How to stop Windows 11 from updating your graphics driver

Applies to: Windows 11. The Registry and device-blocking methods also work on Windows 10.

Windows Update installs drivers it considers newer or better matched to your hardware. For graphics cards that sometimes means an older OEM driver replaces the one you installed from the GPU maker, games lose features, or a black screen appears after a restart. The methods below stop that from happening.

First, install the driver you want

Blocking only keeps whatever driver is installed at that moment, so get the right one in place first:

1. If Windows just replaced a working driver, open Device Manager, expand Display adapters, right-click your graphics card and choose Properties. On the Driver tab select Roll Back Driver. If the button is greyed out, there’s no previous driver to return to.
2. Otherwise, download the current driver from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel (or your laptop maker, for some laptops with switchable graphics) and install it.
3. If the screen goes black during these steps, see our black screen guide.

To stop Windows swapping the driver while you work, you can also pause updates first: Settings > Windows Update > Pause updates.

Method 1: Exclude drivers from Windows Update (Pro)

This is the setting Microsoft provides for this job. It applies to all drivers, not just graphics, so Windows Update will also stop installing printer, network and chipset drivers. You’ll get those from the manufacturer instead.

1. Press Windows + R, type gpedit.msc and press Enter.
2. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage updates offered from Windows Update.
3. Double-click Do not include drivers with Windows Updates, select Enabled, then OK.
4. Restart, or run gpupdate /force in an administrator Command Prompt.

The Local Group Policy Editor is included in Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise and Education. If you manage several PCs, our Group Policy Management Console guide shows how to apply it from a domain.

Method 2: The same setting in the Registry (Home)

Windows 11 Home doesn’t have gpedit.msc, but it reads the same policy from the Registry. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /v ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Restart the PC. Windows Update may now show a note that some settings are managed by your organization. That’s expected and just means a policy is active.

Method 3: Block updates for the graphics card only

If you still want Windows Update to handle your other drivers, you can block driver installs for the graphics card alone. This uses Group Policy, so it needs Pro or higher.

1. In Device Manager, open your graphics card’s Properties, go to the Details tab and choose Hardware Ids from the list. Right-click the top entry and copy it (it looks like PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_2484&SUBSYS_...).
2. In gpedit.msc, go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Device Installation > Device Installation Restrictions.
3. Open Prevent installation of devices that match any of these device IDs, select Enabled, choose Show and paste the hardware ID as a new value.
4. Leave Also apply to matching devices that are already installed unticked. Ticking it can remove the driver you have now.

While this is enabled, nothing can install a driver for that card, including you. When you want to update the driver yourself, set the policy to Not Configured, install the new driver, then enable it again.

The setting that no longer works

Many older guides point to Device Installation Settings (search for Change device installation settings) and tell you to choose No. On current versions of Windows 11, that option controls whether Windows downloads manufacturers’ apps and custom icons for your devices. It doesn’t reliably stop Windows Update from installing drivers, so use Method 1, 2 or 3 instead.

How to undo it

• Method 1: set Do not include drivers with Windows Updates back to Not Configured.
• Method 2: run reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /v ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate /f.
• Method 3: set the device restriction policy back to Not Configured.

Restart afterwards. If Windows Update then shows errors, our Windows Update command line guide covers resetting it, and Windows Update service missing helps if the service itself has gone.

Related guides

• Windows black screen: how to fix it
• Group Policy Management Console in Windows 11
• Windows Update from the command line
• Windows Update service missing: how to restore it

Official sources: for more detail, see these pages:

• Microsoft Learn: Policy CSP – Update (ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate)
• Microsoft Learn: Policy CSP – DeviceInstallation

Frequently asked questions

Will Windows still install security updates?

Yes. These settings only affect drivers. Monthly security and feature updates keep installing as normal.

Can I hide just one driver update in Settings?

Windows 11 Settings has no option to hide a single update. Driver updates listed under Advanced options > Optional updates only install if you tick them, but drivers Windows marks as recommended can still install automatically, which is why the policy is needed.

Does the NVIDIA or AMD app replace this?

No. The GPU maker’s app updates the driver when you tell it to, but it can’t stop Windows Update from installing a different one. Use both together.

Do I need to do this again after a feature update?

The policy normally survives updates. It’s worth checking the driver version in Device Manager after a big Windows update, just in case.