Download Windows Speedup Tool to fix errors and make PC run faster
While simply plugging in the device and letting Windows 11 or Windows 10 install the driver automatically is cool, you may for some reason prefer not to have the Driver installed automatically. You can if you wish, stop Windows from installing the drivers automatically. If you follow this tutorial, you can disable automatic driver installation or updates for specific devices in Windows 11/10, using Control Panel, Windows Registry, or Group Policy Editor.
Disable Automatic Driver Updates for specific devices in Windows 11/10
To stop or disable Automatic Driver Installation or Updates for specific devices in Windows 11/10, you can use any one of these methods:
1] Use the Control Panel to stop automatic driver updates
While it is recommended that you let make Windows download Drivers & Realistic Icons automatically if you wish, you can stop Windows from automatically installing Drivers:
Open Windows Settings > System > About > Advanced system settings > Hardware tab > Click on Device installation settings
You can also access it by opening Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Change device installation settings.
Once the Device installation setup box opens, you will be asked,
- Do you want to automatically download manufacturers’ apps and custom icons available for your device, or
- Do you want to download driver software and realistic icons for your devices?
Here select No, let me choose what to do. Click Save changes.
2] Prevent Installation or Updating using Group Policy Editor
Type gpedit.msc in start search and hit Enter to open Group Policy Editor.
Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Device Installation > Device Installation.
Now in the right pane double click on Prevent Installation of Devices not described by other policy settings.
This policy setting allows you to prevent the installation of devices that are not specifically described by any other policy setting.
If you enable this policy setting, Windows is prevented from installing or updating the device driver for any device that is not described by either the “Allow installation of devices that match any of these device IDs”, the “Allow installation of devices for these device classes”, or the “Allow installation of devices that match any of these device instance IDs” policy setting.
If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Windows is allowed to install or update the device driver for any device that is not described by the “Prevent installation of devices that match any of these device IDs”, “Prevent installation of devices for these device classes” policy setting, “Prevent installation of devices that match any of these device instance IDs”, or “Prevent installation of removable devices” policy setting.
Set it to Enabled. Click Apply / OK.
3] Block automatic driver updates using Windows Registry
If your Windows does not have Group Policy, you can navigate to the following key in Windows Registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DriverSearching
Set the value of SearchOrderConfig to 0 to block driver updates. A value of 1 allows downloads of driver updates.
Restart your computer.
NOTE: These options don’t prevent the installation of those drivers whose device IDs, device instance IDs, and device classes are added in Group Policy for automatic installation. If you want to prevent the automatic updates of all the drivers, then you can check this post on how to Block Driver Updates via Windows Quality Update.
How to get Device IDs from Device Manager?
To get Device IDs for Hardrwae from Device Manager in Windows 11/10:
- Open Device Manager
- Select the device
- Right-click on it and choose Properties
- Go to the Details tab
- Now, select Hardware Ids from the dropdown menu under the Property
You will see the hardware IDs there.
How to stop automatic driver installation or reinstallation?
If a Device Driver has already been installed and you want to remove it and then stop that particular driver from being update, do the following:
- Uninstall the Driver via Devices Manager
- Use the Show or Hide Updates Tool in Windows 11/10 to block the particular driver update.
Hope this helps.
Anand Khanse is the Admin of TheWindowsClub.com, a 10-year Microsoft MVP (2006-16) & a Windows Insider MVP (2016-2022). Please read the entire post & the comments first, create a System Restore Point before making any changes to your system & be careful about any 3rd-party offers while installing freeware.
Windows 10’s automatic driver installation is incredibly useful – until it isn’t. If the OS automatically detects the incorrect driver, it can be a real pain to get it to accept a different one, and this can be incredibly frustrating.
Generally, turning off this feature isn’t recommended, but disabling automatic driver installation for a short period is just fine if you have a particularly stubborn device. Before we get started with a tutorial, though, it’s worth noting the different types of updates Windows makes to your devices.
The one we’re all familiar with is a simple driver update. These let your hardware communicate with your computer. Without a driver, it won’t function correctly, and with generic drivers, it may not function optimally. However, Windows also downloads driver information. Product names, model numbers, and other details help the user find what they’re looking for in Device Manager.
We’re going to show you how to enable or disable automatic driver installation but bear in mind that it will switch off both of these update types. If you leave it off, you’ll also be missing out on the information required to discern devices from each other. Let’s get started:
How to Enable or Disable Automatic Driver Installation in the Windows 10 Control Panel
- Open the Control Panel
Press “Start” and type “Control Panel”. Click the first result under ‘best match’.
- Open Hardware and Sound
In the Control Panel, click “Hardware and Sound”.
- Open Devices and Printers
- Open Device Installation Settings
In the Devices and Printers window, right-click on the icon for your PC and click “Device installation settings”.
- Disable automatic driver installation
In the installation settings dialog, switch it to “Yes” to enable or “No” if you’d like to disable automatic drivers installation.
How to Turn off Automatic Installation via the Registry
Alternatively to the first method and maybe faster, you can also disable driver driver updates in the Windows 10 registry.
- Open the Registry Editor
Press “Ctrl+R” and type regedit, then press “OK”.
- Edit the DWORD value
Navigate to
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Device Metadata.Double-click the DWORD named “PreventDeviceMetadataFromNetwork” and type “0” in the “Value data to turn off driver downloads or “1” to turn it on.
Windows 11 and 10 automatically set up drivers for most of the hardware when connecting to your PC. Sometimes, you might want to stop the system from installing drivers automatically. For instance, if your system keeps trying to install an incompatible version or a driver with a bug resulting in unwanted issues. Or, you might want to prevent your PC from installing drivers automatically because there is a newer or older version that works better on your device.
Generally, Windows 11 and 10 download and install/update the drivers through Windows Update. If you connect a new device to your computer, your PC will automatically check, download and install the corresponding driver. Moreover, your operating system will try to update the device drivers to the latest version.
Whatever the reason, Windows 11/10 includes an option that lets you disable the ability to download and install device drivers automatically.
In this gearupwindows article, we will guide you on stopping Windows 11 and 10 from automatically installing drivers on your computer.
To disable the automatic driver install on Windows 11 or 10, you can use these methods:-
- Settings app.
- Group Policy Editor.
- Registry Editor.
How to Turn Off Automatic Driver Install on Windows 11 using Settings?
To prevent Windows 11 from installing device drivers automatically, use these steps:-
Step 1. Open Windows 11 Settings.
Step 2. Then, select System in the left side pane.
Step 3. On the right-sidebar of “System,” click on the About tab.
Step 4. Under the “Device specifications” section, click the link Advanced system settings
Step 5. When you’re done, the System Properties window will open on the screen. Switch to the Hardware tab.
Step 6. Then, click the Device Installation Settings button.
Step 7. In the following window, select the No (your device might not work as expected) option.
Step 8. Click the Save Changes button.
Step 9. Finally, click the OK button.
Once you complete the above steps, Windows 11 will no longer install drivers automatically for new devices. However, old devices for which drivers are already installed will keep working. Also, you need to manually download and install the drivers for new appliances when you connect to your PC.
To enable the automatic driver install on Windows 11, use the above steps, and in step 7, select the Yes (recommended) option.
How to Turn Off Automatic Driver Install on Windows 10 using Settings?
To prevent Windows 10 from installing device drivers automatically, use these steps:-
Step 1. Open Windows 10 Settings.
Step 2. Then, click on System.
Step 3. Under “System,” click on the About tab.
Step 4. When you’re done, the System Properties window will open on the screen. Switch to the Hardware tab.
Step 5. Then, click the Device Installation Settings button.
Step 6. In the following window, select the No (your device might not work as expected) option.
Step 7. Click the Save Changes button.
Step 8. Finally, click the OK button.
Once you complete the above steps, Windows 10 will no longer install drivers automatically for new devices. However, old devices for which drivers are already installed will keep working. Also, you need to manually download and install the drivers for new appliances when you connect to your PC.
To enable the automatic driver install on Windows 10, use the above steps and in step 6, select the Yes (recommended) option.
How to Disable Automatic Driver Install on Windows 11 or 10 with Group Policy?
To turn off automatic driver install on Windows 11 or 10 using Group Policy, use these steps:-
Step 1. Launch Local Group Policy Editor.
Step 2. Then, navigate or browse to the following path in the left sidebar of the Local Group Policy Editor window:-
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage updates offered from Windows Update
Step 3. On the right side of the “Manage updates offered from Windows Update” folder, double-click on the policy name Do not include drivers with Windows Update.
Step 4. Click Enabled.
Step 5. Click Apply.
Step 6. Click OK.
Step 7. Reboot your computer.
Once you complete the above steps, Windows 11/10 will no longer download and install new drivers automatically for devices. However, old devices for which drivers are already installed will keep working. Also, you need to manually download and install the drivers for new appliances when you connect to your PC.
To turn on automatic driver install during Windows Update, repeat the above steps and in step 4, select the Not Configured option.
How to Disable Automatic Driver Install using Windows 11 or 10 Registry Editor?
To disable automatic driver install on Windows 11 or 10 using Registry Editor, do these steps:-
Step 1. Open Registry Editor.
Step 2. Then, browser or navigate to the following key in the left sidebar of Registry Editor:-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DriverSearching
Step 3. On the opposite side of “DriverSearching,” double-click on the SearchOrderConfig REG_DWORD to edit it.
Step 4. Enter the following “Value data“:-
- 0: Block automatic driver installation.
- 1: Allow automatic driver installation.
Step 5. Click OK.
Step 6. Finally, restart your computer.
Once you complete the above steps, Windows 11/10 will stop or allow downloading and installing new drivers automatically for devices.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Windows 11 and 10 offer different methods to prevent the automatic installation of device drivers on your PC. You might want to disable this feature for various reasons, such as avoiding compatibility issues, using a different version of the driver, or manually installing the driver. You can disable automatic driver installation through the Settings app, Group Policy Editor, or Registry Editor, depending on your preference. Whatever method you choose, remember that old devices with installed drivers will keep working, and you need to manually download and install drivers for new devices when you connect them to your PC.
- To disable driver updates on Windows 10, open Settings > System > About > System Protection, click on “Device Installation Settings,” choose “No (your device might not work as expected),” and save changes.
- It’s also possible to stop automatic driver installations from Group Policy, Registry, and the “Show and hide updates” troubleshooter.
UPDATED 10/27/2023: On Windows 10, the system can automatically detect and install new hardware drivers you connect to your computer. However, sometimes, you may not want the operating system to set up specific devices automatically. For example, when the system keeps installing a version of the incompatible driver or a version that contains bugs, that could result in more issues.
Sometimes, you may also want to stop automatic driver installations because there is another version (newer or older) known to work better on your hardware configuration. Whatever the reason, you can stop the operating system from trying to use “Windows Update” to download driver updates.
In this guide, I will teach you the steps to change the settings and stop automatic driver updates on Windows 10.
- 1. From the Settings app
- 2. From Group Policy
- 3. From Registry
- 4. From Troubleshooter
Disable automatic driver updates on Windows 10
On Windows 10, you have four ways to prevent automatic updates for drivers, including using the Settings app, Group Policy, Registry, and the update troubleshooter. Here’s how.
1. From the Settings app
To disable driver updates on Windows 10, use these steps:
-
Open Settings on Windows 10.
-
Click on System.
-
Click on About.
-
Under the “Related settings” section, click the System protection option.
-
Click the Hardware tab.
-
Click the “Device Installation Settings” button.
-
Select the “No (your device might not work as expected)” option.
-
Click the Save Changes button.
-
Click the OK button.
Once you complete the steps, Windows 10 will no longer install driver updates automatically for new devices on your computer. If you have to upgrade your graphics card or set up a new printer, you will have to download and install those drivers from your manufacturer support website.
2. From the Group Policy Editor
Alternatively, if you have Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education, you can use the Local Group Policy Editor to stop the operating system from checking and installing driver updates.
To disable automatic driver updates from Group Policy, use these steps:
-
Open Start.
-
Search for gpedit and click the top result to open the Group Policy Editor.
-
Browse the following path:
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update
-
Double-click the “Do not include driver with Windows Update” option.
-
Check the Enabled option.
-
Click the Apply button.
-
Click the OK button.
After enabling this policy, Windows Update will stop providing drivers during updates.
3. From the Registry Editor
While the first method is the safest way to stop Windows 10 from automatically installing drivers, on Windows 10 Home, you can tweak the Registry to accomplish the same configuration.
Warning: Modifying system files can further damage your Windows installation if it’s not done correctly. It’s assumed that you know what you’re doing and that you have previously created a full backup of your computer. You have been warned.
To disable automatic driver installs from the Registry, use these steps:
-
Open Start.
-
Search for regedit and click the top result to open the Registry.
-
Browse the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DriverSearching
-
Double-click the SearchOrderConfig DWORD key and change its value from 1 to 0.
-
Click the OK button.
-
Restart your computer.
Setting “SearchOrderConfig” to “0” will block drivers from updating every time Windows 10 checks for new updates.
You can always revert the changes by using the same steps, but in step 4, change the DWORD key value from 0 to 1. It’s worth pointing out that this not only works on Windows 10 but also on Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 as well.
4. From the Troubleshooter app
If the computer is still trying to download a specific driver update, you can block it using the “Show or hide updates” troubleshooter.
To block a specific driver download on Windows 10, use these steps:
-
Download the Show or hide updates troubleshooter.
-
Double-click the wushowhide.diagcab file to launch the tool.
-
Click the Next button.
-
Click the Hide updates option.
-
Select the driver to block on Windows 10.
-
Click the Next button.
-
Click the Close button.
Once you complete the steps, the system will stop trying to download that specific driver. However, when a newer version of the driver becomes available, Windows 10 will try to install it automatically.
If you want to block a driver installed on the device, you must uninstall it before blocking it. The option to uninstall updates is available on Settings > Update & Security > Windows Updates > View update history > Uninstall updates.
These instructions include more details on blocking and unblocking updates and drivers on Windows 10.
Update October 27, 2023: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect new changes.
Для каждого периферийного устройства, установленного на нашем ПК, должен быть установлен соответствующий драйвер, обеспечивающий правильную работу устройства и взаимодействие с операционной системой Windows 11. Например, без драйвера для Wi-Fi мы не сможем подключиться к сети Интернет, даже если на нашем компьютере подключена карта Wi-Fi.
Таким образом, Windows 11 по умолчанию автоматически обновляет все драйверы до их последней версии.
Однако существуют моменты, когда драйверы автоматически устанавливать не нужно, например, устройство стабильно работает с определенной версией драйвера на старом ПК и установка новой версии не желательно.
Способ 1. Отключите автоматическое обновление драйверов через приложение параметры
Щелкаем меню «Пуск», а затем нажимаем на плитку «Параметры», чтобы продолжить.
Переходим в раздел «Система», далее выберите плитку «О системе» в правой нижней части окна.
Прокручиваем окно вниз и находим «Дополнительные параметры системы», кликаем левой кнопкой мыши чтобы продолжить. Это откроет отдельное окно на нашем экране.
В окне «Свойства системы» перейдем на вкладку «Оборудование» и нажмем кнопку «Параметры установки устройства». Это откроет еще одно окно на экране.
Теперь выбираем вариант «Нет» и нажимаем «Сохранить». Для этого нам потребуются права администратора.
Способ 2. Отключаем автоматическое обновление драйверов через редактор реестра
На панели задач в поисковой строке вводим запрос «Реестр», чтобы выполнить поиск. Затем щелкаем плитку «Редактор реестра».
После этого переходим по ветке:
Компьютер\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DriverSearching
Далее дважды щелкаем параметр «SearchOrderConfig», чтобы открыть его свойства. После этого в окне свойств указываем значение «0» и нажимаем «ОК», чтобы сохранить изменения.
Способ 3. Используем редактор групповой политики, чтобы не устанавливать автоматически драйверы для устройств
Примечание. Редактор групповой политики доступен только в версиях Windows Pro.
Используя поиск Windows 11 находим настройку «Изменение групповой политики».
В окне «Редактор локальной групповой политики» переходим в «Конфигурация компьютера» — «Административные шаблоны» — «Компоненты Windows». Находим «Центр обновления Windows» и щелкаем по нему двойным кликом мыши.
Затем щелкаем «Управление обновлениями, предложенными Центром обновления Windows», а затем «Не включать драйверы в обновления Windows». Это откроет его свойства.
В открывшемся окне выбираем опцию «Включено» и нажимаем на кнопку «ОК», чтобы сохранить изменения.
Поддержание драйверов в актуальном состоянии очень важно. Однако, если ваша работа или состояние ПК требуют их отключения, это руководство поможет вам сделать это.