- Microsoft has confirmed that V3/V4 printer drivers are still supported, in response to previous roadmap confusion
- New drivers are only approved on a case-by-case basis and old drivers will only receive security updates starting in 2027.
- Users are encouraged to migrate from OEM drivers to Microsoft’s IPP class driver to improve security.
Microsoft has corrected a previous update to its Windows roadmap that suggests legacy printer drivers will be removed.
“Windows has not ended support for legacy printer drivers. If your printer runs Windows today, it will continue to work and no action is required,” a company spokesperson said, after previous announcements caused widespread confusion.
While this is great news for customers who already have printer drivers, a change is still being implemented that could render some printers unusable.
Microsoft won’t suddenly stop supporting your printer
The main change is that hardware manufacturers will no longer be able to submit new legacy drivers to Windows Update for certification, with some exceptions on a case-by-case basis. Still, owners of older printers don’t need to worry about Windows updates bricking their devices for now.
“Starting January 15, 2026, legacy drivers submitted to Windows Hardware Quality Labs and published in Windows Update will only be approved on a case-by-case basis, as described in the End of Service Plan for Third-Party Printer Drivers on Windows in Microsoft Learn,” the spokesperson added.
While V3 and V4 printer drivers will continue to be supported, Microsoft still intends to push its IPP class driver and Windows Protected Print Mode, citing previous generation driver vulnerabilities.
Microsoft describes the IPP class driver as a “universal inbox driver that can communicate via IPP with any Mopria certified printer.” Complete details for migrating from legacy OEM drivers to Microsoft’s preferred system are available in a support article.
And migration is certainly the way to go, because starting in July 2026, Microsoft will favor its Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) over third-party drivers, and starting in July 2027, V3 and V4 drivers will only be able to be updated with important security fixes.
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