14 DAY TRIAL // Starting with Windows 10 version 1809 (October 2018 Update), printer and scanner drivers no longer come as part of the standard operating system image.
This means that drivers for such hardware need to be installed from Windows Update, therefore an Internet connection is required to download the most recent software.
In a recent announcement, Microsoft explains that the change has been implemented specifically with the purpose of making the Windows image lighter.
“Starting with Windows 10, version 1809, inbox print and scan drivers have moved to Windows Update. Prior versions of Windows included basic printer drivers that enabled simple printing when a full feature driver was not available. To reduce the Windows footprint and provide more storage space to users, these drivers no longer ship with the OS and instead are available through Windows Update,” the company says.
While this approach may cause issues in certain cases, Microsoft says drivers for printers and scanners will be handled to make the implementation of the new system as smooth as possible.
Betting big on the Mopria standard
Users upgrading from an older version of Windows 10 to October 2018 Update wouldn’t notice any difference because the hardware is already installed. On the other hand, those who install new printers or scanners on Windows 10 October 2018 Update will be required to get the software from Windows Update, with drivers automatically downloaded and installed on the system.
If access to Windows Update isn’t available, like in the cases when an Internet connection does not exist, Microsoft says Windows 10 would install Mopria-compatible printers without the need for other drivers.
While not all printers are compatible with Mopria, which could obviously lead to driver issues, Microsoft says it has specifically updated version 1809 to support this standard.
“Starting with Windows 10, version 1809, Windows has added support for Mopria-compatible Wi-Fi printers. When a driver is not available, Windows can install these printers without you needing to install any additional software or drivers,” it says.
The company hasn’t revealed how much space it gained by removing printer drivers from the Windows image.