Device Manager is a utility built into Windows that allows you to manage devices and components connected to your computer. For example, you can use it to check whether the connected device is working correctly and whether the drivers are installed.
Many instructions for working with Windows 10 that can be found on the Internet suggest using Device Manager to solve certain problems. At the same time, it is not always explained where the Device Manager is located in Windows 10 and how to open it.
Perhaps the easiest way to open Device Manager on a Windows 10 computer is to right-click on the “This PC” icon on the desktop and select “Manage.”
As a result, the “Computer Management” window will open in front of you. Here you can access various components of the operating system. There is also a “Device Manager”, a link to it is on the left side of the window.
If there is no “This PC” icon on your desktop, then you can use another option. For example, you can press the Windows-Pause/Break key combination. After using this key combination, the “View basic information about your computer” window will open. On the left side of this window there will be a link to open Device Manager.
As a last resort, Device Manager can always be opened using the command “mmc devmgmt.msc”. To run this command, press Windows-R, enter the command, and click OK.
The command "mmc devmgmt.msc" can also be used to create a shortcut on the desktop. To do this, right-click on the desktop and select “Create – Shortcut”. After that, enter this command and save.
device Manager is a Windows utility program in which you can manage drivers. In Device Manager, you can check the status of drivers, update drivers, uninstall drivers, etc. Therefore, it is very important to know how to access Device Manager. There are several ways to open . And the methods vary depending on the Windows operating system your computer is running on. To open Device Manager on all Windows systems including Windows 10, you just need to know one common and easy way.
Below are the detailed simple steps on how to access Device Manager in all versions of Windows:
- Press Win + R (Windows logo key and R key) at the same time. The Run dialog box appears.
- Type devmgmt.msc in the run window and click OK.
This will open Device Manager
- Press Windows key + X or right-click on the Start menu to open the Common Menu.
From the menu, select Device Manager. You should see something that looks like a device list window.
Windows 8 Device Manager
Note. In Windows 10, you can also access Device Manager by right-clicking the Windows button (Start button) in the lower left corner of your desktop screen or by pressing the Windows key + X on your keyboard. In the menu that opens, select “Device Manager”.
In Device Manager, you can see errors in the operation of Windows devices.
How to open Device Manager in Windows 8
On the Windows Start screen, type Device Manager. Or on your desktop screen, you can press the Windows key + C on your keyboard to open the Charms menu.
Click Settings and then click the Device Manager icon.
How to open Device Manager in Windows Vista and 7
Click on "Start".
In the Search Start menu box, type device manager, and then press Enter. You should see a window with a list of devices.
After opening Device Manager, if you see problematic devices in the list, it is recommended to update their drivers as problematic drivers can slow down your PC's performance and updated drivers can cause your PC to load.
For devices with problematic drivers, there will be a yellow mark next to it (yellow triangle or yellow question mark).
To update your drivers, you can use Driver Easy to help you. After downloading and installing Driver Easy on your computer, run it to scan your computer. It will then detect all the problematic drivers on your computer and download new appropriate drivers for your devices. With Driver Easy, you don't have to go to Device Manager to check the status of your drivers, and you can update your drivers in just a few clicks.
Installing drivers via Windows Update
Windows Update is the starting point for resolving the most common driver problems that may occur immediately after installing Windows 10.
Just launch it from Start > Settings > Update and Repair and click Check for Updates or press Windows key + R and type ms-settings: windowsupdate press Enter
Click "Check for Updates" (make sure you have an active Internet connection).
Immediately, Windows Update will detect your system configuration and download all the necessary drivers for your system. In addition to other hardware components were also found and installed, including my AC adapter and card reader.
Important drivers you should get after installing Windows 10.
When you perform a new installation or upgrade, you need to download the latest software drivers from the manufacturer's website for your computer model. Important drivers include: chipset, video, audio, and network (Ethernet/Wireless). For laptops, make sure you download the latest drivers. There are other drivers you may need, but you can often download them through Windows Update once you have established a working internet connection.
Device Manager is responsible for storing information about your computer's hardware. The manager contains data about all devices that were installed on the user's PC. Using this manager, it is possible to completely remove devices from the OS or update drivers for it.
How to open Device Manager in Windows 7
To open Device Manager, follow these steps:
The following method to launch the manager in Windows 7 is even simpler:
Another common method for calling the Windows 7 Device Manager involves the following sequence of actions:
The above methods are also suitable for other versions of Windows.
Where is Device Manager in Windows 10 and how to open it?
To find the location of the utility responsible for the device manager, you should open the folder located in the system partition of the OS, namely: “C:\WINDOWS\system32”. This folder contains the required tool, called “devmgmt.msc”; by opening it, you can manipulate the software of devices connected to the computer. 
How to open Device Manager in Windows 10 in other ways? Let's consider another launch option:
- Using the “Start” menu or by entering the “Win + R” button combination, the “Run” system tool opens.
- You should enter the name “devmgmt.msc” and after clicking “OK” the device manager interface will appear in front of the user. (Everything is the same as in seven)
You can call the dispatcher using the command line, in which you should enter the same command “devmgmt.msc”. Pressing the “Enter” key will open a list with all connected devices.
A system like Windows 8 has included improved functionality for a convenient navigation menu. Windows 10 has acquired an identical option, to activate which you need to press “Win + X”; in addition, you can call this interface in Windows 10 by right-clicking on the “Start” menu. Naturally, the navigation functionality will contain an item with the necessary device manager. 
Where is Device Manager located on Windows XP and how to open it?
The tool responsible for storing devices connected to the PC is located at “C:\WINDOWS\system32”, its name is “devmgmt.msc”.
Having found out where the device manager is in Windows XP using the above method, you can open it.
There is another way to launch this manager; to do this you will need to perform the following series of simple steps:
- Right-click on the computer icon on your desktop and select the “Properties” option.
- In the window that opens, go to the “Hardware” tab, which contains the item with the device manager.
Device Manager is a component of many versions of Microsoft operating systems that displays all hardware connections to the computer. In it you can see the model of the installed processor, video cards, related technical data, as well as external devices and their performance status.
Launch
There are many ways to open Device Manager for Win 10. According to many users, these two are considered the simplest:
Working with Device Manager
The Device Manager window consists of a toolbar at the top and a list of computer components divided into categories. Right-clicking on any element will bring up a context menu, which includes four items. The first two are responsible for working with the device driver. The third column updates its status. Selecting the fourth item will open the properties window. It is recommended for a novice user to make any changes through it.
The first section of properties displays the general state of the component and its functionality. Basic settings of the Windows 10 Device Manager are entered into categories "Driver".
For example, if an external webcam is not functioning properly, then you should choose "Remove device" and then restart the system.
From there you can update the driver of the connected gadget using the corresponding button. Specify the path to the folder with the installation file and confirm your choice.
The utility stores information about all devices ever connected to the computer, and not just those that are currently operating. It's just that invalid elements are hidden. What should I do if I need to remove or update the driver for one of them?
Showing hidden components in Windows 10 Device Manager is enabled in the menu "View" on the toolbar.
This function can be deactivated at any time by simply unchecking the corresponding item in the context menu.
Opening the Device Manager is quite simple and can be done in several ways. The procedure can be performed through any of the accounts. The only thing is that only the “Administrator” can make any changes to the device.
You can call the device manager:
- Using the Windows interface;
- Using the command line;
- Through "Computer Management";
- Using remote access;
We will look at each of the above options and you can choose the one that suits you best.
Running on Windows 10
In Windows 10, the developers have already removed the standard function of calling the remote control through the menu of the main “My Computer” icon and made everything much more convenient.
Via Windows 7, 8 interface
Logging into the device manager (DM) in Windows is quite simple; to do this you need to perform a few simple steps, namely:
Running on Windows XP
Compared to newer systems, the dispatcher is launched in a slightly different way in XP. Let's look at two options for launching the remote control through the standard OS interface.
First option:
Second option:
Command line
After which everything will happen in the following order:
Through the Computer Management window
Now let's look at another easy way to find and open the device manager on a computer or laptop. The method is equally suitable for both Windows 7 and Vista. You need to do the following:
- If work is carried out from the “Administrator” account, then the remote control will be displayed in the same window in the center;
- If you are logged in as a regular user, the required tab will be opened in view mode, since this user cannot make changes due to lack of privileges;
You can also enter the control window using the command line. To do this, open the “Run” line and enter the command “mmc compmgmt.msc” in the field. After this, you need to do everything in full accordance with the above procedure.
Via a remote computer
To understand where the remote control is located and how to open it from a remote computer, you need to:
- Log in to the “Computer Management” section using one of the above methods.
- Find the “Action” menu and select “Connect to another computer.”
- In the “Select a computer” window, do one of the following:
- In the “Other Computer” field, write the name of the PC to which you need access and click “OK”;
- Click Browse/Advanced and find the device you want.
- Select it and click "OK"
After successful connection, the PC name will be displayed in the upper left corner.
Next, to enter the remote control, use one of the above methods. Attention! In the case of a remote PC, access is provided exclusively in viewing mode. That is, you will not be able to change device settings.
Working with the dispatcher
First of all, it is needed to manage installed drivers; users can also find the necessary information about any installed device. The appearance of the utility has changed slightly in comparison with XP and 10, but the functionality remains the same.
The main section consists of a list of categories, which can be viewed by clicking on the arrow to the left of the title. After which a list of connected elements to the computer will be displayed. For example, in the “Video adapters” category, video cards (external or internal) will be located; if you have 2 external video cards connected, then all two will be displayed. 
In order to get detailed information about an object, you need to right-click on it and select “ Properties».
A window will appear consisting of 3-4 tabs.
