Code 18, Reinstall the drivers for this device

Device Manager in Windows 11 is used to manage your devices, including the drivers. It is known to showcase error codes from time to time. One of them is Reinstall the drivers for this device. (Code 18). This error might cause confusion for users who have no idea what it means, and as such, are not able to fix it.

Now, as the Device Manager Error Code suggests, it has something to do with the need to reinstall a specific device driver, so if that is done correctly, the problem should go away and the same goes for the error message. Luckily, the task of fixing everything is a simple one as you’re about to find out.

How to fix Device Manager error code 18

To fix Device Manager Error Code 18, Reinstall the drivers for this device on Windows 11/10, use these methods:

Fixing error code 18 where Device Manager is concerned requires you to perform the following solutions.

Reinstall the device driver automatically using the Hardware Update wizard
Reinstall the device driver manually

1] Reinstall the device driver automatically

The first thing we want to do here is to use the Hardware Update wizard to reinstall the device driver. This is an easy task to deal with, so let us explain how to get things done.

Click on the Start button located on the Taskbar.
Once you’ve done that, type Device Manager and select it from the search results.
Alternatively, you can right-click on the Start button and select Device Manager from the context menu.
Look for the device on the list and right-click on it.
The next step is to click on Update Driver to kickstart the Hardware Update wizard.
Browse to the location where your driver file is installed and click Select> OK.

To use this method, you will have to have the Driver file ready on your PC. Identify the device which is displaying this error and then download the driver from its manufactures website and keep it ready on your PC.

2] Reinstall the device driver manually

Some situations require the user to manually update the device driver. Doing this requires you to have the driver downloaded and saved on your computer.

Begin the process by right-clicking on the Start button, then selecting Device Manager.
From there, select the device manager from the search results. A new window will appear in a few seconds or less.
Right-click on the affected device on the list.
Click on the Uninstall button, then after that, restart your PC.
On the restart, open the Device Manager again andchoose Action via the menu bar.
Click on Scan for Hardware changes to fully reinstall the driver to your computer.

TIP: There are other ways to update Drivers in Windows too.

Can I reinstall device drivers?

First, you must disconnect the affected device, then restart your computer. After your computer is up and running, please reconnect the device and wait for Windows to detect and install the correct driver automatically. The option is also there to manually download the driver from the official manufacturer’s website and install it yourself.

Does factory reset fix corrupted drivers?

Yes, factory resetting Windows 11 will result in a clean version of the operating system returning to the fray with a full set of device drivers installed. However, you may be required to download additional drivers that Windows could not find and install automatically.

READ: Yellow Exclamation Point next to a device in Device Manager