Microsoft urges Windows driver developers to use Rust, here's why

Microsoft is now urging Windows driver developers to start using Rust, a modern programming language known for preventing memory-related bugs. The company says this shift is already making a difference, especially on Surface devices, where Rust-based drivers are actively being written and shipped.

These early results come from Microsoft’s Surface team, which has been contributing to an open-source project called windows-drivers-rs on GitHub. The project includes libraries, tools, and example code that help other developers write drivers in Rust.

According to the team, using Rust has led to stronger security and better reliability in drivers that communicate directly with hardware. Memory safety is one of Rust’s biggest strengths.

Compared to C and C++, which are still widely used in driver development, Rust catches more errors before the code even runs. That means fewer crashes and fewer security issues, something Microsoft sees as essential for improving the stability of the entire Windows ecosystem.

Microsoft is also working on improving support for Rust in its driver toolkit. The company has plans to enhance platform compatibility, close feature gaps between Rust and its traditional Windows Driver Kit, and offer more open-source components to make development smoother.

By backing windows-drivers-rs and publicly encouraging adoption, Microsoft is making it clear that Rust isn’t just a side experiment. The company wants developers across the ecosystem to start treating it as a serious option for building safer, more reliable Windows drivers.