Microsoft will no longer offer third-party printer drivers via Windows Update

Microsoft will block the release of third-party printer drivers via Windows Update. The company wants to move towards a universal printer driver standard, which will eventually phase out drivers. Users can still install drivers themselves outside of the Store and Update.

Microsoft writes in a support document that it wants to switch to a universal standard for printer drivers in the future. The company has published a roadmap through 2027, the year in which third-party printer drivers will no longer be allowed. Starting in 2025, new printer drivers will no longer be pushed through Windows Update, but existing printer drivers can continue to receive updates. In 2027, printer driver updates will only be allowed for bug fixes.

In the long term, Microsoft wants to move towards the Mopria standard. Mopria was developed by a partnership between Canon, HP, Samsung and Xerox, but many more companies have now joined, meaning that the majority of printers now support that standard. Microsoft added support for Mopria to Windows 10 21H2 in April 2022. Here, printers with a Mopria-based driver can be updated via the universal Microsoft IPP Class Driver. “This eliminates the need for printer manufacturers to release their own installations, drivers and tools,” Microsoft writes. You can adjust the printer settings via Print Support Apps in the Microsoft Store. From 2026, Microsoft will automatically switch to IPP drivers for certain printer drivers.

This also means that Microsoft will use a new standard print mode in the future that does not include third-party printer drivers. The changes only apply to Windows Update. Users who still want to install a legacy driver can always do so themselves via the manufacturer’s website.