How to disable driver signature enforcement on Windows 10

If you need to install unsigned drivers on Windows 10, you first have to disable the default enforcement of signature, and in this guide, you'll learn how to complete this task.

Windows 10 disable driver signature enforcement
Windows 10 disable driver signature enforcement
  • To disable driver signature enforcement on Windows 10, open Settings > Update & Security and click “Restart now,” then open the “Startup Settings” page, click “Restart,” and type “F7” or “7” to select the “Disable driver signature enforcement” option.
  • On Windows 10, it’s also possible to disable the signature enforcement through Command Prompt using the “bcdedit /set nointegritychecks on” command.

UPDATED 4/11/2023: On Windows 10, you can disable the “driver signature enforcement” feature to install unsigned drivers in at least two ways, and in this guide, you’ll learn how. The driver signature enforcement is a security feature built into Windows 10 that locks down the system and only allows the use of drivers that Microsoft has signed.

Although it’s a good approach to verify the integrity of the code and identity of the publisher to make sure the package hasn’t been altered, there will be times when you may need to install an old driver from a trusted source, a device without a signed driver from its manufacturer, or test an unsigned driver that you created.

Regardless of the reason, Windows 10 includes at least two ways to disable the signature enforcement to install unsigned drivers using the Startup settings and test mode.

This guide will teach you the steps to disable signature enforcement to allow the installation of unsigned drivers on Windows 10.

Disable driver signature enforcement on Windows 10 from Settings app

To disable signature enforcement on Windows 10, use these steps:

  1. Open Settings on Windows 10.

  2. Click on Update & Security.

  3. Under the “Advanced startup” section, click the “Restart now” button.

    Advanced startup option

  4. Click on Troubleshoot.

  5. Click on Advanced options.

  6. Click on Startup Settings.

    Startup settings option

  7. Click the Restart button.

    Windows 10 restart options

  8. Press the “F7” or the “7” key to select the “Disable driver signature enforcement” option on Windows 10.

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Once you complete the steps, Windows 10 will boot with the signature enforcement disabled, allowing you to install unsigned drivers as necessary. Then during the next restart, the driver signature enforcement will be enabled again, and you’ll need to repeat the steps to install another driver.

Disable driver signature enforcement on Windows 10 from Command Prompt

To turn off signature enforcement temporarily from Command Prompt on Windows 10, use these steps:

  1. Open Start.

  2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

  3. Type the following command to enable the test signing mode and press Enter:

    bcdedit /set testsigning on

    bcdedit

  4. Restart your computer.

After you complete the steps, you can install unsigned drivers on Windows 10, even after restarting the computer.

When you no longer need to install drivers, you can use the same instructions to disable the Windows 10 test mode, but on step 3, make sure to use this command bcdedit /set testsigning off and then reboot the device.

If, while enabling test mode, you receive a message about your device having Secure Boot enabled, then it’s best to use the approach using the Settings app, as shown above.

Disable signature enforcement permanently

To disable driver signature enforcement permanently on Windows 10, use these steps:

  1. Open Start.

  2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

  3. Type the following command to disable driver signature enforcement on Windows 10 and press Enter:

    bcdedit /set nointegritychecks on

    Disable driver signature on Windows 10

  4. Restart your computer.

Once you complete the steps, you should be able to install unsigned drivers on your computer.

If you no longer need the feature, you can revert the changes with the same instructions, but in step 3, make sure to use this command bcdedit /set nointegritychecks off and then restart the device.

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.