Step-by-Step Guide to Disable Driver Signature Enforcement in Windows 10

How to Disable Driver Signature Enforcement on Windows 10

Updated as of September 8, 2025: Disabling driver signature enforcement in Windows 10 is a necessary measure when you need to install unsigned drivers. This guide presents two effective methods for achieving this, ensuring your system remains functional while you manage your drivers effectively.

Driver signature enforcement is a critical security feature in Windows 10, designed to protect your system by allowing only those drivers that have been digitally signed by Microsoft. This mechanism helps to ensure that the driver code has not been tampered with, which ultimately safeguards your operating system’s integrity.

Despite its protective role, there are situations where bypassing this enforcement is necessary. Users may need to install legacy drivers that are no longer updated, utilize hardware that lacks valid signed drivers, or test custom drivers during development. Fortunately, Windows 10 offers multiple ways to disable this feature temporarily or permanently.

Disable driver signature enforcement via Settings
Disable driver signature enforcement using Command Prompt

Disabling Driver Signature Enforcement via Settings

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to disable driver signature enforcement through the Windows Settings application:

Launch Settings: Open the Settings app on your Windows 10 device.
Navigate to Update & Security: Click on Update & Security located under “Advanced startup.”
Access Restart Menu: Click the “Restart now” button to reboot your computer.
Go to Troubleshoot: Select Troubleshoot from the menu.
Choose Advanced options: Select Advanced options to proceed.
Access Startup Settings: Click on Startup Settings.
Restart Again: Hit the Restart button once more.
Select Disable Driver Signature Enforcement: Upon reboot, press F7 or 7 to choose the option to Disable driver signature enforcement.

Upon completion, your Windows 10 system will operate with driver signature enforcement disabled, enabling the installation of unsigned drivers. Remember, after a subsequent restart, this feature will be re-enabled, requiring you to follow these steps again for future installations.

Disabling Driver Signature Enforcement Using Command Prompt

If you prefer using the Command Prompt for a temporary workaround, follow these instructions:

Access Start Menu: Click on the Start menu.
Open Command Prompt as Administrator: Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select Run as administrator.
Enable Test Signing Mode: Enter the following command and press Enter: bcdedit /set testsigning on
Restart Your Computer: After executing the command, reboot your system.

This process allows you to install unsigned drivers even after a reboot. If you choose to disable test mode later, simply repeat these steps but use bcdedit /set testsigning off in Step 3 instead.

Should you encounter notifications about Secure Boot being enabled while trying to enable test mode, it’s advisable to use the Settings app method described earlier.

Permanently Disabling Driver Signature Enforcement

For those who wish to disable driver signature enforcement indefinitely, follow these steps:

Open Start Menu: Click on the Start button.
Launch Command Prompt as Administrator: Search for Command Prompt, right-click the entry, and select Run as administrator.
Execute Command to Disable: Input the command below and hit Enter: bcdedit /set nointegritychecks on
Restart Your Computer: Finally, restart your device.

Once completed, you will have the capability to install unsigned drivers on your Windows 10 system. To revert this change, follow the same steps but replace the command in Step 3 with bcdedit /set nointegritychecks off before restarting.

Note: This guide has been updated to reflect the latest methods and ensure effective guidance.

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