THE CRUNCH
Microsoft is slowly moving Windows 11 away from the traditional model of installing printer manufacturers' drivers, according to TechPowerUp. Instead, the operating system provides a unified base layer for host-based compatibility, with the eventual aim of plug-and-play printing where every certified printer works without a separate driver installation. The foundation is Windows Ready Print, which uses standards including IPP and is designed around Mopria-certified devices, so Windows can handle compatible hardware through its own printing stack. Microsoft frames the shift as making Windows printing more standardised, secure and easier to maintain.
The change targets legacy v3 and v4 printer drivers, the traditional packages supplied by printer makers. Since July 1, Windows has also adjusted its driver ranking so compatible devices prefer Microsoft's built-in Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) Class Driver, a standard way of talking to printers without vendor-specific software.
Older drivers are not vanishing immediately: manufacturers can still supply packages for manual installation, and existing drivers keep receiving updates case by case until July 1, 2027, when third-party driver updates will be limited to security fixes.