How to temporarily prevent a driver update from reinstalling in Windows 10

If a driver that you are offered is causing system crashes or instability, and if Windows was operating correctly before that change, you can use this method to prevent the unwanted driver from being installed.

The appropriate steps to roll back a driver installation depends on the version of Windows 10 that you have installed. We recommend that you update to the latest version of Windows 10 before you try to uninstall any drivers because this may resolve the issue.  You can use Windows Update to check for the latest update by selecting the Start button, then selecting Settings > Update & security > Windows Update , and then Check for updates.  Or you can install the latest version of Windows by going to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10, and then selecting Update Now.

If you aren’t sure which version of Windows 10 you have, select the Start button, and then select Settings > System > About. 

 

Rolling back a device driver

For Windows 10 Version 1607 (Anniversary Update) and later versions

1. Start Device Manager. To do this, press and hold (or right-click) the lower-left corner of the desktop, and then select Device Manager.
2. Locate and right-click the device that has the problem driver installed, and then select Properties.
3. Select the Driver tab, and then select Roll Back Driver.

 

For Windows 10 Version 1511 (November update) and earlier versions

Important If you don’t have the latest version of Windows 10, we recommend that you update now.  To update to the latest version, go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10, and select Update Now.
 

1. Start Device Manager. To do this, press and hold (or right-click) the lower-left corner of the desktop, and then select Device Manager.
2. Locate and right-click the device that has the problem driver installed, and then select Properties.
3. In the Confirm Device Uninstall dialog box, select the Delete the driver software for this device check box, if it's available.

To temporarily prevent the driver from being reinstalled until a new driver fix is available, a troubleshooter is available that provides a user interface to hide and show Windows updates and drivers for Windows 10.

The following troubleshooter is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

 Download the "Show or hide updates" troubleshooter package now.

Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

When you click the download link, you're prompted to open or save wushowhide.diagcab.

 

To run the troubleshooter, open wushowhide.diagcab, select Next, and then follow the instructions in the troubleshooter to hide the problematic driver or update.