Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver for Windows 10 & 11

A PC runs several drivers for the effective functioning of the connected devices. A driver’s primary role is to relay commands between the OS and the device it’s responsible for, but these often do a lot more and boost the PC’s performance. One such is the Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver.

And ever since the driver was released, experts and tech-savvy users have recommended others to download it. The best part, the Rapid Storage Technology driver is available for all recent iterations, including Windows 7. Let’s find out all about it!

What is the Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver?

The driver’s primary role, and that of the dedicated software, is to allow users to configure the connected storage devices and enhance their abilities. The Rapid Storage Technology driver uses SATA hard drives extensively on server platforms.

For anyone wondering whether installing the Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver is necessary, the answer is no, unless you plan to set and run RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) utilizing the Intel chipset on the motherboard.

For some users, the driver also resulted in high CPU usage, but that’s somewhat expected, given the process runs in the background.

Is it necessary to install Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver?

Here are a few reasons you would want to install the driver:

• Enhanced performance: With the Rapid Storage Technology driver, you get better drive performance, faster read-write task execution, and quicker boot time.
• Reduced power consumption: There’s an option in the dedicated software to optimize the power consumption of the drive, which extends the battery life for laptops.
• Protection against data loss: With multiple disks, the software also significantly enhances protection against data loss by copying data to a recovery drive.

How do I download Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver?

1. Using Windows Update

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings, go to Windows Update from the navigation pane, and then click on Advanced options.
2. Click on Optional updates.
3. Now, expand Driver updates, tick the checkbox for Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver, and then click on Download & install.
4. Once the driver is downloaded, restart the computer for the changes to come into effect.

The quickest way to download the Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver in Windows 11 HP or Dell devices is to use Windows Update. For compatible hardware, you will find the driver available under the optional updates.

And after downloading it, make sure to regularly update the driver.

2. From the manufacturer’s website

1. Go to Intel’s official website, and then click on the Download button to get the driver setup.
2. Run the installer, and then click Next to proceed.
3. Tick the checkbox for I accept the terms in the License agreement, and then click Next.
4. Click Next to proceed.
5. If you want to install the software, tick the checkbox for Include: Intel Optane^TM Memory and Storage Management app and then click Next.
6. Wait for the installation to complete, and then restart the computer.

If you can’t find the Rapid Storage Technology driver for Windows 10 in Windows Update, there’s always the option to manually install the driver from the manufacturer’s website. When doing so, make sure to download only from the official website since other sources are often unreliable.

Besides, you will find the Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver zip file for download on Intel’s website. Remember, there are several versions of the driver, so make sure to get the right one.

Before you leave, check the best driver updater tools to download the latest version for all the installed drivers automatically.

For any queries or to share your feedback on the driver and how it helped, comment below.