How To Check For Driver Updates on Mac

Are you wondering how to check for driver updates on your Mac? In this Mac driver update guide, I will show you how to update your Mac drivers and ensure your Mac is running smoothly and efficiently.

Do Macs Require Driver Updates?

Macs require updated drivers, but they don’t require driver updates in the same way that Windows devices do. That is because all driver updates are bundled into the macOS operating system. To update your Mac drivers, you simply need to update macOS.

However, while this is true for most devices, there are some specialized external devices that do require separate driver updates to be installed. These drivers are not included by default in macOS. If you are using specialized audio and studio equipment, MIDI interfaces, multifunction printers, drawing tablets, and other specialized equipment, you may need to download drivers.

For example, if you are using a Wacom tablet, you may need to install its Mac driver from its website.

Similarly, while Mac is compatible with most MIDI interfaces due to its built-in class-compliant drivers, you may need to install a separate driver if you are using a Yamaha Synthesizer, for example, depending on your device and macOS version (see here).

How to Check for Available Driver Updates

Most of the time, to check for driver updates, you simply have to check for macOS updates, since driver updates come bundled with macOS. To do that, follow these steps:

Navigate to Apple menu > System Settings.
Navigate to General and click on Software Update.
Your Mac will automatically check for new updates.
If a new update is found, click on Update, Upgrade, or Restart Now.

In the same section, I recommend turning on automatic updates. This ensures any new macOS updates, including those with new drivers, are downloaded and installed automatically.

If you are using specialized equipment that requires its own drivers, you will have to check on the manufacturer’s website to see if a new driver is available and to download it to your device. You should also follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installing the driver, as there may be special instructions you need to follow.

How to Check Installed Drivers on a Mac

You can find .kext files, which are Kernel Extension files that essentially operate as drivers in macOS, in Finder. Open Finder. Then, from the top menu, navigate to Go > Computer. Then, navigate to Macintosh HD > Library > Extensions, where you will find a list of installed .kext files. However, you can’t open or read them.

Common Signs That a Driver Needs Updating

Common signs that you need to update macOS or download a new driver include hardware malfunctions, connectivity issues, reduced performance, and other strange issues, such as the software for the device constantly crashing or the connected device not working. In that case, check if macOS has an available update. If you are using a specialized device, check the manufacturer’s website or contact them for help.

Conclusion

I hope this Mac driver maintenance guide was useful! While it may come as a surprise to Windows users, the truth is that macOS does not usually require you to install separate drivers, as it is compatible with most devices out of the box. The exception is if you use specialized devices like the Wacom tablet, in which case you would have to download a third-party driver from the manufacturer’s website.