Windows 10 can automatically update the drivers of the devices mounted on the PC, so as to always have the latest version available. To provide these updates is Windows Update, which periodically updates (together with the system components) also any new drivers present in the database.
But if we have some old device that works properly with a single driver, how to prevent Windows from ruining everything by updating a driver that should absolutely not touch "> Block Automatic Updates in Windows 10 or uninstall them
1) Block driver update on Windows 10: simple method
If we have Windows 10 Home or we don't want to tinker too much with the administration tools we can simply let the new driver download to Windows Update then "recover" the old driver, thus forcing Windows to use the correct one.
In this way the driver will no longer be updated (since the latest version is already present) but we will decide which driver will use a specific device.
We right click on the Start menu symbol on Windows 10 and in the drop-down menu select the Device Manager item (alternatively we can search for this item directly in the Start menu).
A menu similar to the one shown below will open.
Now we open the submenu containing the device that has received the driver update and that is not working as it should; once the right device has been identified, right-click on it and open the Update driver item.
In the screen that we will see we click on the item Search the driver software on my computer and, in the following screen, we click Choose from a list of drivers available on the computer .
A new window will open where we will see all the drivers that Windows has for that type of device, including the new version just downloaded and that we absolutely do not want to use.
We then select the "older" driver and click Next to make the changes effective.
From now on, Windows will use the driver assigned by us, however leaving the updated version available (this prevents Windows Update from downloading the new driver again!).
We do not try to uninstall the driver hoping that the old one will be used: at the next update of Windows Update we will be back and forth and we will have to uninstall every time Windows updates, which is obviously very frustrating.
If a new version of the driver is released in the meantime, Windows will automatically use the latter, but just repeat the steps described here to force the use of the right driver.
2) Block driver update on Windows 10: advanced method
You don't want to waste time forcing a specific driver and you want to completely stop Windows 10 from automatically downloading updated drivers ">
A menu will open with folders on the left side, each with numerous subfolders.
The path that we will have to open to block driver updates is Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Update .
Within this folder there are many items, each with a specific function regarding Windows updates.
To block automatic driver updates, simply double-click the Do not include drivers with Windows updates item .
In the window that we will see, just enable the Activated item at the top left, then click OK at the bottom.
On the next reboot, Windows 10 Pro will no longer download the drivers together with Windows Update, thus preventing the use of defective or unsolicited drivers for older devices.
3) Programs to automatically update drivers selectively
Once the driver update is disabled with Windows 10, how can we still update the drivers by choosing selectively which ones to install "> programs to update the drivers automatically, capable of recovering new drivers instead of Windows.
Among all those listed in the article, we can choose, for example, IObit Driver Booster, downloadable for free from here -> IObit Driver Booster .
The interface is very simple, so that even novice users with Windows will be able to update the drivers without problems.
We click in the center of the program to start scanning for devices, looking for new drivers.
If the program finds drivers that we absolutely do not want to update, simply right-click on the driver in question and select the Ignore item.
The driver will be included in a special program list and will no longer be considered for subsequent updates.
Once the drivers to avoid updates have been selected, we can safely use Driver Booster to install the latest drivers for peripherals that instead benefit from this type of updates (such as video cards, WiFi or Ethernet network cards, driver chipset etc.).
Driver Booster is also able to automatically update the drivers present on the PC or to signal the presence of updates, always ignoring the peripherals that we have inserted in the "black list" through the Ignore button.
READ ALSO: Download Drivers to install safely
