How to Disable Driver Signature Enforcement in Windows 10

In some cases, Windows 10 may block the installation of specific drivers due to missing digital signatures. This issue commonly arises when trying to install custom or older drivers that haven’t been verified and signed by Microsoft. To bypass this restriction, you can temporarily disable driver signature enforcement. This guide will explain how to do it.

Step 1: Restart in “Startup Settings” Mode

To disable driver signature enforcement, you need to boot Windows 10 in a special mode that allows the system to temporarily ignore this requirement.

  1. Click Start and select Settings.
  2. Go to Update & Security, then choose Recovery.
  3. Under “Advanced startup,” click Restart now.
  4. Once the menu appears, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings.
  5. Click Restart to enter Startup Settings.
  6. In the options list, select 7: Disable driver signature enforcement by pressing the F7 key on your keyboard.

After completing these steps, Windows will restart with driver signature enforcement disabled, allowing you to install the required drivers. However, this is a temporary solution, and the enforcement will re-enable upon the next reboot.

Step 2: Permanently Disable Driver Signature Enforcement via Command Prompt

If you need to disable driver signature enforcement permanently, you can do this through the Command Prompt:

  1. Open the Start menu and type cmd in the search bar.
  2. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
  3. Type the following commands, pressing Enter after each:
bcdedit /set loadoptions DISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS
bcdedit /set TESTSIGNING ON

The first command disables integrity checks, while the second activates test mode, allowing unsigned drivers to be installed.

Note: After running these commands, a “Test Mode” watermark will appear at the bottom-right of your screen, indicating the system is in test mode. To return to the normal mode, enter the following commands:

bcdedit /set loadoptions ENABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS
bcdedit /set TESTSIGNING OFF

Step 3: Using Local Group Policy Editor (for Windows 10 Pro)

If you have Windows 10 Pro, you can disable driver signature enforcement through the Local Group Policy Editor.

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog and type gpedit.msc.
  2. Go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Driver Installation.
  3. Double-click the Code signing for device drivers setting.
  4. Select Disabled and click Apply and OK.

This method will disable signature enforcement for all drivers but only works on Windows 10 Pro and higher editions.