Intel is rolling out Universal Windows Drivers that are required for Windows 10 1809.
Intel is alerting Windows 10 users that it will be providing Modern Windows Drivers for its chips from November 2018.
The new Modern Windows Drivers, also called Universal Windows Drivers (UWD), are targeted at Windows 10’s Universal Windows Platform (UWP).
Microsoft is requiring UWDs for the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, version 1809, and beyond. The change also applies to Windows Server 2019 and later.
Users will be able to roll back to a legacy driver, but Intel recommends against doing this because it could cause system instability, which is « especially pertinent to graphics drivers ».
Intel says it’s been working with Microsoft to ensure a smooth transition, and notes there shouldn’t be an impact to users’ experience.
Intel graphics controllers that will receive an update to Modern Windows Drivers include:
While users are unlikely to see any changes in their experience of Intel graphics, there are some notable changes to how the modern drivers are installed. For example, it could be extremely risky to use ‘ INF/Have disk installation ‘ to install the UWDs.
Intel notes in an FAQ that during the transition to UWDs « you can only use the Installer (.exe) provided by Intel or your computer manufacturer ».
Using ‘Have-Disk installation’ bypasses the required Intel installer, and « can result in minor to catastrophic issues on your system and system instability ».
