Microsoft has alerted administrators that the function for importing and distributing drivers through Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) will be deprecated very soon, with an official end date set for April 18, 2025. This was reiterated recently through a notification in the Windows Release Health Message Center, emphasizing the need for users utilizing Driver Synchronization Updates via WSUS to prepare for this impending change.
Previously announced last year, this alteration is part of a broader transition, marking a significant reduction in functionality for WSUS as it is moved towards a phase-out of support. As of the end date, drivers will still be available for on-premises environments through the Microsoft Update Catalog, but users will no longer be able to import them into WSUS. Instead, alternative solutions must be utilized, such as Device Driver Packages or cloud-based driver management services like Microsoft’s Intune and Windows Autopatch.
For further information, affected users are encouraged to revisit Microsoft’s original announcement, though access to it has been inconsistent recently. Fortunately, the Internet Archive has archived relevant details, along with links to commercial WSUS alternatives.
This change reflects Microsoft’s ongoing shift towards cloud-based solutions, indicating that the end of WSUS is part of a broader strategy that will extend beyond April 2025. Although WSUS will still be operational in Windows Server 2025, and updates will continue to be distributed via its channel for the foreseeable future, the platform’s functionalities are no longer being actively developed.
In summary, WSUS’s gradual decline represents a pivotal shift in how Microsoft intends to deliver driver updates and manage devices moving forward.