The trick prevents Windows from automatically updating specific drivers

On Windows operating systems, especially Windows 10 usually automatically installs driver updates for hardware even if required or not required. If you do not want to automatically update dirver, you can proceed to prevent Windows from automatically updating the driver. If you are using Windows Pro or Enterprise version, you can use Group Policy Editor to prevent Windows from automatically updating drivers.

On Windows operating systems, especially Windows 10 usually automatically installs driver updates for hardware even if required or not required. If you do not want to automatically update dirver, you can proceed to prevent Windows from automatically updating the driver. If you are using Windows Pro or Enterprise version, you can use Group Policy Editor to prevent Windows from automatically updating drivers.

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Step 1: Find the device's hardware IDs on Device Manager

The first step you need to do is to find the hardware IDs of the device you want to block updates (updates) on Device Manager.

To do this, click Start, then enter device manager in the Search box on the Start Menu and then press Enter or click Device Manager.

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In the Device Manager window, find the device you want to block updates (updates). Right-click the device and select Properties .

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Next on the Properties window, click the Details tab.

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From the Property Menu, select Hardware IDs to display IDs related to the device.

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Finally, proceed to Note these IDs again by copying and pasting into Notepad, then save the Notepad file for later use.

Step 2: Prevent installing and updating the device on Group Policy Editor

Now that you have the hardware IDs in hand, the next step you need to do is to use the Group Policy Editor to make changes.

Note that the Group Policy Editor is only available on Windows Pro or Enterprise versions. Windows Home version does not have Group Policy Editor.

First log into your Admin account and open the Group Policy Editor by clicking Start, then entering gpedit.msc into the Search box and then press Enter.

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On the Group Policy window, in the left pane, expand:

Computer Configuration> Administrative Templates> System> Device Installation> Device Installation Restrictions

In the right pane, find the item Prevent installation of devices that match any of these devices IDs and double click on it.

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On the Prevent installation of devices that match any window of these IDs devices, select the Enabled option and then click the Show button .

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Next on the Show Contents window, proceed to add the device's hardware IDs. You can only add one ID at a time, so you can copy each ID one by one and paste it into the available lines at the Value frame. After you have added all your hardware IDs, click OK.

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Note that you are blocking updates for more than one device, so you can add hardware IDs on the Show Content window until you are finished.

Back to the Policy page, check the box Also apply to matching devices that are already installed and click OK.

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The next step is to exit Group Policy Editor.

You can check for new settings by trying to install a driver update. Or the simpler way is to access Device Manager again to see the changes. On the Device Manager main window, you will see the device you blocked is listed in Other devices section with a warning icon.

If you open the device's properties page, you can see that the settings were banned by the system policy.

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In addition, Windows Update can still download new driver updates for the device. However, it will not be able to install this driver update, it will instead display an installation error message on the Windows Updates window.

Suppose in case if you want to allow the device to be updated again, you can open the Group Policy Editor and disable the Policy. You will have to do this even if you only want to allow a driver update.

Warning, if you disable policy (or set to "Not Configured"), all the hardware IDs that you have added to the policy will be erased. If you want to re-enable the policy again, you will have to re-enter all hardware IDs.

This is especially important to note if you enter the hardware ID for multiple devices. If you want to re-enable the update for only one device, it is best to delete the policy and delete this driver's specific hardware ID.

Refer to some of the following articles:

  1. How to share a folder (folder) via LAN on Windows 10
  1. How to completely hide a folder with a single command on Windows
  1. How to check and detect RAM and hardware problems on your Windows computer?

Good luck!

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