Manage code signing certificates

As a Partner Center administrator, you're responsible for adding, updating, and retiring driver certificates when they expire. This article describes how to get, add, and update code signing certificates to the hardware dashboard.

For more information on rules for driver signing, see Driver signing changes in Windows 10, version 1607 in the Windows Hardware Certification blog.

Prerequisites

Register for the Hardware Developer Program. If you're not registered, follow the steps in Register for the Microsoft Windows Hardware Developer Program.

Get or renew a code signing certificate

To get a new code signing certificate:

1. Determine which certificate you need. To help you choose a certificate, see Driver signing requirements.

2. If you're reusing a certificate, move on to step 5.

3. If your organization doesn't have a certificate, you need to purchase an EV certificate from a trusted vendor.

4. After the certificate authority verifies your contact information and your certificate purchase is approved, follow their directions to retrieve the certificate.

5. Go to Partner Center and sign in by using your administrator credentials.

6. Select the gear icon in the upper right, select Account Settings, and then select Manage Certificates on the left side of the screen.

7. Select Add a new certificate, and then select Next.

8. Download Signablefile.bin. Sign it with the new digital certificate for your company by using SignTool with the /fd sha256 switch and the appropriate SHA-2 timestamp.

9. Upload the signed file to Partner Center.

Retire a code signing certificate

1. Go to Partner Center and sign in by using your administrator credentials.

2. Select the gear icon in the upper right, select Developer settings, and then select Manage Certificates on the left pane.

3. Find the certificate that you want to remove.

4. Under the Action column of the certificate, select Remove.