Device driver rules for Windows 10

01 Windows 10 driver update adjustment

Currently when you plug in a connected Plug and Play (PnP) device (such as keyboard, mouse, webcam, etc.), Windows Update automatically scans for device drivers without your permission, checking to see if a compatible driver is already on your system.

If you have previously used a similar peripheral and have installed the driver, Windows will use it after detecting it. If no compatible driver is detected on the system, Windows 10 searches Windows Update for an adapted driver. During the scan, Windows Update looks for the latest version, and new drivers should appear within 24 hours of plugging in the device.

In February of this year, Microsoft provided an improvement: allowing hardware developers to provide drivers in both automatic and manual ways. Whether these driver updates are deployed to user devices through Windows Update is entirely up to the hardware developer's choice.

For example, when Intel designates a driver as "automatic," Microsoft will include the driver in regular Windows Update experience updates, and the driver will be automatically downloaded when you check for updates. .

If the driver is set to "Manual", although it is also delivered through Windows Update, it is released as an optional update and will only be displayed on the new optional update page. Manual drivers are considered optional and they are not automatically installed on your device.

Windows 10 systems prioritize looking for the highest-level driver labeled "Automatic" by the manufacturer first. If the "automatic" driver is not found, Windows 10 Version 1909 and earlier versions will obtain the "manual" driver to allow the peripheral to run. This ensures that peripherals such as mice and keyboards function properly.

However, starting from the Windows 10 May 2020 (20H1/Version 2004) and October 2020 (20H2/Version 2009) feature updates, Microsoft stated that after it cannot find a matching "automatic" driver update, it will not automatically Install drivers marked "Manual" to avoid damaging your device.

According to the latest support document, when the peripheral device does not scan for a suitable "automatic" driver, the Windows 10 system will return a DNF (driver not found) error. In this case, the device may not work properly or respond to your input.

This happens because Windows 10 no longer automatically installs "manual" driver updates if the "automatic" driver updates are not found. If you're getting a DNF error while installing a new device, you'll need to follow the solutions below to get "manual" driver updates manually.

1. Visit Windows Update > View optional updates > Driver updates

2. Reconnect your peripheral

3. Find the driver on the manufacturer's website

It’s also important to understand that Windows 10 has now disabled Device Manager’s driver download feature, so you now need to use Windows Update if you want to get your device up and running. Microsoft notes that this change is part of the company's long-term plan to give users more control over Windows Update, but it can also cause annoying issues when peripherals don't have automatic drivers.

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