Microsoft blocks Windows 11 2022 Update, Microsoft released the Windows 11 2022 Update (or version 22H2) last week on September 20th, and it should be available for most devices that are already running Windows 11. As usual, there are some safeguard holds on specific devices that might have issues with the update. Now, Microsoft has acknowledged an issue that might prevent certain printers from working properly with the Windows 11 2022 Update, and it has blocked the update for devices with these printers.
According to the company, some PCs may experience issues with printers that use a Microsoft IPP Class Driver or Universal Print Class Driver that have connectivity issues to the PC. These printers require connectivity for Windows to recognize the full suite of settings they offer, and if set up without connectivity, they only allow you to use the default settings. That means many features might not work, such as being able to print in color, use dual-sided printing, and other custom settings you might set for each print job. That could render printers basically useless for some, so it’s understandably a major issue.
Microsoft says it’s working to resolve the problem in a future update, but in the meantime, the company has placed a compatibility hold on devices that have printers installed using these drivers. That means your PC won’t be able to detect the Windows 11 2022 Update through Windows Update as long as you have those printers installed. If you want to upgrade, you’ll have to uninstall the affected printers from your PC Google is Introducing, and after that, the update should show up within 48 hours, assuming no other compatibility holds are in place for your device. Otherwise, you’ll simply have to wait for the problem to be fixed.
If you’ve already upgraded to the Windows 11 2022 Update and you’re experiencing the issues described above, Microsoft says you can work around the problems by uninstalling and reinstalling the printer, which should let you use the printer normally again. While Microsoft works on a resolution, the company is warning users not to use tools like the Windows 11 Update Assistant to force the upgrade to version 22H2. While the update will install, it may trigger the issues above, which can take some time to fix.
Earlier this month, Microsoft issued a fix for an issue where USB printers might stop working when you restart or reinstall them on the original release of Windows 11. That’s a separate issue, however, so the problems mentioned above are still valid.