Loading story…
Microsoft has ended default support for legacy V3 and V4 printer drivers in Windows 11 and newer Windows Server releases, following a deprecation notice issued in September 2023 and a two-year transition window. Starting with optional Windows 11 updates released in mid-January 2026, Microsoft began blocking new legacy print-driver submissions to Windows Update by default and routing exceptions through a manual review process; the change is expected to roll into broader servicing via February 2026 cumulative updates and affect Windows 11 24H2/25H2 as deployment expands. Microsoft’s published policy states that for Windows 11+ and Windows Server 2025+, no new printer drivers will be published to Windows Update, while existing drivers may still receive updates only on a case-by-case basis.
The practical impact is concentrated on organizations and users with older printer hardware that depends on V3/V4 drivers: devices may fail to install via Windows Update or stop functioning if a compatible modern driver path is unavailable. Microsoft frames the move as a security and reliability hardening step, citing the historical risk profile of print drivers within Windows, and recommends remediation through printer-vendor support (e.g., updated supported drivers/firmware) or migration to modern printing approaches such as IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) and newer driver architectures.
See real exploitation activity before you spend the cycle.
7 events from the most recent confirmed update back to the earliest known activity.
Starting July 1, 2027, Microsoft will restrict third-party printer driver updates delivered through Windows Update to security fixes only, further reducing support for legacy print driver servicing.
Microsoft said Windows will begin preferring the built-in Microsoft IPP class driver starting July 1, 2026, further steering users and vendors away from legacy printer driver models.
Microsoft clarified that the change does not automatically disable already-installed V3 and V4 drivers; instead, the main impact is that Windows Update will no longer distribute them, and users can still install them manually at their own risk.
Beginning with the February 2026 cumulative updates, Microsoft planned to disable legacy V3 and V4 printer drivers by default on affected Windows 11 versions, potentially disrupting older printers that still depend on them.
In late January 2026 optional Windows 11 updates, Microsoft stopped broadly distributing legacy V3 and V4 printer drivers via Windows Update, while allowing existing drivers to be updated only on a case-by-case basis.
Starting with a non-security optional Windows 11 update released on January 15, 2026, Microsoft began blocking new V3 and V4 printer driver submissions by default, allowing exceptions only through manual review and explicit justification.
Microsoft announced in September 2023 that it would deprecate legacy V3 and V4 printer drivers, beginning a multi-year transition away from distributing them through Windows Update.
Vulnerabilities, threat actors, malware, products, organizations, and breaches Mallory has linked to this story.
See real exploitation activity behind this advisory so you can triage it against everything else in the queue.
3 references tracked. Mallory keeps watching after this page renders.
securityonline.info
Open sourcesecurityonline.info
Open sourcetomshardware.com
Open sourceMap indicators from this story to your assets and identify affected systems in minutes.
Every observed campaign, victim, and pivot linked to actors named in this story.
Malware, exploits, and IOCs connected to the activity described here.
YARA, Sigma, and Snort rules deployed to your SIEM as soon as they’re published.
Get matching new stories delivered to your team as they break — not the next morning.
Ask questions about this story and take action on the answers.
Other stories Mallory is tracking that overlap on entities, sources, or topic labels.
Microsoft expanded the *Windows Backup for Organizations* “first sign-in restore” experience in Windows 11, allowing more enterprise users to restore prior device settings and their Microsoft Store app list when signing into a new or reimaged device with a Microsoft Entra ID account. The capability, previously limited to Entra-joined devices, now also supports **hybrid-managed environments**, **multi-user device setups**, and **Windows 365 Cloud PCs**, and can be managed via existing policies using **Microsoft Intune** or **Group Policy**. Microsoft also clarified that Windows 11 is **not** ending support for legacy **V3 and V4 printer drivers**, after an inaccurate Windows Roadmap entry suggested those drivers would no longer be supported. The company stated that existing printers and already-installed drivers will continue to work, and existing Windows Update-hosted drivers remain available; the actual change is that **new V3/V4 driver submissions to Windows Update are blocked by default** and now require **case-by-case approval** for Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025 and later, while vendors can still distribute drivers through their own installers.
Jun 29, 2026
Microsoft is warning organizations that **Windows Server 2016**, **Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016**, and **Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2016 LTSB** are approaching end of support, after which they will no longer receive security patches, bug fixes, or technical support. Reported lifecycle dates include **October 13, 2026** for the Windows 10 2016 LTSB variants and **January 12, 2027** for Windows Server 2016; Microsoft’s guidance is to prioritize upgrades (e.g., to **Windows Server 2025** and Windows 10/11 LTSC options where hardware permits) and, if migration timelines slip, to use the **Extended Security Updates (ESU)** program as a short-term bridge for up to three years with only “critical” and “important” security updates. Separately, Microsoft released the **Windows 11 KB5077241** optional (non-security) preview cumulative update with 29 quality changes, including **BitLocker reliability** improvements (addressing freezes after entering a recovery key) and new built-in capabilities such as a taskbar **network speed test** and **native Sysmon functionality** (disabled by default). The update also enables **Quick Machine Recovery (QMR)** by default on certain unmanaged Windows Pro devices and is positioned for admin testing ahead of the next Patch Tuesday release, but it does **not** include security fixes.
Jun 29, 2026
Microsoft warned that **Windows 11 version 24H2** will stop receiving updates for **Home, Pro, Pro Education, and Pro for Workstations** editions on **October 13, 2026**. After that date, affected systems will no longer get monthly security patches or non-security preview updates, leaving devices more exposed to newly disclosed vulnerabilities and malware. Microsoft said **Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016** will also reach the end of support on the same date. Microsoft is directing customers to upgrade eligible devices to **Windows 11 version 25H2**, which is already generally available and remains supported for those editions until **October 12, 2027**. The company said unmanaged Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro devices will be automatically moved to 25H2, while **Windows 11 24H2 Enterprise and Education** editions will continue under support until **October 2027**, creating a longer support window for those business-focused releases.
Aug 21, 2026