It can be irritating when Windows Update suddenly updates your GPU or sound driver, and they start misbehaving. Here’s how to stop it.
If you have been a Windows user for long, you know just how annoying it can be when Windows Update decides to upgrade your GPU, sound, or other drivers without your consent. Besides, Windows Update sometimes does it completely out of the blue, which could lead to an unstable system or may even cause BSODs in the worst-case scenario.
In this article, we will show you how to prevent Windows Update from upgrading your GPU or other drivers in Windows 11.
Note:Parts of this article are subjective and reflect the writer’s opinions.
Three Easy Ways to Permanently Block Windows Update from Updating Drivers
1) Registry Editor
Follow these steps to prevent Windows Update from updating your system drivers:
Check for updates again, and the drivers should disappear from the Windows update listings.
2) Device Installation Settings
Along with the above method, you should also change theDevice Installation Settingsto permanently block Windows Update from updating drivers. Here’s how to do that:
3) Show or Hide Windows Update Troubleshooter
If the above two methods don’t work, this is the last resort that will work for most people. It requires a troubleshooting tool called Show or Hide Updates, which is an official tool from Microsoft. Follow these steps to learn how to use the Show or Hide Updates tool to remove drivers from Windows Updates.
Sometimes, by the time you click on Hide Updates in the Show or Hide Updates tool, Windows Update may have already begun downloading and installing the drivers. In such cases, the tool will fail, and you will have to retry.
Final Thoughts
The first and second methods work for most people. Do them both for the most effective result. The third method should only be done if the above two fail.
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