Update from the ForPC editorial team: this page previously listed activation keys for Avast Driver Updater. We removed them. Using leaked or generated keys for paid software is illegal, often gets blocked within days, and key lists circulating online are a common way to spread malware. What follows instead is an honest review of whether this tool is worth paying for at all.

Short version of our Avast Driver Updater review: it is a legitimate tool that works as advertised and backs up drivers before changing them, but most Windows users do not need it. Windows Update plus the free tools from NVIDIA, AMD, Intel and your PC maker cover the same job at no cost.

What is Avast Driver Updater?

Avast Driver Updater is a paid Windows utility from Avast (now part of Gen Digital) that scans your PC for outdated device drivers and updates them automatically. It targets the usual suspects: graphics, audio, network and printer drivers. It is sold as a subscription; current pricing is listed on avast.com.

What it does well

• Simple one-click scanning that non-technical users can follow
• Creates driver backups before updating, so you can roll back if something breaks
• Pulls drivers from a large database and installs them one at a time to reduce conflicts

The honest problem: most people do not need it

Windows 10 and 11 already install and update drivers through Windows Update, and the drivers that actually matter for performance come free from the hardware makers themselves:

• Graphics: NVIDIA, AMD and Intel each provide free tools that keep GPU drivers current
• Chipset and laptop drivers: your PC or motherboard manufacturer’s support page provides them at no cost
• Everything else: Windows Update handles it silently

A paid driver updater mainly buys convenience: one dashboard instead of two or three vendor tools. If your PC works fine, updating drivers for the sake of it can even introduce new problems. It is the same pattern we describe for cleaner apps in our Clean Master for PC guide: utilities selling maintenance that Windows mostly handles on its own.

Who might actually want it

• Someone maintaining an older PC with obscure hardware whose vendor tools no longer exist
• Users who want driver backups and one-at-a-time installs without doing it manually
• People who already pay for an Avast bundle that includes it, where it costs nothing extra

Is there a legitimate free option?

Avast offers a trial version that scans and shows what is outdated, but updating through it requires a paid subscription. The legitimate free path is the one described above: Windows Update plus your hardware vendors’ own tools. There is no legal way to unlock the full product for free, and we do not recommend looking for one.

Frequently asked questions

Is Avast Driver Updater safe?

Yes, the product itself is from a legitimate company and creates backups before changing drivers. Key generators and activation key lists for it are not safe and frequently carry malware.

Does it speed up your PC?

Only in specific cases, such as an outdated GPU driver holding back games. It is not a general performance booster.

What happens when a key from a key list is used?

It usually activates briefly and then gets blocklisted, and accounts associated with abuse can be banned. You also take on real malware risk from the sites distributing those lists.

What is the most trusted driver updater?

The most trustworthy sources are the hardware makers themselves: NVIDIA, AMD and Intel apps for graphics drivers, your PC or motherboard maker’s support tool for the rest, and Windows Update for everything else. Among paid one-dashboard tools, Avast Driver Updater and IObit Driver Booster are the most established names, but no third-party updater is more trustworthy than the vendor’s own driver.

What is the difference between Avast Driver Updater and AVG Driver Updater?

Mostly branding. Avast has owned AVG since 2016, and both brands now sit under the same parent company, Gen Digital, so the two driver updaters offer near identical features and interfaces at similar prices. If you already pay for one company’s security bundle, check whether it includes the driver updater before buying either one separately.

Our verdict

Avast Driver Updater is a competent convenience tool, not a necessity. If you want hands-off driver maintenance with backups and are happy to pay for it, it does the job. Most users are better served by Windows Update and their hardware makers’ free tools. Either way, activate software legitimately: it is the only option that is legal, safe and permanent. More desktop tool guides live in our utility apps for PC hub.

ForPC is not affiliated with Avast or Gen Digital. This review reflects our editorial assessment.