Legacy printers won't become paperweights after all. Microsoft clarified earlier this week that Windows 11 continues to support older V3 and V4 printer drivers, reversing course on a confusing roadmap update that suggested deprecation was imminent.
The company told Windows Central that existing printers will keep working without any user intervention.
"Windows has not ended support for legacy printer drivers," a spokesperson said. "If your printer works with Windows today, it will continue to work."
Confusion began last month when Microsoft's official roadmap indicated V3 and V4 driver support would be phased out. That language has since been removed from documentation.
The inaccurate update raised alarms among IT administrators and home users who rely on older hardware that lacks modern driver support.
Only new submissions face restrictions starting January 15, 2026. Hardware manufacturers submitting fresh legacy drivers to Windows Update certification must now seek case-by-case approval through Microsoft's Hardware Quality Labs program.
Devices already deployed continue operating normally under existing agreements.
This clarification arrives alongside February's optional Windows updates, which add network speed monitoring to the taskbar and camera controls in Settings. The company also continues testing AI features like window sharing with Copilot through recent builds.
Microsoft maintains backward compatibility while gradually tightening certification requirements for new hardware submissions. The approach balances modern security standards with practical reality—millions of aging printers still function in offices and homes worldwide.
