How to Turn On or off Driver Updates with Windows Update in Windows 11

What Are Driver Updates?

Drivers help your computer talk to devices like printers, graphics cards, or keyboards. Windows Update 🔃 often includes updated drivers to keep your devices working smoothly.

Learn more about driver updates from Microsoft Support

Before You Start

• You need to be signed in as an administrator on your PC to make these changes.
• Even if you turn off driver updates, some device drivers might still update automatically.

Option 1Use Local Group Policy Editor (🪟 Windows 11 Pro/Enterprise/Education)

Windows 11 driver updates can be managed using the Local Group Policy Editor if you have the Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition of the operating system. This built-in tool lets you stop Windows from automatically replacing your hardware drivers with updates from Microsoft, giving you complete control over which device software gets installed on your computer.

1. Press Win+R on your keyboard to open the Run box.
2. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter to open the Local Group Policy Editor.
3. In the left panel, go to:
   
   
   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage updates offered from Windows Updates
   
4. On the right, find and double-click Do not include drivers with Windows Updates.
5. 
   To enable driver updates (default): Select Not Configured or Disabled, then click OK.
   
6. 
   To disable driver updates: Select Enabled, then click OK.
   
7. Close the Local Group Policy Editor.

Option 2Use Registry Editor (Works on All 🪟 Windows 11 Editions)

This method is a bit more detailed but works on Windows 11 Home too.

Please back up your registry before making changes. Learn how to back up your registry.

To Turn ON Driver Updates (Default)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsWindowsUpdate]
"ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate"=-

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionDriverSearching]
"SearchOrderConfig"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsUpdateUpdatePolicyPolicyState]
"ExcludeWUDrivers"=dword:00000000

To Turn OFF Driver Updates

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsWindowsUpdate]
"ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionDriverSearching]
"SearchOrderConfig"=dword:00000003

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsUpdateUpdatePolicyPolicyState]
"ExcludeWUDrivers"=dword:00000001

How to Edit the Registry

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to the keys shown in the code above using the left sidebar.
3. Change or create the values as shown. To create a new value, right-click in the right pane, choose New, then DWORD (32-bit) Value.
4. Double-click the value to change its data.
5. Close Registry Editor and restart your computer for changes to take effect.

Summary

• By default, Windows 11 updates drivers with Windows Updates to keep your devices working well.
• You can turn off automatic driver updates using Group Policy Editor or Registry Editor.
• Group Policy Editor is easier but only on certain Windows editions.
• Registry Editor works on all editions but needs careful handling.
• Administrator permission is required to make these changes.
• Turning off driver updates doesn’t always stop all driver updates entirely.

Windows 11 driver updates happen automatically alongside regular system patches to keep your hardware running smoothly, but you can turn them off if they cause problems. You can block these automatic downloads using either the Group Policy Editor or the Registry Editor, depending on which edition of Windows 11 is installed on your computer.