Include Drivers with Windows Update? Should I or not?

win11freak · Monday at 11:50 AM

Should I let Windows Update download and install drivers as well or may cause issues?

Just curious about this.

At the moment, I have this Group Policy enabled.

Lebon14 · Monday at 10:38 PM

Personally? I wouldn't include drivers especially if you know what you're doing. If you were someone that had low tech litteracy, I would leave it on because it's just good security. But if you know what you're doing, you'll update them when necessary (example: GPU drivers for games). There's also horror stories of people installing newer version of drivers that's available on the manufacturer's website and then WinUpdate downgrades by installing its own older version, causing issues. There are also the whole LG spy TVs and monitors using WinUpdate to push spyware (if you don't know that saga, search "Gamers Nexus LG" on YouTube).

Also, another point against it is... if ain't broke, don't fix it. What I mean is, if your PC don't have any issues with the current driver installed, why risk the stability? Keep an eye on tech news for potential security flaws that gets brought up and, if any of these found that affects your hardware, I'd update my drivers with new one then.

My 2¢. For what they're worth.

EDIT: Reworded a good chunk of first paragraph.

hsehestedt · Monday at 11:09 PM

I handle this differently...

For a new system that I am unfamiliar with, I first export all the drivers from the system by running these commands from a command line:

MD C:\DriversBackup
pnputil /export-driver * C:\DriversBackup

The result is that I now have a backup of ALL my system drivers, "just in case".

Next, I allow Windows update to install updated drivers. I then verify that everything is working well. If all is well, I will repeat the above commands, but I will create a second folder such as C:\DriversBackupAfterUpdates.

On the other hand, if any driver updates cause a problem, I can simply go into Device Manager, delete the problem driver, then tell it to install the driver from C:\DriversBackup making sure to check the box to search all subfolders.

After doing this, I now know whether Windows updates cause any problems and can proceed accordingly.

At least in my own experience, problems caused by drivers from Windows update are rare. I see a problem in maybe 1 out of 50 machines and once I know what driver causes a problem, I can prevent just that one driver from being updated. I can provide details on how to accomplish this. Just let me know if you need instructions.

Hope that this helps!

glasskuter · Monday at 11:50 PM

We all have our different opinions. I do not let Windows update handle my drivers. With the help of my OEM updating app, I manage my own drivers and decide which drivers I want updated from the OEM.

However, Microsoft has said that with 26h2 Windows Update will stop downgrading drivers (such as no more replacing your new AMD/NVIDIA/Realtek driver with an older catalog version), MS is also introducing Cloud-Initiated Driver Recovery. If a faulty driver does make it through Windows Update, Microsoft is introducing an automated system to remotely roll it back to a known working version.

Another thing people need to be aware of when 26H2 hits next month:
26h2 will have a strict Unsigned Driver Blocking Policy: Microsoft is removing default trust for legacy drivers signed under the deprecated cross-signed root program. 26H2 will strictly block drivers that do not have a modern Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP) signature. If you rely on legacy peripherals, old virtualization tools, or niche security software, those drivers will fail to load entirely.

Marcus Vinicus · Monday at 11:56 PM

I used to let WU install drivers but not anymore.

TraderGary · 2026-09-15T00:42:03-0400

My System One: Driver updates are done using the Dell Command | Update utility since it's a Dell Computer.
My System Two: Driver updates are, of course, done by Windows Update since it's a Microsoft Computer.

NormanF · 2026-09-15T01:22:06-0400

If you have a new PC, new updates may improve performance.stability; Driver updates should be turned off for older hardware because they typically stop receiving driver updates after three years. I follow the rule: if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

hsehestedt · 2026-09-15T02:24:58-0400

The reason that I allow Windows to supply updates are because OEMs stop supplying updates after very short time periods and for Chinese Mini PCs most will NEVER provide driver updates. Literally never, even after major security issues with drivers that they supply.

But I agree that this may not be for everyone. For me it makes sense because I have 100% bulletproofed my procedures so that I can do all this with 100% safety. Again, very few will bother to implement all the steps I have taken so I get why most people are hesitant to implement something like this.

Banjoman301 · 2026-09-15T03:07:34-0400

Personally, I don't mess with drivers unless there is a driver problem...so no.

Ghot · 2026-09-15T03:58:25-0400

win11freak said:
Should I let Windows Update download and install drivers

Too many driver issues in the past for me to let MS handle the drivers.

The reason 90% of folk's drivers break, is corruption of an already installed driver, by one included in Windows Updates.
I've only "needed" to update the chipset drivers or flash the BIOS.
I did "need" to update the vid card driver (once), because of some Microsoft/Nvidia shenanigans.

The rest of my drivers are all from 2020 when I built this desktop.
And I've never had a driver related problem other than those I mentioned just above.

NOTE:
Laptops, miniPCs, and various other pre-built computers are a different ballgame.
These will usually come with a utility installed, to handle the drivers.
Again, I never try to second-guess the manufacturers.
They created the hardware, they know what drivers it needs.

On a clean install, on comps I build, I let Windows handle the drivers (until I can install the manufacturer's drivers).

On a conspiracy note... MS is always trying to force the consumer into a subscription based Windows model.
MS handling the drivers is just another step along this path.

gaffar · 2026-09-15T04:03:44-0400

when i install dell touchpad driver program.my mouse dont move and click. i uninstall it. on next reboot it auto installs. i again uninstall it.

Ghot · 2026-09-15T04:08:35-0400

gaffar said:
when i install dell touchpad driver program.my mouse dont move and click. i uninstall it. on next reboot it auto installs. i again uninstall it.

I'm guessing the touchpad driver probably changes some Windows "Setting" that causes that to happen.
You need to find that setting.
You should create a separate topic to discuss this issue.

With a title something like... Dell touchpad driver kills my mouse.
Make sure to list computer make/model and your Windows build version.

Create the topic in this sub-forum...

Devices and Drivers

Windows 11 compatible hardware and driver support.

www.elevenforum.com

gaffar · 2026-09-15T04:20:48-0400

(1) Its name says it all. I don't have touch devices. i m on laptop from dell.
(2) .................................deleted comment........................................................................

FrancoDT · 2026-09-15T09:33:47-0400

TraderGary said:
My System One: Driver updates are done using the Dell Command | Update utility since it's a Dell Computer.
My System Two: Driver updates are, of course, done by Windows Update since it's a Microsoft Computer.

I'm pretty much in the same boat since my Alienware Area 51 and M17 R3 use all Dell drivers so I check for any driver updates almost daily for my PC service tags on the Dell Support Website (I removed the Dell Support Assist app from both as it ran constantly in the background using huge amounts of RAM). Many drivers will have security updates as well as performance fixes so usually a good idea to update to the latest. I'll let Windows Update download certain driver extensions for them as well since I can choose now. And of course my Surface Laptop 7 is all Microsoft drivers so WU is the main source for it except for the latest GPU and NPU drivers that I get through the Snapdragon Control Panel.

TraderGary · 2026-09-15T12:53:26-0400

FrancoDT said:
I removed the Dell Support Assist app from both as it ran constantly in the background using huge amounts of RAM.

That was true of the older SupportAssist versions. The current implementation on modern XPS systems doesn’t run a background agent at all, so there’s nothing sitting in RAM. On a clean Windows install it only launches when you open it. Process Explorer shows zero activity for SupportAssist on my system.

Include Drivers with Windows Update? Should I or not?

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