If you’ve ever tried to install a device driver on Windows 11 and got stopped because the driver isn’t “signed,” this guide is for you. We’ll explain what driver signature enforcement is and how you can turn it off if you need to install drivers that are not signed by Microsoft.

What is Driver Signature Enforcement?

Windows 11 has a security feature called driver signature enforcement. This means Windows only allows drivers (software that helps your computer talk to hardware) that have been checked and approved by Microsoft to be installed. This helps keep your PC safe from harmful or bad drivers.

But sometimes, you might want to use older or special drivers that are not signed by Microsoft. In those cases, Windows won’t let you install them unless you temporarily turn off driver signature enforcement.

Important Note

• Disabling driver signature enforcement can make your computer less secure.
• Only disable it if you trust the driver you want to install.

How to Turn Off Driver Signature Enforcement in Windows 11

Follow these simple steps to disable driver signature enforcement:

1. Turn off BitLocker and Secure Boot (if enabled):
   
   BitLocker is a security feature that encrypts your drive. Secure Boot helps protect your PC from malicious software during startup.
   
   You can read how to turn off BitLocker here and how to disable Secure Boot here.
2. Restart Windows into Advanced Startup Mode:
   
   – Click Start > Settings > System > Recovery.
   
   – Under Recovery options, click the Restart now button next to Advanced startup.

3. When Windows restarts, select Troubleshoot.

4. Click Advanced options.
5. Select Startup Settings.

6. Click Restart.

7. After your PC restarts, press 7 or F7 on your keyboard to choose Disable driver signature enforcement.

Your PC will now start normally, but driver signature enforcement will be turned off. You can install unsigned drivers while this mode is active.

To turn driver signature enforcement back on: Just repeat the steps above and this time don’t press 7 or F7. Instead, just let Windows boot normally, or simply restart your PC normally to re-enable the feature.

How to Enable or Disable Driver Signature Enforcement Using Command Prompt

If you prefer using commands, here’s another way:

1. Make sure BitLocker is off and Secure Boot is disabled (see links above).
2. Open Windows Terminal as an Administrator. You can read how to open Windows Terminal as admin here.
3. Switch to the Command Prompt tab inside Windows Terminal.
4. To disable driver signature enforcement, type this command and press Enter:
   

   bcdedit /set nointegritychecks off

5. To enable driver signature enforcement again, type this command and press Enter:
   

   bcdedit /set nointegritychecks on

6. Restart your computer to apply the changes.

Summary

• Driver signature enforcement helps keep your Windows 11 PC safe by only allowing trusted drivers.
• You can temporarily turn off this feature to install unsigned drivers if needed.
• Use the Advanced Startup menu or Command Prompt to turn this feature on or off.
• Always be careful and only install drivers from sources you trust.