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To stop Windows Update from including most driver updates in regular quality updates, enable the administrator policy Do not include drivers with Windows Updates. This is a scoped exclusion, not a universal switch: it does not block every driver installation, including some drivers delivered with security or critical updates and drivers dynamically installed during feature upgrades. Windows 10 and Windows 11 also install recommended drivers automatically by default, while optional driver updates are selected manually.
Which Windows control fits your goal?
| Control | What it affects | Who it is for | Duration or scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do not include drivers with Windows Updates | Driver-classified updates delivered through Windows quality updates | Administrators using Local Group Policy on an applicable managed edition | Ongoing policy exclusion, with exceptions for some security, critical, and feature-update driver delivery |
| ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate | Windows Update drivers in quality updates | IT administrators managing devices through MDM | Device-scoped policy; value 1 excludes these drivers and value 0 allows them |
| Pause updates | Windows updates generally, not drivers alone | Anyone needing a short delay | Temporary; Windows resumes checking, downloading, and installing after the pause |
| Optional driver updates | Optional driver updates offered through Windows Update | Users who want to choose a particular offered update | Manual selection; not installed automatically under the documented default flow |
Microsoft documents automatic recommended driver downloads and manual selection of optional driver updates for Windows 10 and 11 in its hardware driver guidance.
Exclude drivers from Windows quality updates with Group Policy
Use this route only if your Windows edition provides Local Group Policy and you have administrator access. The policy is documented for Windows 10 version 1607 and later, and applies to Windows 11 as well.
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- Open the Local Group Policy Editor.
- Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update.
- Open Do not include drivers with Windows Updates.
- Set the policy to Enabled, then apply the change.
Enabling it excludes drivers delivered with Windows quality updates; it does not promise to block all driver installations. Microsoft documents the policy and its limits in Configure Windows Update client policies.
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Set the exclusion on an organization-managed device
For MDM-managed devices, the Update Policy CSP provides the device-scoped setting ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Update/ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate. Set the value to 1 to exclude Windows Update drivers from quality updates, or 0 to allow them. This is a device policy, not a user policy. Administrators should confirm the managed Windows edition and build are supported in Microsoft’s Update Policy CSP documentation.
What the driver exclusion does not block
The policy controls driver-classified updates delivered with Windows quality updates. Microsoft says it does not apply to drivers provided with the operating system as part of a security or critical update, or to feature updates where Windows may dynamically install drivers to complete the upgrade. It should therefore be understood as a targeted exclusion, not a permanent ban on every source or route of driver installation.
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Why pausing updates is not a lasting driver-only fix
Pausing Windows updates delays updates for a selected period; it does not create a driver-specific exclusion. When the pause expires, Windows checks for available updates again and can download and install them. See Microsoft’s instructions for pausing updates in Windows if you need a temporary delay.
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If Windows Update does not offer the driver you need, Microsoft recommends checking the PC maker’s or device maker’s official support site. Confirm the exact device model and Windows compatibility before downloading and installing. Microsoft’s Device Manager driver guidance advises avoiding driver download sites other than the manufacturer’s official site.
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Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. Microsoft says that after this date it no longer provides free Windows Update software updates, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10. Check whether an edition-specific or extended-support arrangement applies to your device before relying on continued updates. Windows 11’s update behavior and policies remain separate from Windows 10’s end-of-support status.
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