Microsoft says it's going to 'fundamentally raise the bar' on driver quality, reliability and security across Windows

While Windows has represented my go-to operating system more often than not, that doesn't mean I especially like using it. Microsoft appears to be all too aware of begrudging use cases such as my own, as it's recently committed to making all things Windows 11 'better'. Most recently, it's Windows' drivers that are enjoying a concerted improvement effort.

At WinHEC 2026 (the first Windows Hardware Engineering Conference since 2018), the company introduced the Driver Quality Initiative (DQI), "a comprehensive, ecosystem-wide effort designed to fundamentally raise the bar on driver quality, reliability and security across Windows."

"Drivers sit at the heart of every Windows experience. They connect the OS to the silicon, components and peripherals that make Windows one of the most versatile platforms in the industry," Microso...