Windows Update constantly overwrites my manual Nvidia/AMD graphics driver with an older version

Question

I’m having an annoying fight with Windows Update. I manually downloaded and installed the absolute latest drivers from the Nvidia website for my graphics card. However, a few hours later, Windows Update automatically downloads an outdated OEM driver from 6 months ago and overwrites it, breaking my game optimizations. How do I stop Windows from touching my GPU drivers?

Answer 1

Hello Haziq Omar,

To stop Windows Update from overwriting your custom Nvidia drivers, you can implement a two-layered defense. First, prevent Windows from including drivers in its update cycle by enabling the Do not include drivers with Windows Updates policy in the Group Policy Editor (for Pro/Enterprise users) or by creating the ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate DWORD value set to 1 within the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate (for Home users). Second, provide an extra layer of protection by searching for Change device installation settings in the Start menu and setting it to No, which stops the system from automatically downloading manufacturer-specific apps and icons that often accompany driver updates.

Domic V.