By Mark Hachman
Publication Date: 2026-02-25 18:20:00
Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- Microsoft reversed its initial plan to deprecate legacy V3 and V4 printer drivers, clarifying that existing older printers will continue functioning normally.
- PCWorld reports that while manufacturers cannot submit new drivers for older printers, current drivers remain unaffected and operational.
- Security concerns persist for legacy printers since they may not receive new patches, though Windows 11’s Protected Print Mode offers additional protection.
Microsoft has walked back a controversial change to its feature roadmap that would have put millions of older printers at risk.
Earlier this month, Microsoft’s feature roadmap page had indicated that older “V3” and “V4” printer drivers would be deprecated, or ended. If a user’s printer depended on those drivers, it would cease to work, supposedly. But as we noted then: “To be clear, this means that legacy V3 or V4 printers will continue to work as normal, but won’t…
