Microsoft to Test Cloud-Initiated Driver Recovery Feature for Windows

Microsoft is introducing a feature called Cloud-Initiated Driver Recovery that will automatically replace a faulty driver installed through Windows Update with a previously working driver. The new capability is currently being tested with Microsoft’s hardware partners and should start gradually rolling out in September.

Garrett Duchesne, principal program manager at Microsoft, said the change addresses a longstanding pain point for Windows 11 users.

“When a driver is identified as having quality issues during our shiproom evaluation process, Microsoft can now initiate a recovery action from the cloud, replacing the problematic driver on affected devices without requiring manual intervention from the user or the hardware partner,” Duchesne explained.

Windows 11 users currently have to manually roll back a driver or hardware vendors have to publish a new one to address problems with drivers installed through Windows Update. The Verge reported that the Cloud-Initiated Driver Recovery feature aims to eliminate that friction by allowing Microsoft to act directly from the cloud.

The company is simultaneously making Windows updates less disruptive in several other ways. Microsoft is making it possible to pause updates indefinitely and is allowing users to extend a pause date as many times as needed. Users will also be able to skip updates during initial device setup.

In addition, Microsoft is allowing users to restart or shutdown a PC without having to install a pending update. These changes form part of a broader effort by Microsoft to improve the Windows 11 update experience. The Verge reported on the developments in an article published on May 14, 2026 at 9:40 AM UTC.