Microsoft will remove old drivers from Windows Update: what you need to know

[harlan4096]

Support for all sorts of devices has always been a strong feature of the Windows operating system. Driver support is baked into the operating system and most devices will work out of the box after installation. Yes, it does make sense to install some drivers manually, as you may be getting better features, better performance, or other benefits out of that.

Microsoft announced plans to clean up the drivers that Windows Update pushes to user devices when the operating system checks for updates. The company says that this is done to improve stability and security, and it has a valid point to a degree.

It plans to remove old drivers. In the first phase only drivers that have been superseded by newer drivers. Often, newer drivers introduce fixes for issues or patch security bugs, and that is likely what Microsoft is referring to in its announcement.

Technically, cleanup means that these drivers are no longer associated with any audience in Windows Update. Since they are not associated anymore, they won't be offered to any device anymore when Windows runs checks for updates.

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