[German]A brief update on a topic that caused quite a stir here on the blog in early February 2026, but was then quietly resolved by Microsoft on February 25, 2026. The issue was that Microsoft will be using Mopria printer drivers in Windows 11 and subsequent OS versions in the future. However, Windows 11 will continue to support older drivers.
The Windows 11 Mopria printer driver error
Microsoft wants to move away from its old legacy V3 and V4 printer drivers for printers. The goal is to use the new, universal IPP printer drivers certified for Mopria during automatic printer installation. The Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) is a standardized network protocol that allows computers to communicate with printers locally or via the Internet without the need for specific drivers.
Mopria is a standard designed to provide a simple and seamless way to print or scan on any Mopria-certified printer. This applies not only to Windows but also to Android and Chromebooks. The standard is defined by the Mopria Alliance, an association of printer and scanner manufacturers and producers of related software that develops "universal standards and solutions for scanning and printing." The alliance was founded in September 2013 by Canon, HP, Samsung, and Xerox.
I already published a post Windows 3rd party printer driver: Microsoft switches to Mopria support; new legacy drivers won't be shipped via Windows Update(from 2025) on this topic on September 8, 2023. At that time, Microsoft announced that the distribution of older printer drivers via Windows Update would eventually be phased out.
The screenshot above shows the slightly updated version of the dates as they stood at the beginning of February 2026. It stated that from January 15, 2026, no new printer drivers for Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025 and subsequent operating system versions would be distributed via Windows Update. Existing printer drivers would be updated via Windows Update on a case-by-case basis.
In early February 2026, several articles appeared online discussing a change in the Windows 11 roadmap. These articles referred to the Microsoft Support article End of servicing plan for third-party printer drivers on Windows dated September 6, 2023, and the roadmap for the end of support for old printer drivers, which was available there but has since been updated (see the table above).
The articles could be interpreted in a way, that Windows 11 won't support legacy printer driver in future and printer would be electronic waste. The issue seems to have caused some confusion worldwide after Windows Central addressed it in this article. This prompted Microsoft to issue a clarification to Windows Central. Zack Bowden had already addressed the issue on February 25, 2026, in the Windows Central article Microsoft was wrong: Windows 11 is not ending support for legacy printer drivers after all. A Microsoft spokesperson clarified to Windows Central:
"Windows has not ended support for legacy printer drivers. If your printer works with Windows today, it will continue to work, and no action is required. As of Jan 15, 2026, legacy drivers submitted to Windows Hardware Quality Labs and published to Windows Update will only be approved on a case-by-case basis, as described in the End of Servicing Plan for Third-Party Printer Drivers on Windows on Microsoft Learn"
