field and then select OK.

4] Using Command-line

Execute one of the folowing command in CMD or PowerShell:

5] Using Control Panel

Open Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers > Device Manager.

You can also access it using Control Panel’s Icon View

Open Control Panel > All Control Panel Items. To do that, click on the View by drop-down menu, and choose Large icons or Small icons, depending on your preference. All the Control Panel items will appear. Select the ‘Device Manager’ option.

6] Using Computer Management

Open the Computer Management Tool on your Windows 10 PC.

Under System Tools, click on Device Manager to launch it.

7] Using File Explorer

Windows 11

Windows 10

In Windows 10, go to File Explorer You will see ‘This PC’ in the left navigation pane. Right-click on This PC and select ‘Manage’ from the Context Menu. The Computer Management Tool window will open.

Now once Computer Management opens, click on System Tools > Device Manager.

So, these are the various ways to open Device Manager in Windows 11/10. Hope this was helpful for beginners!

If you know of any more ways to open the Device Manager on your Windows 11/10 PC, do let us know in the comments down below.

Date: October 24, 2021 Tags: Devices

Related Posts

Device was not migrated due to partial or ambiguous match

Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems (Code 43)

Device Manager Blinking or Flickering in Windows 11/10

[email protected]

Disha is an MBA who loves to dabble with computers. Her love for Windows and Office has now compelled her to start blogging here with us.

How to Open Device Manager in Windows 11 or Windows 10

We show you how to open Device Manager in Windows 11 and 10 using a Device Manager Shortcut, Settings, Command Prompt, and more.

Device Manager is an important tool that most users will need at one point or another. As a result, it’s vital that you know how to open Device Manager in Windows 11 and 10 quickly and effectively. We’ll be showing you several easy ways to do so today so that you can decide which suits you.

What is Device Manager?

Device Manager is a component of Windows 11, 10, and earlier Microsoft OSes that allows users to view and make modifications to the hardware on their computer. It’s most commonly utilized for driver management – whether it’s installing, updating, or replacing them.

There are numerous ways to open it, from keyboard shortcut to the hidden tools menu, Command Prompt, Run, PowerShell, and more. We’ll be showing you the most relevant ones today. Keep in mind that all of the methods we show below both work to open Device Manager in Windows 11 and in Windows 10.

How to Open Device Manager in Windows 11 / Windows 10 via Keyboard Shortcut

The fastest way to navigate your computer often involves keeping both of your hands on the keyboard. We can do this quite easily using the following Device Manager shortcut:

Pressing Windows + X will open the tools flyout menu, while the M key will automatically select Device Manager and open it.

How to Open Device Manager via the Tools Menu

Alternatively, you can use a combination of the tools menu and your mouse. As you can press the shortcut to open the tools menu while keeping your hand on the mouse, you may find this is more convenient for you.

How to Open Device Manager from Search in Windows 11 or Windows 10

Sometimes it’s best not to complicate things. Getting to Device Manager via the search menu is slightly slower than using a shortcut, but it is much easier to remember.

How to Get to Device Manager via Settings

If the other methods aren’t working for you or you just prefer the old fashioned way, you can get to Device Manager through your trusty settings menu:

Alternatively, press “Windows + I” on your keyboard.

How to Get to Windows 11 Device Manager via the Control Panel

If you want to be even more oldschool, you can also acces Device Manager via the legacy Control Panel app:

The search box is located in the top-right, if you didn’t already know.

How to Open Device Manager from Run in Windows 11 / Windows 10

Another easy way to access Windows 11 Device Manager (or Windows 10 for that matter) is via the run dialog. Here’s how you can access it quickly:

Device Manager should open immediately.

How to Get to Windows 11 Device Manager from File Explorer

If all else fails, you can manually navigate to the Device Manager tool via File Explorer and run it straight from its folder. Here’s how to find it:

You can open File Explorer quickly with Windows + E and then paste the following into its address bar:

Keep pressing “D” on your keyboard until you find “devmgmt.msc” and double-click it to open.

How to Launch Device Manager from Command Prompt

If you don’t have GUI access you can open Device Manager from CMD with a very simple command. The Windows 11 Device Manager command is as follows:

How to Open Device Manager with the PowerShell Device Manager Command

If you prefer PowerShell over Command Prompt, that’s no problem – you can run Device Manager from there too. Here’s how:

Device Manager will immediately launch.

Extra: How to Backup and Restore Windows Drivers

If you find Windows is using generic drivers for a device that previously had a specialized one, or that a driver is broken after an update, a restore could be your best option. We’re going to show you how to backup and restore your device drivers in Windows 10 or Windows 11 so you have a fallback.