How To Disable Automatic Driver Installation In Windows 7 / Vista

By Nakodari | Published: November 2, 2008

Suppose you have connected a device with your computer, Windows 7 / Vista will now automatically search for the driver and install it. If you want to select every driver manually(because you have a manual driver that is better), then you should disable automatic driver installation. To do this you don’t need to install any software at all, you can do this using Windows Driver Settings.

Update: Some people complained that the original method doesn’t work at all. Reader mufuti0815 points out a method to properly disable automatic driver installation. I have tested it and it seems to be working. Here is what you need to do:

  • Go to Start–>Search type in gpedit.msc
  • Click the file to open the Local Group Policy Editor and show Windows who is in control!!
  • You want to go here: Computer Configuration->Administrative Templates->System->Device Installation. Click on the subfolder Device Installation on the left and on the right side you will see the possible restrictions.
  • Right Click on Prevent Installation of Devices not described by other policy settings and edit this option, set it on ENABLED.
    Reboot Windows and enjoy its inability to pollute your system with its standard driver, open gpedit.msc again and revert the change so you will be able to install your driver.

Go to Start menu, right-click on Computers and click Properties. On the left sidebar of the System dialog box, select Advanced System Settings. Now navigate to Hardware tab and click Windows Update Driver Settings as shown in the screenshot below.

You will see a box as shown below, now simply select Ask me each time I connect a new device before checking for driversNever check for drivers when I connect a device, depending on how you want Windows Update to find a matching driver ? or

Once you have selected the options, click OK and you are done.

Update: If this doesn’t work, also try the solution here.

Blog Widget by LinkWithin

  • Share this article!

    • Digg this!
    • Bookmark on Reddit
    • Bookmark at Delicious
    • Stumble this!
    • Share this post at Facebook
    • Tweet this!
    • Share on Yahoo! Buzz
    • Add AddictiveTips to your Technorati favorites
    • Share on Friendfeed
This entry was posted in Windows and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.
  • Paul
    Much like everything else in V...ista, it don't work
  • phil
    Vista still installs anyway, it's ruining me, and when I want to install the right drivers it denies me saying "windows has determined your drivers are up to date, uhm, NO THEY'RE NOT!!!
    I can't use my midi keyboARD UNTILL i CAN INSTALL THE RIGHT DRIVERS BUT i'VE TRIED FOR 4 HOURS AND REALISE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
  • Krrish
    Yes, this feature doesnt work in Win Vista Home Premium..
    Windows drivers are installed automatically though it is disable to do.
  • cike
    It doesn't work!!!!!! So please delete this page and stop misleading others.
  • Actually it did work on my side, you can also try using this method http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-tips/disab...
  • Guest
    This method of disabling automatic windows installation of device drivers works on my computer. I use Windows Vista Ultimate. Thanks.
  • asha
    Nope cike is right IT does not work
  • mufuti0815
    PLEASE READ THIS !


    As you guys probably know the however well-intended, obvious and obviously non-functional advices you would see if you google for disabling automatic driver installation or disabling it will not work. From what I have gathered it is a known issue with Windows Vista and Windows 7 that the option to never update your drivers obviously doesnt work. Disabling windows update does not help either because the driver windows installs for you is the system driver already stored in your windows installation.

    So to make a long story short here is exactly what you have to do:

    Go to Start-->Search type in gpedit.msc
    Click the file to open the Local Group Policy Editor and show Windows who is in control!!
    You want to go here: Computer Configuration->Administrative Templates->System->Device Installation. Click on the subfolder Device Installation on the left and on the right side you will see the possible restrictions.
    Right Click on Prevent Installation of Devices not described by other policy settings and edit this option, set it on ENABLED.
    Reboot Windows and enjoy its inability to pollute your system with its standard driver, open gpedit.msc again and revert the change so you will be able to install your driver.

    Now I had to figure all this out pretty much on my own so I am not sure as to what would be the best way to adjust other policy options to just affect your graphics driver, printer, whatever. Honestly I wasted so much time with this issue I did not even bother.
    If you enable the above mentioned line it will disable EVERYTHING from getting automatic driver updates.
    In your face, stupid Windows
  • James
    Unfortunately, vista home and windows 7 home do not have a Local Group Policy Editor. :( Any ideas for those of us in that group?
  • siliconsurfer
    Thank you this worked brliantly for me!!
    I was able to prevent Windows 7 repeated reinstalling the Intel 82852/82855 GM/GME graphics card driver at every single boot up ... i've been trying for days to get my new Windows 7 intallation working, and this was the only driver problem I could not fix.

    After I enabled as above, and then after retarting the first time afterwards I got a Win 7 message saving that the drivers could not be updated, then I permanently disbled one of the video controllers that showed up in Device Manager/Other Devices.
    Windows 7 then worked fine without reinstalling after each boot.

    Then later after I was sure that the video drivers were not going to reinstall for sure I disabled "Prevent Installation of Devices not described by other policy settings", and since then I have a working Windows 7 installation at last.
  • jesse
    how would i get it to revert back to how it was...the option is not there anymore
  • jesse
    the reason i want to go back to this is because i cannot install any drivers anymore...someone help!!!
  • zoolee
    The option is there, you probably looking in driver installation and not device installation :) i have win 7 ultimate, this method preventing me from any form of driver installation, so if you dont want to install anything this is good, but its not disabling automatic driver installation
  • jarrmnn
    hello mr.gates
    your making
    macs look good
  • Neil G
    Many people are getting confused, the disable function within window allows you to disable windows update from connecting to the internet to look for drivers. As it is under the windows update section. It will not entirely disable windows update.
  • bubbakeg
    Thanks, worked well. Follow instructions people.
blog comments powered by Disqus