INF Files — The Tiny Manifest Behind Every Windows Driver
A short tour of the simple text file that tells Windows everything it needs to know to install and recognise a device driver.
An INF File Is a Driver's Recipe Card
Every Windows driver package includes an INF file — a plain-text manifest with sections that name the device, list the files to copy, set registry keys, and register services. Windows reads this file when you install the driver and follows its recipe step by step.
INF files are surprisingly readable. Open one with a text editor and you can see the device IDs the driver supports, the manufacturer name, and the various files that make up the install. Nothing is hidden.
How Windows Uses an INF
When a new device appears on your PC, Windows hashes its hardware ID and looks through every INF file in the driver store for a match. If it finds one, it follows that INF's instructions to install the driver. If it does not, it asks Windows Update for help, then prompts you for a manual install.
This is why a driver download usually starts with you pointing Windows at an INF file rather than running a setup.exe — the INF is the genuine entry point.
When You Might Edit an INF
Most users never touch INF files. Hardware enthusiasts occasionally edit them to add support for unofficial device IDs, or to install a driver on a similar-but-not-identical device. This is technically straightforward but breaks the driver's signature, so the modified driver will only load on a Windows that has signature enforcement disabled.
For everyday work, leave INFs alone. They are designed to be read, not rewritten.
Quick Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions readers send us most often on this topic.
Inside C:\Windows\INF for installed drivers, and inside each driver package's folder for downloaded drivers waiting to install.
Yes — INF files are plain text and intentionally readable. They will not damage Windows just by opening.
Because the signature covers the file's contents byte by byte. Any change invalidates it.
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