Microsoft is adding a feature to Windows Update that will automatically roll back faulty drivers, removing the need for users or hardware vendors to intervene manually when a driver causes problems.
The feature, called “Cloud-Initiated Driver Recovery,” allows Microsoft to detect a problematic driver and replace it with a previously working version through Windows Update. Currently, Windows 11 users must roll back drivers manually, or wait for hardware vendors to publish a fix.
“When a driver is identified as having quality issues during our shiproom evaluation process, Microsoft can now initiate a recovery action from the cloud, replacing the problematic driver on affected devices without requiring manual intervention from the user or the hardware partner,” said Garrett Duchesne, principal program manager at Microsoft.
The feature is currently being tested with Microsoft’s hardware partners and is expected to begin a gradual rollout in September 2026.
The driver rollback capability is part of a broader effort by Microsoft to improve the Windows Update experience. Additional changes include the ability to pause updates indefinitely — extending the pause as many times as needed — skip updates during initial device setup, and restart or shut down a PC without being required to install a pending update first.
Together, these changes suggest Microsoft is responding to longstanding user frustrations with Windows Update, aiming to make the update process less disruptive and reduce the impact of driver-related issues on everyday users.
Source: The Verge