Windows 10 has removed one method of updating device drivers for those running the most recent May 2020 Update, namely via Device Manager.

Microsoft quietly made this move without any announcement with the recent cumulative update for Windows 10 May 2020 Update (build 19041.423), which arrived with a bunch of bug fixes (not to mention another hidden element – a new Start menu lurking behind-the-scenes).

Prior to this update, when visiting Device Manager and poring over your PC’s various installed devices, there’s an option to ‘search automatically for drivers’ which connects to Microsoft’s servers and searches for an updated driver, downloading and installing one if it exists.

Head elsewhere
However, as Windows Latest spotted, this facility has now been disabled in the May 2020 Update – although if a newer driver is already present on your PC’s drive, it can still be installed in Device Manager. But if you want to actively search for the most recent driver online – which is usually the case – Device Manager will simply inform you that there ‘may be better drivers on Windows Update’ or at the manufacturer’s website.

In other words, those who wish to update directly under Windows 10 will now have to head to Windows Update in Settings, which in all likelihood is where you head for updates anyway (or alternatively, visit the downloads page or appropriate section of the manufacturer’s site).

While this might be one less option for updating device drivers, it makes sense to keep things all under one roof, and in a way this is simply Microsoft tidying up, which is something the firm has promised to do in various areas of Windows 10 (where there remain multiple routes to achieve the same end, possibly to the confusion of the less tech-savvy).

Story Here

I hate software developers. In general, not specifically due to this change since I don't use this very often. I also hate the average users that they're catering to.

There's a continuous dumbing down of interfaces. Then they start hiding useful items elsewhere. Then they get rid of the easiest ways to find things and you've got to find a whole new round-about way of getting places...

When Microsoft rolled out the ribbon in their Office products, the first thing I did was look for a way to turn it off. But of course there's never a way to turn off this bullshit.

"Hiding useful items" Hahaha yep, for instance as one example I still use the screen saver function to blank the screen. But in >>Personalize<< on the desktop you have to enter 'saver' in the little search box to get to the screen saver settings.

They are also getting rid of the control panel soon ...
Well, the quickest way to get to it anyway ...

I actually kind of like the fact that Windows isn't going to do the drivers anymore, because sometimes it would fuck up systems because it would install whatever drivers it wanted to whether they were valid or not ... I think they should still have a driver base considering it's their operating system, however, give us a little more control over what drivers are actually installed ....
You know, like every other driver updating program out there ...

Yep third part is the way to go.

I'm not saying it's a bad idea that they have a driver pool, I'm just saying that they should let us have say over it ...
Otherwise, obviously third party is the way to go ...