Intel Ships First Windows 11 Driver Built for Microsoft's Driver Quality Initiative
Intel has become the first hardware maker to release a public Windows 11 driver shaped by Microsoft's Driver Quality Initiative, starting with Wi-Fi driver version 24.50.0. Arc graphics drivers are expected to follow.
The driver in question is Intel's Wi-Fi driver for Windows 11, version 24.50.0, which also covers the company's Bluetooth hardware. In the release notes, Intel said the package applies "enhancements aligned with Microsoft's Windows ecosystem quality initiative." Windows Latest examined Intel's wireless drivers and found they "follow early DQI practices," although the report notes that the full scope of the initiative has yet to be implemented.
More is expected from Intel. According to TechRadar, the company is set to apply the same work to its Arc graphics drivers, and it has already added support for Windows 11 26H2 in its October graphics driver update.
Other PC hardware makers are testing drivers and working toward DQI compliance, but Intel is so far the only company to have shipped a public Windows 11 update that benefits from the changes, the report said. TechRadar said it expects the effort to bear fruit within a couple of months.
Microsoft's Driver Quality Initiative goes beyond preventing crashes. According to the report, it also targets tighter security and higher-quality drivers that do not drag down performance or push laptops into overheating and excessive battery drain. Outdated drivers, or those that fail to meet the new quality bar, will be removed from Microsoft's operating system.
TechRadar's analysis said the initiative should lead to more stable drivers for Windows 11 and therefore fewer crashes with the OS. The publication added that Microsoft still needs to address how it polices its own Windows 11 updates, along with its internal quality assurance and testing processes.