Microsoft Won't Kill Support For Your Legacy Printer In Windows 11 After All

If you've been stressing out about Microsoft abandoning driver support for your legacy printer in Windows 11 based on messaging it relayed in its Windows Roadmap document, stress no more. In no uncertain terms, Microsoft confirmed that if your crusty old printer is currently working in Windows, it will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

That wasn't necessarily the case just a few short weeks ago. Originally, Microsoft stated in its Windows Roadmap document that starting in January of this year, "Windows will no longer support V3 and V4 printer drivers. These older models were announced as deprecated in September 2023."

One of my least favorite things to do is troubleshoot a printer issue—I'd rather dip myself in honey and fight off a swarm of bees. Printers are notorious for being finicky with Windows (and other platforms, really), and so abandoning driver support for older models was certainly not welcome news for those affected.

The silver lining at the time was that Microsoft's apparent decision to abandon older models wouldn't necessarily kill them right way. Users of affected models would likely still be able to print in Windows depending on the circumstance. However, as Microsoft also noted at the time, printers that depend on a V3 or V4 driver "may stop installing or working after support ends." Users of older printers would be dependent on procuring drivers from their printer's manufacturer and then cross their fingers that everything would work out.

Fortunately, it's now a moot point. In a statement made to Windows Central, Microsoft walked backed its previous messaging, which it said was "inaccurate and has since been removed."

"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," Microsoft said.

In fairness to Microsoft, all that's really changed is its messaging, which originally sounded a bit alarmist. What's actually happening is that printer makers will not be able to submit updated drivers for legacy models to Microsoft to be certified for Windows Update (though there are exceptions).