Based on all reports, it is not possible since 1703, but you can still try: Code: rem Prevent device metadata retrieval from the Internet / Do not automatically download manufacturers’ apps and custom icons available for your devices reg add "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Device Metadata" /v "PreventDeviceMetadataFromNetwork" /t REG_DWORD /d "1" /f sc config DsmSvc start= disabled rem Do you want Windows to download driver Software / 0 - Never / 1 - Allways / 2 - Install driver Software, if it is not found on my computer reg add "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DriverSearching" /v "SearchOrderConfig" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f rem Specify search order for device driver source locations reg add "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DriverSearching" /v "DontSearchWindowsUpdate" /t REG_DWORD /d "1" /f reg add "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DriverSearching" /v "DriverUpdateWizardWuSearchEnabled" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f rem 1 - Disable driver updates in Windows Update reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /v "ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate" /t REG_DWORD /d "1" /f
The "ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate" entry was introduced in 1607 and it still works in 1709, it should be the only entry required but doesn't hurt to have the other ones.
I am always disable driver downloading via gpedit.msc and it always works. See an answer above for regedit version of this trick. No. Device drivers could be downloaded via BOTH device manager AND windows update. This cause lead to opinion that driver downloading could not be stopped in Windows 10. Wrong.
I guess so. I did all those tweaks (except "ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate", not available or made public before 1607, MS says that option is 1607+ or at least exposed in GPEdit since then, but I can't find any mention of it pre-1607) via registry because I have never, ever seen the “Never install driver software from Windows Update” in Device Installation Settings (the only option available was to disable the fancy icons, disabled by default), for some reason websites show DIS with more options but none of my machines ever gave those options. When disabling it via registry didn't work I kept trying and trying, maybe I got the values wrong, but nothing. I've never known Device Manager to automatically download and install drivers, unless you explicitly told it to search. There was also the “Prevent installation of devices not described by other policy settings” and other settings, as I can recall never actually stopped WU from downloading the drivers (install would probably fail because of GP, though) That just leaves me with ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate, on some machines I do want it to automatically update so I just delete that single entry to allow it.