Sometimes you may also want to stop automatic driver installations because there is another version (newer or older) known to work better on your computer. Whatever the reason, you can stop the operating system from trying to use Windows Update to download driver updates. This guide will teach you the steps to change the settings and stop Windows 10 from automatically installing drivers on your computer.
Disable automatic driver install on Windows 10 Disable automatic driver install from Group Policy Disable automatic driver install from Registry
Disable automatic driver install on Windows 10
To prevent Windows 10 from setting up drivers automatically, use these steps: Once you complete the steps, Windows 10 will no longer try to install drivers automatically for new devices on your computer. If upgrading your graphics card or setting up a new printer, you will need to download and install those drivers from your manufacturer.
Disable automatic driver install from Group Policy
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 install from Group Policy, use these steps: After enabling this policy, Windows Update will stop providing drivers during updates.
Disable automatic driver install from Registry
While the first method is the safest way to stop Windows 10 from automatically installing drivers, if you’re up to the challenge of running Windows 10 Home, you can tweak the Registry to accomplish the same. To disable automatic driver installation from the Registry, use these steps: 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. All content on this site is provided with no warranties, express or implied. Use any information at your own risk. Always backup of your device and files before making any changes. Privacy policy info.
