Windows is quietly retiring the print drivers it has relied on for twenty years. Manufacturers stopped publishing new ones to Windows Update back in January 2026. From July 2026, a fresh printer install on Windows defaults to a built-in driver instead of whatever came in the box. By 2027, Microsoft wants that shift to become the norm rather than the exception.
If you manage printers for a business, or you’re due to replace one, this matters more than it sounds. Here’s what Windows Ready Print, Windows Protected Print Mode and Microsoft 365 Universal Print actually do, why Microsoft is pushing them, and what to check before your next printer purchase.
What Is Windows Ready Print?
Windows Ready Print is Microsoft’s name for its modern printing setup: IPP-based, driverless by default, and built around a single inbox driver that Windows already includes rather than one downloaded from a manufacturer. From July 2026, eligible Windows devices use it automatically for new printer installations.
You’ll find the setting under Settings, then Bluetooth & Devices, then Printers & Scanners, as a toggle labelled “Default install printers using Windows Ready Print.” Switch it on and Windows prefers the built-in IPP driver whenever your printer supports it. Older or unsupported printers still fall back to their manufacturer’s driver, so nothing breaks overnight.
What Is Windows Protected Print Mode?
Windows Protected Print Mode, often shortened to WPP, is the stricter version. Turn it on and Windows removes every third-party print driver from the system outright. No fallback, no exceptions. Only printers that speak IPP through the Microsoft class driver keep working, which in practice means Mopria certified devices.
The motivation is security, not tidiness. Print drivers run with some of the highest privileges in Windows, and that combination has caused real damage before: PrintNightmare, the 2021 vulnerability that let attackers run code as SYSTEM through the print spooler, is the case most IT teams remember. Industry write-ups citing Microsoft’s own security telemetry put print-stack issues at close to 9% of all Windows vulnerabilities. Removing third-party drivers closes off a large chunk of that attack surface in one move.
WPP is off by default today, and it stays off unless you or your IT administrator turns it on through Settings or Group Policy. Microsoft has said it intends WPP to become the default by 2027, though no firm date has been confirmed for that step.
| Date | Milestone | What It Means For You |
|---|---|---|
| 15 January 2026 | Manufacturers stop publishing new print drivers to Windows Update for Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025 | Any printer that still needed a new driver to work properly is already affected |
| 1 July 2026 | Windows Ready Print becomes the default for new printer installations | Non-Mopria printers still install, but only via the older OEM driver path as a fallback |
| 1 July 2027 | Third-party driver updates on Windows Update limited to security fixes only | Windows Protected Print Mode is Microsoft’s stated intention for the default from this point, though no firm date is confirmed |
What Is Microsoft 365 Universal Print?
Universal Print solves a different problem. Instead of changing how a single PC talks to a single printer, it replaces the on-premises print server altogether. It’s a cloud service, included with Microsoft 365 E3, E5 and Business Premium subscriptions or available standalone, that lets a business manage every printer centrally through the Microsoft 365 admin centre rather than a Windows Server box in a cupboard.
Licensing works by print job, not by page, user or printer. Each licence adds a set number of jobs to a shared pool for the whole organisation, and extra volume can be bought in blocks if you run out. For printers that don’t support Universal Print natively, a Universal Print Connector installed on an existing server acts as a bridge, so older hardware doesn’t need replacing on day one.
How Windows Ready Print and Universal Print Fit Together
These two changes sit at different levels of the same strategy. Windows Ready Print and Protected Print Mode operate at the device level, on individual Windows PCs. Universal Print operates at the infrastructure level, managing printers centrally in the cloud. Both point in the same direction: away from locally installed drivers and print servers, and towards the IPP standard that Mopria certification guarantees.
A business running Universal Print already gets most of the benefit here, since it was built on IPP from the outset. A business still running local print servers and manufacturer drivers has more to think about as both changes roll out over the next year.
What This Means When You’re Buying a Printer Now
Check Mopria certification before you buy. Microsoft’s own guidance notes that most printers sold today, and over 120 million already in use, are Mopria certified, so this is unlikely to rule out a mainstream new printer. It matters more for older, refurbished or budget stock, and for scanners: some Mopria certified devices still lose scanning functionality specifically under Windows Protected Print Mode, even though printing keeps working.
You can check any model against the Mopria certified products database before you buy. If you’re replacing ageing office printers this year, it’s worth treating Mopria certification as a standard checklist item alongside speed, running costs and paper handling, not an afterthought.
Printerbase’s laser printer range is stocked with current models from Brother, Canon, HP, Kyocera, Lexmark, Oki and Xerox, the large majority of which are Mopria certified out of the box.
| Feature | Legacy Print Drivers | Windows Ready Print | Windows Protected Print Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver Used | Manufacturer-supplied (Type 3/Type 4) | Built-in Microsoft IPP class driver, preferred by default | Built-in Microsoft IPP class driver, exclusively |
| Printer Requirement | Any driver-supported printer | Works best with Mopria certified printers | Mopria certified printers only |
| Fallback Available | N/A | Yes, drops back to OEM driver if needed | None |
| Enabled By Default | Historically, yes | Yes, from July 2026 for new installs | No, admin or user must turn it on |
| Best For | Legacy printers with no IPP support | Most current business printers | Security-conscious environments, Mopria-only fleets |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Microsoft’s new print platform?
It’s Microsoft’s move away from locally installed print drivers and on-premises print servers, delivered through two related changes: Windows Ready Print and Windows Protected Print Mode at the device level, and Microsoft 365 Universal Print at the infrastructure level.
Is Windows Ready Print the same as Windows Protected Print Mode?
No, though they’re closely linked. Windows Ready Print is the broader default-to-IPP behaviour with a fallback still available for unsupported printers. Windows Protected Print Mode is the strict version built on top of it, with no fallback and Mopria certification required.
Will my current printer stop working?
Not immediately. Windows Ready Print keeps the older driver path available as a fallback. Only Windows Protected Print Mode removes third-party drivers outright, and that mode stays off unless you or your administrator switches it on.
What is Mopria certification and how do I check if my printer has it?
Mopria is an industry alliance that certifies printers to a common IPP and eSCL standard, so they work without a manufacturer-specific driver. You can search any model on the Mopria certified products database.
Do I need Microsoft 365 Universal Print for this to affect me?
No. Windows Ready Print and Protected Print Mode apply to any Windows PC, with or without Universal Print. Universal Print is a separate, optional service for centrally managing printers in the cloud instead of through an on-premises print server.
Do I need to replace my printers before July 2027?
Only if they aren’t Mopria certified and you plan to enable Windows Protected Print Mode. Non-certified printers continue working under standard Windows Ready Print, since the OEM driver fallback remains available unless WPP is switched on.
Where can I buy Mopria-certified printers?
Printerbase stocks current laser printers from Brother, Canon, HP, Kyocera, Lexmark, Oki and Xerox, the majority of which are Mopria certified as standard.
Need Help or More Information ?
If you have any questions about choosing the right printer for your business, get in touch with our team via our Contact Us page, call us on 0161 308 5800, or use Live Chat during business hours.
