- Windows 11 will stop supporting V3 and V4 printer drivers starting in January 2026.
- The measure will mainly affect older printers in SMEs, educational centers and homes.
- Microsoft promotes the use of the IPP class driver and modern printing solutions for security.
- It is recommended to check for updated drivers, plan for replacement, and, as a last resort, uninstall the update.
Starting in early 2026, Many older printers will no longer be compatible with Windows 11It is not an isolated failure or a massive breakdown, but the result of a Microsoft plan to remove print drivers considered "legacy" from the system.
The company had already given notice some time ago, but now the key date is approaching: With the KB5074105 update and Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, the V3 and V4 drivers will disappear.For those who still rely on an older printer, especially in small businesses or educational institutions, this can become a serious problem if no action is taken in advance.
What exactly stops working in Windows 11
The change focuses on printer drivers V3 and V4These are driver architectures introduced over a decade ago and present in earlier versions of Windows. Many printers released before and during the Windows 7, 8, and even some from the Windows 10 era still rely on these drivers to print.
With the arrival of update KB5074105, Windows 11 will no longer support those drivers in the 24H2 and 25H2 editions.Microsoft has made this clear in its official documentation: as of January 2026, the system will no longer support these devices if they rely exclusively on V3 or V4 to function.
In practice, this means that The affected printers may fail to install, fail to configure, or stop printing overnight. after applying the new updates. This isn't just a simple on-screen warning: if the driver is essential and there's no alternative, the printer may become completely unusable in Windows 11.
Despite the forcefulness of the measure, Microsoft emphasizes that Most home users with relatively recent printers will not notice any changeThis is because current models usually use more modern controllers or universal solutions that will continue to function normally.
A plan announced more than two years in advance
This move is not improvised: Microsoft announced the retirement of the V3 and V4 drivers back in September 2023.Since then, both manufacturers and users have had a little over two years to adapt, update drivers, or upgrade hardware.
The turning point is in January 2026, when Windows 11 begins the final rollout of support for these legacy driversFrom then on, the system will no longer recognize them as a valid option and will prioritize the use of modern printing technologies, such as the IPP class driver.
In addition to the January cutoff, Microsoft's own technical documentation describes a a phased roadmap affecting Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025First, new printer drivers are no longer published on Windows Update, then absolute priority is given to the integrated IPP driver, and finally, third-party driver updates are almost completely restricted, except for critical security patches.
With this calendar, Microsoft makes it clear that the era of traditional printer drivers has an expiration date.and that printing in Windows 11 should revolve around current standards that are easier to maintain and more secure.
Why is Microsoft removing older printer drivers?
The underlying reason is not arbitrary: The V3 and V4 controllers have gained a reputation for being problematic in terms of stability and security.The Windows printing architecture has been plagued by high-profile incidents for years, with the Print Spooler service being a frequent source of vulnerabilities and failures.
As the company explains, Maintaining support for these legacy drivers required dedicating resources to maintaining increasingly obsolete components.This added burden made it difficult to strengthen the system against attacks and complicated the development of new, more secure features.
By removing the old drivers, Microsoft intends Reduce the attack surface, simplify the printing ecosystem, and focus on technologies such as IPP (Internet Printing Protocol)., the IPP class driver integrated into Windows 10 and 11 and the Print Support Apps available in the Microsoft Store.
In short, the company is committed to a more predictable model, with fewer legacy parts and less chance of an outdated driver breaking the systemHowever, that leaves out those who continue to use printers that only work with those older components.
Who in Spain and Europe is most likely to be affected?
Although Microsoft insists that The percentage of affected users will be low in the overall marketHowever, there are groups in Spain and the rest of Europe that can feel the impact more directly.
On one hand, there are SMEs and professional offices that have been working for years with robust but outdated printersMany of these devices, from brands like HP, Lexmark, Kyocera, and other common ones, still perform well mechanically, but they depend on specific driver packages that are no longer updated.
Secondly, it is likely that Educational institutions, local administrations, and small academies continue to use outdated printing equipmentThis is precisely because the initial investment has been stretched to its limit. In these environments, an operating system change combined with the removal of drivers can result in service interruptions in administrative offices, classrooms, or libraries.
Nor should we forget home users with printers over ten years old that still work "because they print just enough." If these devices are connected to a PC updated to Windows 11 24H2 or 25H2 and only have V3 or V4 drivers, it is very likely that they will become unusable without an official solution.
In all these cases, Microsoft's announcement regarding January 2026 is not a mere technical detail.It requires checking which printers are used, which drivers are installed, and whether or not there is a modern alternative before the deadline.
What can users do when support ends?
Microsoft's first recommendation is quite clear: Contact the printer manufacturer and check if there is an updated driver or a universal driver compatible with newer versions of Windows 11.or check the printer's network connection; for example, how Change the Wi-Fi network on HP printers.
If no recent drivers appear on the manufacturer's website and the model is listed as discontinued, the situation becomes more complicated: The only reasonable solution may be to plan to replace the printer with a current model.It's a decision that involves expense, but it avoids running out of printing capacity right after a system update.
For those already experiencing problems after an automatic update, There is an option to uninstall update KB5074105 as a temporary measureThe process involves going to Settings, entering Windows Update, checking the update history, and using the "Uninstall updates" option to remove the specific package, always after backing up your data.
It should be noted that Uninstalling the update only delays the problem and may leave the system without recent patches.Therefore, it's not a permanent solution. It does, however, buy some time while a compatible driver is found or the printer is replaced.
In parallel, Microsoft encourages Migrate to the IPP class driver and modern printing solutions integrated into Windows 10 and 11These options, in addition to being more secure, avoid relying on third-party software that is often abandoned over time.
This entire movement is part of a broader strategy in which Microsoft is trying to modernize key components of Windows 11After several controversial updates and an inconsistent history of stability, the printing subsystem, with its legacy drivers and accumulated vulnerabilities, was a natural candidate for overhaul.
For users and organizations in Spain and the rest of Europe, The underlying message is that the era of surviving indefinitely with very old printers and outdated drivers is coming to an end.Reviewing what hardware you're using, talking to manufacturers, and planning timely upgrades can prevent more than one headache when Windows 11 completes this change starting in January 2026.
