How can I stop Windows Update installing unnecessary RealTek Drivers?

One thing that really bugs me about Windows Update from Windows 10 and beyond is the inability to select which updates you want to install and not with checkboxes and the ability to hide updates, like on all older versions of Windows. With security and system updates, I am not overly bothered about them being installed automatically. But why does Windows 10 insist on installing drivers automatically, seemingly at random?

This is the situation - when you go into Windows Update in Settings, there will be a section called "View all optional updates" and in there is a sub-section called Driver Updates. Under this list, I see no drivers I want to install. For a start most of them don't seem to make much sense (such as the one I've got called "INTEL - SYSTEM - 1/1/1970" with no further details available for any of them) but I do see a few "RealTek" sound related entries in here too, that I don't want as my current sound drivers are the latest, so I don't select to install these. Unlike other Windows Updates, these optional driver ones have checkboxes to give you a decision to install or not.

However, I notice that with the RealTek ones, Windows will randomly install them when it wants - even though they are supposed to be optional. This happened last night, and it's a problem because I know the drivers I have for my onboard sound are the latest (they are May 2021 versions and I get them from the MSI website) and also once Windows installs these drivers from Windows Update, it makes my boot process last much longer (I made a post about my boot process taking longer a few months ago, turns out this was the culprit, as again Windows decided to install these RealTek drivers even though I didn't select them)

Why is it doing this and how can I prevent it? There must be a way to stop the so-called "Optional Updates" not actually being optional at all?


(the driver's showing as installed in Windows Update History above - I did not select these "optional updates" to install)


Thanks for any advice

Hi, you can hide updates - just not as easily.

a. WUmgr- Wndows Update Manager (free) - scans for update with option to hide (like some other such tools).
b. From the Tutorial section - have you had a look there? Free to browse and search.
Hide or Show Windows Updates in Windows 10

or perhaps
Prevent Windows Update from Updating Specific Device Driver


Google yields useful results too:

@ish4d0w - alexncfc does have Pro.
Enable or Disable Driver Updates in Windows Update in Windows 10

But perhaps they don't wish to disable driver updates altogether- which is why I suggested the options I gave.
(There's a tutorial for that too..).

And there's this option:
Turn On or Off Device Driver Automatic Installation in Windows 10

Yes.

For Option 2, this is extended to Home, but only if you read this comment by Brink:
Enable or Disable Driver Updates in Windows Update in Windows 10

Reading it strictly the tutorial text states at the top it addresses Pro upwards only. This is confusing.

Could you add a comment to that tutorial making a suggestion for clarification in the text? Thanks!

I based my comment on Brink's and quoted that. He's usually correct. Your order of criticism seems inappropriate.

Feel free to disable Windows Update completely and take control with a 3rd party utility such as WUmgr.

Using CMD script and VBScript to control Windows Update

If you still find the driver is updated- well, it's not via Windows Update. (Do you have proof that's how it's happening?)

I can't test these as I don't have your problem.


@Brink- your comment is invited regarding post #6 and your comment after the tutorial, given what ish4d0w says. Thanks!