Windows Update will soon revert problematic drivers automatically

Source: Engadget

Background

Windows 11 users are not happy campers for multiple reasons, and driver updates have long been a source of frustration. Faulty drivers installed through Windows Update have traditionally required intervention from partners or end users.

Cloud‑Initiated Driver Recovery (CIDR)

Microsoft has introduced Cloud‑Initiated Driver Recovery (CIDR) for Windows Update. The system can automatically roll back faulty drivers detected during Microsoft’s shiproom evaluation process, without any user action.

“With CIDR, Microsoft can now trigger a recovery action directly from the Hardware Dev Center (HDC), rolling back a problematic driver to the previously known‑good version via the Windows Update pipeline. Partners are not required to take any action. Microsoft handles the recovery end‑to‑end.”
— Microsoft announcement

The new capability will begin rolling out gradually in September. It aims to address recurring issues such as the NVIDIA “Nvlddmkm.sys” driver error, which has caused numerous update failures in the past.

Additional User Controls

Microsoft is also expanding user control over updates, allowing users to:

• Pause and skip updates
• Shut down or restart the PC without being forced to install pending updates

Driver Quality Initiative (DQI)

Alongside CIDR, Microsoft is launching the Driver Quality Initiative (DQI) to prevent driver problems before they reach users. Announced at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC 2026), DQI focuses on:

• Hardening kernel‑mode drivers for better security, reliability, and resiliency
• Strengthening partner verification for trusted drivers
• Improving driver lifecycle management
• Expanding overall quality measures

For more details, see the official blog post on the Driver Quality Initiative.