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PC asking for driver update in non-admin account

CL 0 Reputation points
2026-06-18T06:13:35.37+00:00

Our PCs all use point and print to wirelessly print to the same printer. They're all set as non admin users. Every time the PC does any sort of update it will bring up a message

'Windows needs to download and install a software driver from.....'

But when we check the drivers are already installed, however you cannot print until you proceed to install the driver, and this can only be done by an admin.

Any help on how to stop this message popping up every time would be fabulous.

Windows for business | Windows Server | User experience | Print jobs
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  1. HLBui 7,240 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-06-20T07:20:29.27+00:00

    Hi CL

    If everything is okay, don't forget to share your experience with the issue by "Accept answer". If you need more information, feel free to leave a message. We are happy to help!

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  2. HLBui 7,240 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-06-18T07:28:55.3166667+00:00

    Hi CL

    This is one of those quirks with how Windows handles Point and Print policies. What’s happening is that after certain updates, Windows revalidates the printer driver package, and if the policy isn’t set to trust that driver source, it’ll prompt non-admin users to reinstall even though the driver is already present. The fix usually comes down to tweaking Group Policy: under User Configuration → Administrative Templates → Control Panel → Printers → Point and Print Restrictions, you’ll want to set it so users don’t get prompted for elevation when connecting to trusted servers.

    Another option is to pre-stage the driver package on the machines so Windows doesn’t try to fetch it again. If you’re in a domain environment, pushing this via GPO is the cleanest way; if not, you can adjust the local policy on each PC. Also, make sure the printer driver is signed and matches the version Windows expects mismatches can trigger that prompt too. Once those policies are aligned, your non-admin users should stop seeing that annoying message after updates.

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  3. AI answer

    2026-06-18T06:14:08.8166667+00:00

    The behavior is caused by the security changes to Point and Print introduced by updates released August 10, 2021 and later (CVE-2021-34481). By default, non‑administrator users can no longer install or update printer drivers from a remote print server without elevation, so Windows repeatedly prompts to install/update the driver even if it appears already installed.

    To reduce or control these prompts while staying within the supported configuration, use Group Policy on the domain/OU that manages these PCs:

    1. Ensure all print clients and the print server are fully updated
      • Install updates released October 12, 2021 or later on both print servers and clients. These updates fix a known issue where clients and servers in different time zones could cause repeated prompts.
      • If the problem persists, obtain and deploy the latest printer drivers from the printer OEM on both the print server and clients, and ensure the same driver version is used on both.
    2. Verify driver consistency between server and clients
      • The client compares the driver files in the spool folder (for example, C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\x64\3) with the package offered from the server (C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\x64\PCC).
      • If these do not match, the client is prompted to install/update the driver each time it prints. Make sure the driver package in PCC corresponds to the same driver version that is installed in the server’s \3 folder.
    3. Configure Point and Print Restrictions at the computer level
      • Open Group Policy Management Console (GPMC).
      • Navigate to the domain or OU that contains the computers/users.
      • Create and link a new GPO, then edit it.
      • Go to: Computer Configuration → Policies → Administrative Templates → Printers.
      • Open Point and Print Restrictions.
      • Set it to Enabled.
      • Select Users can only point and print to these servers and specify the fully qualified names (or, with newer updates, dot‑delimited IP addresses) of the trusted print servers, separated by semicolons.
      • For maximum security (recommended by KB5005652), set:
        • When installing drivers for a new connection: Show warning and Elevated Prompt.
        • When updating drivers for an existing connection: Show warning and Elevated Prompt.
    4. Ensure the policy is applied in the correct location
      • Point and Print Restrictions must be configured under Computer Configuration. If only configured under User Configuration, Windows ignores them and continues to prompt for admin credentials.
      • For mixed client environments, configure the policy in both locations, but rely primarily on the Computer Configuration path.
    5. As a less secure alternative (not recommended)
      • The prompts can be suppressed by disabling Point and Print Restrictions entirely:
        • Computer Configuration → Policies → Administrative Templates → Printers → Point and Print Restrictions → Disabled.
      • This removes the enhanced printer driver installation security and should only be used if the environment cannot operate with the default secure behavior.

    If, after applying current updates and aligning driver versions, the prompts still occur, contact the printer manufacturer to obtain updated, package‑aware drivers that work correctly with the current Point and Print security model.

    References:

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