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Summary
- Microsoft will remove legacy drivers from Windows Update to ensure security and driver quality for users.
- Partners have a six-month window to address concerns and republish drivers before they're permanently deleted.
- Routine cleanup practice focused on removing legacy drivers with newer replacements; more categories may be removed in the future.
If you're a Windows Insider, every month can be exciting, as you can try out new features and changes almost every week through beta builds. While improvements are welcome, some are more impactful than others and can change the way Windows works.
Something of that sort happened last month when Microsoft revealed it'll let you update Win32 apps through the Microsoft Store. In addition, the software giant also announced what it calls the Windows Update orchestration platform, allowing developers to sign up to push app updates through Windows Update. Now, the Redmond-based tech firm has just dropped another major announcement related to Windows Update. But this time around, it'll impact only the drivers on Windows devices.
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Microsoft begins removing certain drivers from Windows Update
In a blog post on its TechCommunity website, Microsoft said that it's taken a strategic initiative to optimize what Windows Update offers to ensure security and driver quality for Windows users. The initiative will involve removing legacy drivers published on Windows Update. The removed ones will not be delivered to any systems through Windows Update.
However, Microsoft will provide a six-month window before permanently deleting those drivers from Windows Update. This six-month period is for the company's partners to get back with concerns, if any. If it doesn't get any response, it'll remove the audience assignments of those drivers in the Hardware Development Center, which, in turn, will prevent those drivers from being available via the Windows Update.
Microsoft also said that this will be a routine cleanup practice in order to make sure that Windows' security never gets compromised. But for now, the company is only focusing on axing legacy drivers that have newer replacements on Windows Update. The company made it amply clear that it'll remove more categories of drivers in the future, though it'll communicate broadly with its partners before permanently deleting them.
For partners, Microsoft will give you an opportunity to republish drivers that have expired, but you'll need to explain the "business justification" as to why you need to do that. Unfortunately, it hasn't shared how many days it'll take to make a decision in those cases.
Microsoft also encourages its partners to review drivers in the Hardware Program, identify current drivers, and legacy expired drivers. This is important because once a legacy driver reaches expiry, Microsoft will permanently delete it from Windows Update after six months if no action is taken by its partners.
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