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For a single installation or test, use Windows Recovery’s Disable driver signature enforcement option; it applies only until the next restart. For driver development with test-signed code, use bcdedit /set testsigning on in an elevated Command Prompt, restart, then turn Test Mode off when finished. These are different workflows: neither is a general-purpose fix for a driver from an unknown source.
Choose the right method
| Method | How long it lasts | Driver requirement | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Startup Settings, F7 | Current system session only; it does not persist after restart. | For a temporary installation or test, as described in Microsoft’s driver package guidance. | Use it when you need the one-session option rather than a persistent boot configuration. |
bcdedit /set testsigning on |
Until you turn it off in the boot configuration. | Driver images must be digitally signed. With Memory Integrity (HVCI) enabled, the binary must be test-signed; an unsigned binary is not supported. | Requires an administrator Command Prompt and a restart; Windows displays a Test Mode watermark. |
Microsoft documents the session-only behavior in Test Signing and the F7 recovery flow in How to Test a Driver Package.
Use Startup Settings for a one-session installation or test
- In Windows, open Settings > System > Recovery.
- Under Advanced startup, select Restart now.
- In the recovery menus, choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings, then select Restart.
- At the Startup Settings screen, press F7 for Disable driver signature enforcement.
Menu wording can vary by Windows build. The option applies to the current system session and ends when you restart; it is not a persistent setting.
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Use CMD for test-signed driver development
Before changing boot configuration: BCDEdit requires an elevated prompt, and Microsoft warns that changing some boot options can render a computer inoperable. Secure Boot policy may block the TESTSIGNING change, and BitLocker can affect boot-configuration changes. Whether you need to change anything related to either depends on the machine and workflow; do not assume Secure Boot must be disabled for the F7 option. See Microsoft’s BCDEdit /set guidance and WHQL test-signature instructions.
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- Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
- Enter this command:
bcdedit /set testsigning on - Restart Windows for the setting to take effect.
TESTSIGNING is intended for testing with test-signed driver code, not as a way to make arbitrary unsigned drivers acceptable. Microsoft says each driver image must have a digital signature. When Memory Integrity (HVCI) is enabled, the binary must be test-signed; an unsigned binary is not supported in that configuration. Windows indicates Test Mode with a desktop watermark. See Loading Test Signed Code.
Restore the usual release-signing configuration
When testing is complete, disable TESTSIGNING from an elevated Command Prompt and restart:
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bcdedit /set testsigning offMicrosoft’s release-signing guidance requires TESTSIGNING to be disabled and the computer restarted to return to release-signing configuration. See Configuring a Computer to Support Release-Signing.
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- TESTSIGNING cannot be enabled: Secure Boot policy can prevent the change. BitLocker may also affect boot-configuration changes. Microsoft’s WHQL workflow instructs users to suspend BitLocker before disabling Secure Boot; that is specific guidance for that workflow, not a universal requirement for every F7 session or test-signing setup.
- You are unsure about changing boot settings: Microsoft warns that some BCDEdit changes can make a system inoperable and notes Startup Settings or MSConfig as alternatives in appropriate cases. Avoid adding unrelated boot switches, including
nointegritychecks, to this workflow. - The computer fails to start after a boot change: Use Windows Recovery’s Startup Settings or other available recovery options rather than making additional boot-configuration changes blindly. The F7 setting itself is session-only, while TESTSIGNING remains configured until it is turned off.
For a driver you only need to install once, prefer the documented one-session Startup Settings option. Reserve TESTSIGNING for controlled testing with test-signed code, and turn it off when development or testing ends.
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