How to export Windows drivers using DISM

To export all drivers with DISM, open Command Prompt as administrator, create a target folder and run dism /online /export-driver /destination:C:\DriverBackup. DISM copies every third-party driver package on the running Windows 10 or Windows 11 system into that folder, one subfolder per driver. You can reinstall the whole set later with pnputil /add-driver C:\DriverBackup\*.inf /subdirs /install.

This guide covers the exact command and its syntax, how to list drivers before you export them, the PowerShell and PnPUtil alternatives, exporting from an offline image, and how to restore the exported drivers on a fresh install or a new PC.

How to export drivers using DISM

The DISM /Export-Driver option exports all third-party driver packages from a Windows image to a destination path, and /Online points it at the Windows installation you are running. It is built into Windows, so no download is needed.

1. Open Start and type cmd.
2. Select Run as administrator and confirm the User Account Control prompt.
3. Create the destination folder, for example: mkdir C:\DriverBackup
4. Run the export: dism /online /export-driver /destination:C:\DriverBackup
5. Wait until DISM reports that the operation completed successfully. On systems with many drivers this can take several minutes.

Replace C:\DriverBackup with any folder you like. If the path contains spaces, put it in quotes: /destination:"D:\My Drivers". Create the folder before running the command; if DISM reports an error, check that the folder exists and that the prompt is elevated. For a backup that survives a clean install, export to a second drive, a USB stick or a network share rather than the system drive you are about to wipe.

What DISM exports and how the folder is organized

DISM exports only third-party drivers, the packages that were added on top of Windows by the PC maker, Windows Update or you. The inbox drivers that ship with Windows are not included, because a fresh Windows install already has them.

Each driver package lands in its own subfolder, named the way the Windows driver store names it: the original INF file name, the architecture and a hash. Inside you find the .inf, the .sys files and the catalog (.cat) that carries the signature. The folder names do not always reveal the device, so open the .inf in a text editor and look at the Provider, Class and DriverVer lines to see who made the driver, what device class it belongs to and which version it is.

Exported packages are complete driver packages, not installers. They do not contain the control panels or companion apps some vendors ship (audio consoles, GPU settings apps, touchpad utilities). Download those again from the vendor if you need them.

List installed drivers first with dism /online /get-drivers

The /Get-Drivers option shows which driver packages DISM will export, so it is a good check before a backup. By default it lists only third-party drivers, which is exactly the set /Export-Driver copies.

• dism /online /get-drivers /format:table shows published name (oem0.inf, oem1.inf and so on), original file name, class, provider, date and version in one table.
• dism /online /get-drivers /all /format:table adds the default inbox drivers.
• dism /online /get-driverinfo /driver:oem12.inf shows details for one package.

To save the list next to your backup, redirect the output: dism /online /get-drivers /format:table > C:\DriverBackup\drivers.txt. The file maps each oem#.inf name to its original INF and provider, which makes the exported folders much easier to identify later. If you prefer a graphical view, DriverView lists all installed third-party drivers with sortable columns, and Nir Sofer's InstalledDriversList does the same with export options.

Export drivers with PowerShell (Export-WindowsDriver)

Export-WindowsDriver is the PowerShell cmdlet for the same job: it exports all third-party drivers from a Windows image to a destination folder. Run it in PowerShell or Windows Terminal opened as administrator.

• Running system: Export-WindowsDriver -Online -Destination D:\Drivers
• Offline image: Export-WindowsDriver -Path C:\offline-image -Destination D:\Drivers

The PowerShell route suits scripts and scheduled backup jobs, because the cmdlet returns the exported drivers as objects you can filter or log. Microsoft documents every parameter, including -LogPath and -ScratchDirectory, on the Export-WindowsDriver reference page.

Export drivers from an offline Windows image

DISM can also export drivers from a Windows installation that is not running, such as a mounted image or the Windows folder of a PC that no longer boots. Use /Image instead of /Online and point it at the root directory of that installation:

dism /image:E:\ /export-driver /destination:F:\DriverBackup

Here E:\ is the drive that holds the other installation's Windows folder (check the letter in Windows PE or recovery, as letters often differ there) and F:\ is the target. This is useful when a PC fails to start but you still want its drivers for a reinstall. Microsoft lists the full option set on its DISM driver servicing reference.

DISM vs PowerShell vs PnPUtil for driver export

All three tools read the same driver store, so the choice depends on whether you need everything, one driver or an offline image.

PnPUtil's /export-driver option is available from Windows 10 version 1607 onward. To browse, export or delete individual packages in a graphical interface, Driver Store Explorer manages the Windows DriverStore directly.

How to reinstall the exported drivers

PnPUtil restores an entire DISM export with one command. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:

pnputil /add-driver C:\DriverBackup\*.inf /subdirs /install

The /subdirs switch walks every subfolder of the export, and /install installs or updates the drivers on any matching devices that are present. Add /reboot if you want Windows to restart automatically when a driver needs it. PnPUtil does not force a driver onto a device if Windows already has a higher-ranked driver for it, so a newer driver from Windows Update may win. Syntax details are on Microsoft's PnPUtil command syntax page.

For single devices, use Device Manager instead:

1. Right-click the device in Device Manager and select Update driver.
2. Choose Browse my computer for drivers.
3. Select the export folder, keep Include subfolders checked and click Next.

You can also right-click an individual .inf file and select Install. To add the drivers to an offline image before deployment, use dism /image:C:\mount /add-driver /driver:C:\DriverBackup /recurse.

FAQ

Related: Snappy Driver Installer Origin for updating drivers, Rescuezilla for full system backups, managing System Restore from the command line