Windows – How to get Windows 10 to automatically update printer drivers

driversprint-driverswindows 10windows update

I have ESET NOD32 installed and it tells me that there are supposed to be updates for my printer drivers available on Windows Update. But Windows 10 is not downloading these drivers by itself and doesn't show them in Windows Update.

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I do not presently have any deferred updates and I'm otherwise up-to-date. I had to go into the Device Manager and choose Update Driver on a couple of drivers to have my system download the latest versions from the Windows Update server.

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The remaining drivers I seem to be missing are those for printers. One can't update these from Device Manager as the drivers listed there are all of the generic local printer queue type.

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I tried updating them through the Printer Preferences page (Devices and Printers) and picking the Windows Update source from the New Driver option.

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This does seem to download a bunch of files from Windows Update, but doesn't solve the warning about older drivers.

In previous versions of Windows I did get more driver updates directly through Windows Update automatically. Is there a setting I messed up somehow?

Another example of updates (available from the Windows Update Catalog), but not being brought in through windows update were the Azure Power pack found here:

Update

Eset contacted me and will do a remote screen sharing session to see what's going on.

Remarks know some of the answers below, yes windows update provides generic drivers for some devices, but also provides drivers which are the same as the ones provided by oems, the Lenovo power management drivers for example are identical, whether I install them through windows update or Lenovo. The same applies to the wireless drivers from Intel or the Webcam driver from Realtek.

And yes, for some, like certain printers, it ships generic drivers. I don't mind generic drivers, as long as they are the latest generic drivers.

It still baffles me that some driver updates are not pushed through windows update, but will update through the device manager. Similarly it baffles me that certain drivers are not pushed through windows update, neither by checking through the device manager.

I'll update again after Eset has had its chance to investigate my system.

Best Answer

You can double-check NOD32's claim that there are newer drivers available from Windows Update by searching for those drivers using the Microsoft Update Catalog (this site requires Internet Explorer 6.0 or later). Techtarget.com explains the equivalency of Windows Update and the Update Catalog:

The Microsoft Update Catalog is a searchable catalog of all security updates, drivers and service packs that are available through Windows Update (WU) and Microsoft Update (MU)

A search of the catalog for your HP Deskjet F300 series printer shows the most recent available driver is version 7.0.0.25 last updated 8/13/2012:

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A search for your Kyocera Mita FS-1800+ KX printer shows the most recent driver is version 6.0.2726.0 last updated 3/26/2013:

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You can download these drivers directly from the Update Catalog and afterward see if NOD32 still claims drivers are available, in which case you know that claim is incorrect. Alternately, you can look at the version of the drivers currently installed for your printers and see how they compare to the drivers available through Windows Update.

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