Microsoft to strip its Windows update management tool of this key feature

• Microsoft to deprecate WSUS driver synchronization in April 2025.
• Only 34% of WSUS users sync drivers using its driver synchronization capability, with many switching to other solutions.
• IT admins can switch to Microsoft Intune or third-party tools for managing the distribution of driver updates.

Microsoft adds new features to Windows and its other popular services with every major software update, but a lot of the time, it also removes certain features that are no longer relevant or used by a very small number of people. All of this is an important exercise in software maintenance. In what looks like a part of this exercise, Microsoft is gearing up for the removal of a key feature in Windows Server Update Services (popularly known as WSUS).

Microsoft to deprecate driver synchronization updates via Windows Server Update Services

Screenshot of Windows Update in the Windows 11 Settings app with updates paused

Microsoft has announced that it'll deprecate the drive synchronization capability in WSUS come April 18, 2025. WSUS driver synchronization helps IT admins automate the process of distributing driver updates within their network. It ensures the mass deployment of driver updates as soon as they're available to enhance the stability and hardware compatibility of PCs.

However, now that the WSUS driver synchronization is being deprecated, IT admins will have to manually download drivers from the Microsoft Update Catalog or switch to third-party update management solutions. Alternatively, they can also use tools like Microsoft Intune to manage driver updates.

Why is Microsoft deprecating WSUS driver synchronization?

In a survey conducted by Microsoft, it found that only 34% of the participants who use WSUS use the tool to synchronize drivers. Of this 34% of respondents, a majority of people are in the process of switching to a different solution for managing the distribution of driver updates, with only eight percent raising concerns that the depreciation will impact them. Although Microsoft doesn't explicitly mention the reason behind this move, the numbers suggest the company no longer finds the WSUS driver synchronization feature worthy of being maintained in the future. If you're an IT admin and think that the depreciation will impact you, Microsoft encourages you to transition to an alternative solution.

Screenshot of a Windows 11 desktop with the Windows Update page showing updates are paused

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