Microsoft has announced its intention to remove third-party printer drivers from Windows, although this process will take time and will last until 2027.
Mopria is the reason for the removal of support. The Mopria Alliance, founded in 2013 by Canon, HP, Samsung and Xerox, aims to provide universal standards for printing and scanning. Epson, Lexmark, Adobe and Microsoft have subsequently joined.
Since Windows 10 21H2, Microsoft has integrated Mopria compatibility into its flagship operating system. with support for devices connected via network or USB thanks to the Microsoft IPP Class driver.
“This eliminates the need for printing device manufacturers to provide their own installers, drivers, utilities, etc.”according to Microsoft.
The software giant also said that customization can be done through the Windows Store’s printing support apps. And added: “This framework improves reliability and performance by moving customization from the Win32 framework to the UWP software development framework.”
Payout schedule
Microsoft’s schedule for the end of the service will be staggered. The next milestone will be reached in 2025 No new printer drivers are released for Windows Update. although the existing ones may continue to be updated.
In 2026, the driver rankings will be changed to place the IPP inbox class driver first In 2027, printer driver updates are not permitted except for security-related fixes.