Microsoft Is Phasing Out Legacy Printer Driver Support in Windows 11

Microsoft is taking a major step to modernize printing on Windows 11. Starting with the January 15 non-security update, the company has officially ended support for legacy V3 and V4 printer drivers, which were first marked as deprecated in September 2023 (via Tom’s Hardware).

The change means users relying on older printer drivers may find their printers failing to install or stop working entirely. Existing drivers can still receive updates on a case-by-case basis, but new submissions of V3 and V4 drivers are now blocked by default. Any exceptions require a manual review with explicit justification from the printer manufacturer.

According to Microsoft, most users won’t notice any disruption since modern printers already use supported driver architectures. Those affected are advised to contact their printer maker for an updated driver or consider upgrading to a newer printing solution.

This shift is part of a wider push to secure and simplify the Windows print ecosystem. Microsoft cites issues such as the notorious PrintNightmare vulnerability and the complexities of maintaining thousands of vendor-specific drivers as key reasons for the change. By limiting what can be distributed through Windows Update, the company is shifting responsibility for legacy hardware support back to manufacturers.

Looking ahead, Windows will prefer its built-in IPP class driver starting July 1, 2026, when multiple driver options are present. By July 1, 2027, third-party printer driver updates via Windows Update will be restricted to security fixes only. The move also aligns with Microsoft’s Protected Print Mode, an optional feature that removes third-party drivers entirely, hinting at the future of printing on Windows.

Users planning to print on older hardware should check their drivers now to avoid disruptions as Microsoft phases out legacy support.