Driver Store Explorer 0.12.127
Driver Store Explorer (also known as RAPR) gives you direct access to the Windows driver store, letting you view, manage, and remove third-party driver packages that Windows normally hides from view.
Why You Need Driver Store Explorer
Every time Windows installs a driver update, it keeps the old version in the driver store.
Over months and years, this creates gigabytes of wasted space from obsolete driver packages you'll never use again.
Driver Store Explorer solves this problem by exposing the entire driver store contents and giving you tools to clean it up safely.
The application uses both PnPUtil and DISM backend options to manage drivers, ensuring compatibility across Windows 7 through Windows 11.
Since it's completely portable, you can run it directly from a USB drive without installation - perfect for system administrators who manage multiple machines.
Key Features
Complete Driver Visibility - View every third-party driver package installed in your Windows driver store with detailed information including device category, provider name, version, and installation date.
Safe Driver Removal - Delete outdated driver packages individually or in bulk. The "Select Old Drivers" feature automatically identifies superseded versions, with an option to protect boot-critical drivers from accidental removal.
Driver Backup and Export - Export your working drivers before a system refresh or Windows reinstall. The export function now includes device name and category in folder names for easier organization.
Offline Store Support - Manage driver stores on offline Windows installations - useful for preparing deployment images or cleaning up secondary OS partitions.
What's New in Version 0.12
The latest release adds device name and category information to backup folder names, making exported drivers much easier to identify. Native Driver Store support is now properly limited to supported configurations, while DISM and PnPUtil options have been separated for finer control over backend operations.
The "Select Old Drivers" logic has been improved with a new option to include or exclude boot-critical drivers from selection.
Offline store validation has also been enhanced for more reliable operation on unmounted Windows images.
When to Use Driver Store Explorer
After Windows Upgrades - Major Windows updates often leave behind old driver versions. Run Driver Store Explorer after upgrading to reclaim disk space.
Before Clean Installs - Export your current working drivers so you can quickly restore network, audio, and other essential hardware drivers after reinstalling Windows. For creating bootable installation media, Rufus handles USB drive preparation while your exported drivers ensure hardware works immediately after setup.
System Maintenance - Include driver store cleanup in your regular maintenance routine alongside tools like Snappy Driver Installer Origin (SDIO) for keeping drivers current, and system optimizers for overall PC health.
IT Administration - The portable design and automation capabilities make Driver Store Explorer ideal for technicians managing multiple systems.
Pair it with FlyOOBE for streamlined Windows deployment workflows that include driver backup as part of the installation process.
Creating a Complete Windows Toolkit
Driver Store Explorer works best as part of a comprehensive system management toolkit.
Keep it alongside Ventoy for multi-boot USB drives containing diagnostic and recovery tools, and WinToUSB for portable Windows installations that travel with your hardware drivers.
System Requirements
Driver Store Explorer runs on Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, and 11 (both 32-bit and 64-bit editions).
The application requires administrator privileges to access the driver store. No installation necessary - simply extract and run the executable.
Download Driver Store Explorer now and take control of your Windows driver store.
