Microsoft yesterday released a new roadmap for the third-party printer drivers that are installed through Windows Update.New drivers will no longer be delivered via Windows Update from 2025.Can still be installed by manufacturers.
This is the phased end of service for the legacy Windows printer drivers v3 and v4.
“With the release of Windows 10 21H2, Windows provides inbox support for Mopria-compliant printer devices over network and USB interfaces via the Microsoft IPP Class Driver.This eliminates the need for print device manufacturers to provide their own installers, drivers, utilities, etc.Customization of the device experience is now possible via the Print Support Apps, which are distributed and automatically installed via the Windows Store.This framework improves reliability and performance by offloading customization from the Win32 framework to the UWP software development framework.Finally, manufacturers of printing devices no longer have to develop their software from scratch, as this solution from everyone Windows versions and editions supported.”
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- Sep 2023 Announcing that older third-party printer drivers for Windows will no longer be maintained.
- 2025 New printer drivers are no longer released on Windows Update.Existing printer drivers on Windows Update can still be updated
- 2026 The printer driver precedence is changed to always favor the Inbox-class Windows IPP driver.
- 2027 Aside from security-related fixes, third-party printer driver updates are no longer allowed.Existing third-party printer drivers can be installed through Windows Update, or users can install printer drivers using printer manufacturers’ installers.
So it’s set up for a long period of time.And we are left with the manufacturer sites that continue to offer the drivers.Because Microsoft will not prevent the installation of printer drivers.This is then too after possible in 2027.In the Announcement by Microsoft other questions are also answered in the FAQ.