Windows Wants to Phase Out Third-Party Printer Drivers

2 months ago

New third-party printer drivers won't beryllium added to Windows Update.

An HP Envy 6055e location printer connected a shelf.

Over nan adjacent 4 years, Microsoft will slow wean Windows disconnected of third-party printer drivers. Manufacturers will suffer nan expertise to people printer drivers successful Windows updates, and nan Windows operating strategy will chiefly trust connected Microsoft's IPP Class Driver, which offers autochthonal support for Mopria-compliant printer devices. The modulation whitethorn not beryllium soft for everyone, but it should streamline printer usage and development, arsenic manufacturers won't request to tailor drivers to each Windows release.

Microsoft announced its "end of servicing" scheme successful a support document connected September 7th, 2023. The institution explains that caller third-party printer drivers won't beryllium included successful Windows Updates beyond 2025, though manufacturers tin supply bespoke printer package successful nan Microsoft Store (this benignant of package whitethorn supply civilization printing UI, aliases other printing and scanning options). Third-party drivers whitethorn besides beryllium distributed done manufacturers' websites, of course, and bequest printer drivers (which are integrated into Windows) whitethorn person information patches indefinitely.

Here's nan timeline, arsenic provided by Microsoft:

2025: No caller printer drivers will beryllium published done Windows Updates.
2026: Windows printer driver ranking will ever prioritize nan Microsoft IPP Class Driver—it will go nan default printer driver for each users.
2027: Except for security-related fixes, third-party printer driver updates will nary longer beryllium allowed successful Windows Updates.

Naturally, Microsoft acknowledges that nan extremity of work for v3 and v4 printer drivers is an "impactful" change. Some users whitethorn tally into problems, hence nan slow timeline. But astir each printer is Mopria-compliant, truthful nan mean personification won't cognize nan difference. If anything, Windows users should walk little clip looking for printer drivers (although I'm judge that printers will proceed to beryllium nan bane of our existence).

Those successful IT should cognize that this alteration besides covers multi-function devices pinch scanning and faxing capabilities. As explained by Microsoft, "for web devices, nan Print and Fax endpoints will activity via IPP and IPP Fax Out, respectively, while nan Scan endpoint will activity via WS-Scan aliases eSCL." When utilizing USB devices, nan endpoints "will only beryllium accessible erstwhile nan USB interface is successful IPP Over USB mode which intends IPP for Print, IPP Fax Out for Fax, and only eSCL for Scan."

Source: Microsoft via XDA-Developers

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