Manually Install a Smart Card Driver

Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2

If the smart card driver is not available on Windows Update and the smart card vendor provided a software package that contains the driver, the driver can be manually installed. You may need to contact the smart card vendor to obtain the smart card driver and installation instructions.

To manually install a smart card driver

  1. Click Start, type Device Manager in the Search programs and files box, and then press ENTER.

  2. Double-click Other devices, right-click Smart cards, and then click Update Driver Software. If the Smart cards node is not listed in Other devices, it may indicate one of the following:

    • The smart card is not compatible with Plug and Play. You may still be able to use this smart card. For more information, see article 976854 in the Microsoft Knowledge Base, which describes a workaround for disabling Plug and Play device detection and allowing the use of smart cards that work with device drivers that do not support the Windows Smart Card Framework.

    • Essential system services are not running. For more information, see Verify that the Certificate Propagation and Smart Card Services Are Running in this guide.

  3. In the Update Driver Software window, click Browse my computer for driver software, and then follow the prompts to locate and install the driver.

  4. When the driver finishes installing, the smart card is listed in Device Manager in the Smart cards node.