How to Stop a Specific Driver From Updating on Windows 11

Ever updated a driver and suddenly your printer stopped working? Or your favorite game crashed every five minutes? Yeah, that’s not fun. Sometimes, those automatic driver updates in Windows 11 can do more harm than good — especially if one specific driver is always the culprit.

TL;DR:

If a driver keeps updating and causing problems, you can stop Windows 11 from updating just that one. You’ll use tools like Group Policy Editor, Device Manager, or the Show/Hide Update tool. It’s not hard, and no advanced tech skills are needed. Grab a cup of coffee — or something fizzy — and let’s get into it.

Contents

Why Would You Want to Block a Driver Update?

Before we dive into the how, let’s quickly cover the why. Not all updates are good news. A new driver might:

  • Break a piece of hardware
  • Be incompatible with your favorite software
  • Cause system crashes or errors
  • Remove useful features you enjoyed before

If you’ve tested everything and that ONE driver is a repeat offender, it’s time to stop it in its tracks.

Option 1: Use the Show or Hide Updates Tool

This is the easiest way to block a troublesome update. Microsoft made a tool just for this!

Here’s how:

  1. Download the Show or Hide Updates troubleshooter.
  2. Run the tool and click Next.
  3. Click on Hide updates.
  4. Select the update (in this case, the driver) you want to block.
  5. Click Next and follow the prompts to finish.

That’s it! Windows will now ignore that specific update in the future. If you ever change your mind, just run the tool again and choose Show hidden updates to un-block it.

Option 2: Roll Back the Driver and Pause Updates

This method works if the update has already happened. You can roll it back and then keep updates away for a while.

Step-by-step:

  1. Press Windows + X and click Device Manager.
  2. Find the device with the bad driver.
  3. Right-click it and select Properties.
  4. Go to the Driver tab.
  5. Click Roll Back Driver if it’s available.

Next, you should pause Windows Updates to give yourself a break from the chaos.

  1. Open Settings (Windows + I).
  2. Go to Windows Update.
  3. Click on Pause updates for one week (or longer from advanced options).

This isn’t a long-term fix, but it gives you time to breathe while you find a permanent solution.

Option 3: Use Group Policy Editor (For Pro Users)

If you’re on Windows 11 Pro, this one’s for you. Group Policy Editor gives you more control than the average bear — or user.

How to do it:

  1. Press Windows + R, type gpedit.msc, and hit Enter.
  2. Navigate to:
    Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Windows Update → Manage updates offered from Windows Update
  3. Double-click on Do not include drivers with Windows Updates.
  4. Select Enabled, then click OK.

This blocks all driver updates through Windows Update. So if you want to block just one, this method might be a bit too strong. Still, it works if you’re okay with manually installing drivers from now on.

Option 4: Driver Version ID Blocking (Advanced Trick)

This method involves using the driver version ID to block updates. It’s a little techy, but here’s how to keep it simple.

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
  2. Type pnputil /enum-drivers and press Enter.
  3. Look through the list to find the OEM number for the problem driver (e.g., oem34.inf).
  4. Note down the published name.
  5. To delete it, type pnputil /delete-driver oem34.inf /uninstall /force

This command removes the offending driver version, and Windows should stop trying to reinstall it — especially when combined with the Show/Hide tool.

Caution: Deleting the wrong driver can cause issues. Only use this if you’re confident or have a backup ready.

Tips to Stay on the Safe Side

Before you mess with drivers, take a few precautions:

  • Create a System Restore Point: So you can go back in time if things go sideways.
  • Backup your important files: Just in case something unexpected happens.
  • Test one change at a time: Don’t stack changes on top of each other. Slow and steady wins this race!

Bonus: Third-Party Tools for Advanced Control

There are also apps like Winaero Tweaker or O&O ShutUp10++ that can help manage Windows settings, including driver updates. These are great if you like everything in one dashboard.

Note: Always download apps from their official websites to avoid sketchy versions.

What to Do If You Need That Driver Later?

Let’s say the hardware maker fixes the buggy driver. You want it now!

  1. Re-enable updates using the Show/Hide tool.
  2. Go to Device Manager and right-click the hardware.
  3. Click Update driver → Search automatically.

That should find the latest version and bring you up to date again — this time, without the glitch.

Wrapping it Up

Drivers can be tricky little creatures. Most of the time, updates help. But once in a while, one rogue driver slips through and makes life difficult. Now you know how to keep that one driver in check — without disabling updates for everything else.

Choose the method that fits your comfort level. And remember: a little prevention can save a lot of frustration.

Happy computing — may your drivers always behave!

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