Enable or Disable Driver Updates in Windows Update in Windows 10  

Wow, I just got a notification someone replied to this thread. I thought it was long closed?

Anyway, @Shonk is right! This feature is a bit broken but the tutorial is still usable, if you add a twist on it. But first let me describe the problem:

Windows Update disregards this registry settings IF there is no proper driver installed for the given hardware.
This, of course, affects ALL fresh installations. For example on a fresh install you would have the "Microsoft generic display driver" for your GPU until you install a proper driver, from Intel, NVIDIA, AMD or whatever.

Windows is trigger-happy on graphics drivers mostly. It even sends you a desktop notification that it is "searching for graphics drivers" , and will install one, no matter what. It will even install it on a "metered" network.

To prevent this, you need to install Windows fully offline, and do not connect to the internet at all, until you install the driver, this also means you need to have it downloaded already.

I prefer to install the chipset drivers first, then SATA controller, then graphics, audio, network, other peripherals, everything directly from manufacturer's webpage. AFter the reboots, add this registry settings and I can go live. (connect to internet)

With this in mind:
- I don't need to add a Microsoft Account (this is really a blessing as when I am installing for clients, I really don't want to set up MS online accounts for them. I just prefer to create local accounts and THEY will be able to convert to MS account if they want to)
- I save a lot of hassle by Windows Update not installing half-baked and mismatched drivers, something that has happened to me many times
- I also must add that this whole thing, disabling driver updates from WU might not be the best idea anymore. It used to be a must-have trick in the earlier days of Windows 10, like from release to 2018, but nowadays it got smarter and will not usually mess up your system anymore. It detects if you have a proper driver, and will only update if it has something that is both newer AND recommended by the manufacturer specifically for your hardware ID. Intel does this quite often, and the fixes they ship (actually request MS to push it) are pretty important. They also deliver their control panels (split component, DCH, not part of the "Driver" anymore) using Windows Update, like a capsule that installs as a store app. You also don't get this if you disable driver updates.

- However, for older computers, such as Intel 1-4rd gen, which get precisely NONE of these next-generation of drivers (that play nice with Windows Update) , I can still recommend using this driver disablement hack, as it is still best to hand-pick drivers for those older machines.

you dont need to use the reg key with your method your just taking advantage of
ms not force updating drivers

the reg will then just stop it being offered to you via windows update
as an optional driver update

there are still things that they will force push
btw
xtu driver for xeon v2 for example
even though its not needed and uses inbox cpu driver without xtu component

This just happened (automatic Samsung USB/Modem drivers and DeX popup) when connecting my phone for the first time on my 21H2 19044.2130 LTSC box:



Despite having the "Do not include drivers with Windows Updates" setting enabled in group policy, and the "No (your device might not work as expected)" set under the old Control Panel > System Properties > Device Installation Settings.

Guess it's consistent with what some others have written, just thought I'd add further confirmation. Didn't actually mind it in this case but it's annoying the setting isn't fully respected and that it happens automatically with no prompt.

I have just reinstalled my wife's notebook with Windows 10 Home, and despite using OO Shutup10 and telling it to disable all driver updates and downloading of apps (which I also did manually with reg tweaks just to be sure, all that's covered here), it overwrote the display driver with an old one and downloaded a slew of garbage.
I'm at my wit's end. What the hell is going on? Why is this happening?!

No, that is only related to upgrading Windows, not to a clean installation.

Nothing works, and I am furious. Have they messed this up again, or is driver update simply enforced in Home edition?
Also I haven't installed Home in a few years and I just don't remember the specifics.

I installed the latest Intel driver and WU overwrote it with some old crap despite having ALL the "anti" settings in place. That's what I'm talking about.