Step-by-Step Guide to Disable Driver Updates via Windows Update

While automatic device driver updates provided by Windows can be convenient for everyday users, they often present challenges for system administrators, enterprise professionals, gamers, and power users who prefer more control over their driver installations. Fortunately, there are methods to disable automatic driver updates while still allowing standard Windows updates to occur seamlessly.

Reasons to Turn Off Windows Driver Updates

Despite the convenience of automatic updates, many users prefer managing their drivers based on specific needs or preferences. Here are some compelling reasons to consider disabling automatic driver updates:

Preference for Manufacturer Drivers: Windows updates often replace tailored drivers from manufacturers like NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel with generic versions, which can lead to decreased performance and missing features in critical software.
System Instability: New drivers introduced via Windows Updates can cause crashes, including blue screens of death, audio malfunctions, or connectivity issues. These problems, though they may seem infrequent, are reported regularly in Windows update discussions.
Control for Enterprise Users: System administrators managing numerous devices prefer using tools like Intune and WSUS to maintain stricter control over driver updates instead of relying on Windows automatic processes.
Specific Needs for Niche Hardware: Certain devices, such as dedicated audio interfaces or gaming peripherals, often perform better with specific driver versions rather than the generic ones provided by Windows.
Investment in Vendor Drivers: Users that have purchased optimized vendor-specific drivers might find their investment undermined when Windows replaces these with its own versions.

For advanced users, automatic driver updates can often lead to unwanted changes, making it essential to lock down their systems against indiscriminate updates.

How to Disable Driver Updates in Windows

1. Through Hardware Settings (Older Windows Versions)

This approach is mainly applicable for older builds of Windows 10 and earlier versions, as newer Windows 11 builds have since altered the access route.

To get started, press Win + X and select System.

Accessing System settings via Win + X command.

In the System window, click on Advanced System Settings.

The System Properties dialog will appear. Navigate to the Hardware tab, then click on the Device Installation Settings button.

In the Device Installation Settings window, select No, let me choose what to do, then choose Never install driver software from Windows Update. Click Save Changes to apply.

For newer Windows 11 builds (from 22H2 and onward), select Yes to download manufacturer apps automatically.

Choosing automatic manufacturer app downloads.

After making changes, restart your computer.

2. Using Group Policy

If you manage multiple devices in a network, the Group Policy Editor is a powerful tool to enforce driver update settings. Start by pressing Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and hit Enter.

Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Internet Communication Management > Internet Communication Settings.

Locating Internet Communication Settings.

Locate the option labeled Turn off Windows update device driver searching and double-click it.

Double-clicking to modify Windows update settings.

A new settings window will appear. Click on Enabled, then confirm by clicking OK.

Enabling the setting to disable Windows driver updates.

After restarting your computer, driver updates will be disabled. To revert this, choose Disabled or Not Configured.

3. Registry Editor Method

Another effective way to stop automatic driver updates is through the Windows Registry Editor. Begin by pressing Win + R, then type regedit and press Enter.

Within the Registry Editor, navigate to the following path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DriverSearching

Navigating to Driver Searching key in Registry.

In the right pane, locate the SearchOrderConfig key. Its default value of “1” indicates that automatic updates are enabled. To change this, double-click the key.

In the Edit DWORD Value window, input “0” as the new value, then click OK to implement your changes.

Changing the SearchOrderConfig value to disable updates.

This will effectively disable driver updates via Windows Update.

4. PowerShell Command Line

For regular PowerShell users, leveraging a command can be the quickest way to disable automatic driver updates. This method is often saved for the end due to its less visual nature.

Open PowerShell as an administrator. You can also activate it in “quake mode, ”which provides a quick console from the top of your screen.

Enter the following command:

Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DriverSearching" -Name "SearchOrderConfig" -Value 0 -Type DWord -Force

PowerShell command to set SearchOrderConfig to 0.

To enable driver updates again, open a new PowerShell window in administrator mode and run:

Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DriverSearching" -Name "SearchOrderConfig" -Value 1 -Type DWord -Force

Setting the SearchOrderConfig to allow updates again.

As illustrated, disabling automatic driver updates is achievable with just a few simple steps. However, exercise caution if you’re unsure, as modifying driver settings can affect device functionality. Average users should consider whether they truly need to customize driver settings and should create a system restore point before making any changes.

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