Microsoft to Phase Out WSUS Driver Synchronization in 2025

Key Takeaways:

• Microsoft will deprecate the driver synchronization feature in WSUS on April 18, 2025, and advise customers to transition to cloud-based driver services.
• Only 34% of WSUS users utilize the driver synchronization feature, with many already seeking alternative solutions.
• Administrators can switch to tools like Microsoft Intune and Windows Update for Business for driver updates.

Microsoft has announced its plans to phase out the drive synchronization feature in Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) on April 18, 2025. The company has advised commercial customers to migrate to the new cloud-based driver services.

WSUS driver synchronization allows administrators to automate the process of distributing driver updates within their organizations. They can approve and deploy specific driver updates to enhance the stability and hardware compatibility of Windows devices. This service offers bandwidth optimization by downloading updates once to the WSUS server.

While WSUS driver synchronization offers various benefits, it also comes with limitations. WSUS primarily focuses on Microsoft drivers, and it may not cover third-party hardware components or specialized drivers. Additionally, manual approval of driver updates by IT admins can be time-consuming, which could potentially cause deployment delays. WSUS also requires significant storage space for storing driver updates, particularly impacting customers with large networks.

In a recent survey, Microsoft found that only 34% of participants use the tool to manage driver update distribution. Interestingly, most commercial customers are now exploring alternative solutions for managing their updates.

“Out of the participants who use WSUS, only 34% reported that they use it to synchronize drivers. Most of this 34% reported that they are in the process of implementing a different solution and don’t anticipate any problems with deprecation. Only 8% of participants indicated concerns over potential effects from deprecation, and we want to help everyone to get ready,” Microsoft explained.

How to prepare for the deprecation of WSUS driver synchronization?

Going forward, administrators will need to manually download driver updates from the Microsoft Update Catalog or adopt a third-party management solution. Alternatively, IT admins can utilize management tools such as Microsoft Intune and Windows Update for Business to facilitate driver updates across enterprise environments.

Microsoft’s decision to phase out WSUS in favor of more sophisticated technologies reflects the evolving IT landscape, where cloud solutions play an increasingly pivotal role. Overall, IT professionals are preparing for this transition by investigating alternative methods for distributing drivers across their networks.