Our verdict: Driver Booster Free is a quick way to see which drivers have newer versions, and it creates a restore point before updating. It is also a sales funnel for the PRO subscription, and a generic driver updater is rarely better than Windows Update and your PC or GPU maker's own tools.
About IObit Driver Booster Free
Driver Booster is IObit's driver updater for Windows. It scans the PC, lists devices with newer drivers in its online database and installs the ones you choose. It can show several versions of a driver, backs up the current driver and creates a system restore point before updating, and includes small fix-it tools for no sound, network failure and bad screen resolution.
According to IObit's comparison, the free edition offers the one-click scan, a database of 12 million+ drivers and manual updates. The PRO subscription adds a larger database, automatic updates, the offline driver scan, missing game DLL repair, automatic backups and premium support. The free app shows upgrade prompts and offers for other IObit products.
What it does well
- Driver scan. Lists devices that have a newer driver in IObit's database.
- Restore points. Backs up drivers and creates a restore point before updating.
- Version choice. Shows several versions of a driver so you can pick one.
- Fix tools. Small tools for no sound, network failure and wrong screen resolution.
- Driver database. Drivers from 1,200+ brands, including Intel, AMD and NVIDIA.
Who it is for
Good fit
Users who want a quick overview of which drivers are older than the latest available versions.
Look elsewhere
Anyone with a working PC; updating drivers that work fine can cause new problems.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Quick overview of driver versions
- Restore point and driver backup before updates
- Lets you choose among several driver versions
- Supports Windows on ARM
Cons
- Constant upsell to the PRO subscription and other IObit products
- Third-party driver updates can break devices that worked fine
- Automatic updates and the larger database are PRO-only
How to install IObit Driver Booster Free
Read every installer screen and untick offers for other IObit or partner software. Leave the restore point option on before any update. For graphics drivers, prefer the NVIDIA, AMD or Intel app, and for laptops your maker's support page.
Questions about IObit Driver Booster Free
Is Driver Booster free?
Yes, Driver Booster Free has no time limit, but updates are manual and use a smaller database. Automatic updates and the extra tools are part of the paid PRO subscription.
Do I need a driver updater like Driver Booster?
Usually not. Windows Update installs most drivers, and GPU and laptop makers ship their own tools. A driver updater is most useful for finding drivers for older or unusual devices.
