Windows Update will soon revert problematic drivers automatically

Windows 11 users are not happy campers at the moment for multiple reasons, but Microsoft is doing something about an issue around updates. The company just introduced "Cloud-Initiated Driver Recovery" (let's call it CIDR) for Windows Update, a system that will roll back faulty drivers detected during the company's shiproom evaluation process, with no user intervention required. 

Microsoft noted that faulty drivers installed through Windows Update can only be dealt with currently by its partners or the end user, which is obviously not ideal. "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," the company said. "Partners are not required to take any action. Microsoft handles the recovery end-to-end."

Driver updates for certain hardware like GPUs have caused issues with Windows Updates for years, with the NVIDIA "Nvlddmkm.sys" driver error being one of the most famous examples. Microsoft's CIDR system should help with that to a certain extent, and should start gradually rolling out in September. Microsoft is also giving users more control over updates, letting you pause and skip updates and shutdown or restart your PC without needing to install them. 

At the same time, Microsoft is trying to make sure such driver problems don't happen in the first place with its new Driver Quality Initiative (DQI). At it's Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC 2026), the company said it's "heavily investing" in hardening kernel mode drivers for higher security, reliability and resiliency. It's also introducing stronger partner verification for trusted drivers, improving lifecycle management and expanding quality measures.