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Windows Update Installed a Bad Driver Roll Back and Block It

Yesterday the PC was perfect. Windows Update ran overnight, and now the screen flickers or the Wi-Fi is gone. Roll the driver back — then stop Windows from helpfully installing the same bad driver again tomorrow.

✍️ Technical Anshu🪟 Windows 10 / 11⏱️ 10 minute read
🎥 Watch the full process in the video — safe driver installation and updates, step-by-step

Windows Update delivers drivers automatically, and occasionally it delivers a wrong or buggy one. The fix has two halves, and most people only do the first: roll back the bad driver, and block that specific update — otherwise Windows reinstalls it within days and you are back where you started. Here is both halves, honestly, including the current status of Microsoft's old Show or Hide tool.

Device Properties — Driver tab (example device)
📦 Driver Version — the new one Windows Update pushedSuspect
⏪ Roll Back Driver — return to the previous versionStep 1
🚫 Block the update — or it returns within daysStep 2

👆 Roll Back fixes today. Blocking the update fixes next week too.

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Step 1 — Roll Back the Bad Driver

  1. Right-click Start → Device Manager
  2. Find the device that broke, right-click it → Properties → Driver tab
  3. Click Roll Back Driver and pick a reason such as Previous version performed better
  4. Restart the PC and test the device properly

If Roll Back is greyed out, Windows kept no previous driver. Then use Uninstall device (tick Attempt to remove the driver for this device if shown), restart, and install the older known-good driver from the laptop maker's website yourself.

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Step 2 — Understand Why It Comes Back

Windows Update does not know the driver hurt you. Its logic is simple: a newer driver exists for this hardware, the PC does not have it, so it installs it. Until the faulty version is withdrawn or replaced by the manufacturer, your rollback is only a pause. That is why blocking is not optional — it is the second half of the fix.

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Block It — The Routes That Still Work Today

Be careful here, because advice online is out of date. Microsoft's old Show or Hide updates troubleshooter (wushowhide.diagcab) has been retired — Microsoft no longer offers it, and copies floating on random websites should not be trusted. The supported routes now:

  1. Device Installation Settings — open sysdm.cpl → Hardware tab → Device Installation Settings → choose No. Honest warning: this is a blunt switch — it stops Windows Update from delivering all device drivers, not just the bad one
  2. Group Policy (Pro editions) — run gpedit.msc → Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Windows Update → enable Do not include drivers with Windows Updates
  3. Pause updates briefly — Settings → Windows Update → Pause for 1–2 weeks while the manufacturer replaces the bad driver; a short pause, never a permanent one
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Finish the Job Properly

  1. Install your known-good driver before blocking, so the device sits on the right version
  2. Note the bad driver's version number (Driver tab) so you can recognise it if it ever returns
  3. After a few weeks, check the manufacturer's site — once a corrected driver replaces the bad one, you can allow driver updates again

And the honest limit: blocking is a holding action, not a lifetime ban. Security updates must keep flowing — never disable Windows Update entirely to escape one driver.

🔴 Never download wushowhide from a random site. The tool is retired; files using its name on unofficial sites are a classic malware trap. Use the Group Policy or Device Installation Settings routes above.

🎥 Watch the Complete Video Guide

Safe driver installation, Windows Update and Device Manager — the full process shown live, step-by-step.

▶️ Watch Full Video
❓ Common Questions (FAQ)

Why is Roll Back Driver greyed out?

Windows only keeps the previous driver when a device is updated in place. If this driver was the first one installed, or the old package was cleaned up, there is nothing to roll back to. Uninstall the device, restart, and install the older driver from the manufacturer instead.

Will blocking driver updates hurt my security?

Driver blocking and security updates are separate switches — the Group Policy and Device Installation routes in this guide stop driver delivery only, and Windows security patches keep installing. What you must not do is disable Windows Update as a whole.

How long should I block the bad driver?

Until the manufacturer publishes a corrected version — usually a few weeks. Check the laptop maker's support page for your model; when a newer version than the bad one appears, install it manually and unblock.

This guide is based on the Technical Anshu driver safety video • Stuck on any step? Ask in the video comments — you will get a reply there 🙏