How to Disable Driver Signature Verification in Windows

This guide provides instructions for disabling driver signature verification in Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10 and 11. This process is sometimes necessary for installing certain device drivers, such as Mediatek VCOM drivers.

Warning: Only disable driver signature verification if you have a specific reason to do so. Installing unsigned drivers can potentially compromise system security.

Windows 7

1. Press Win+R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter to open the Local Group Policy Editor.
3. Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Driver Installation.
4. Double-click "Code Signing for Device Drivers" in the right panel.
5. Select "Enabled", then choose "Ignore" from the options.
6. Click Apply, then OK.
7. Restart your computer to apply changes.

Windows 8

1. Open the Charm menu (Windows key + C), then click Settings.
2. Click "More PC Settings".
3. Click "General".
4. Under "Advanced Startup", click "Restart Now".
5. After restart, select "Troubleshoot".
6. Choose "Advanced options".
7. Select "Windows Startup Settings".
8. Click "Restart".
9. After the second restart, press 7 to select "Disable driver signature enforcement".
10. Your computer will restart automatically.

Note for Windows 8.1: The "Restart Now" button is located in PC Settings > Update & Recovery > Recovery.

Windows 8.1 and 10

1. Open PC Settings (search for it in the Start Menu).
2. Navigate to Update & recovery > Recovery.
3. Under "Advanced startup", click "Restart Now".
4. Select "Troubleshoot".
5. Choose "Advanced options".
6. Click "Startup Settings".
7. Click "Restart".
8. After restart, press 7 to select "Disable driver signature enforcement".
9. Your computer will restart automatically.

Windows 11

1. Open the Start menu and click on "Settings" (gear icon).

2. In the Settings window, click on "System" on the left sidebar.

3. Scroll down and click on "Recovery" on the right side of the window.

4. Under the "Recovery options" section, find "Advanced startup" and click the "Restart now" button next to it.

5. Your computer will restart. When it does, you'll see a blue screen with options. Select "Troubleshoot".

6. On the next screen, choose "Advanced options".

7. Then select "Startup Settings".

8. Click the "Restart" button.

9. After your PC restarts again, you'll see a list of options. Press the F7 key (or the number 7) on your keyboard to select "Disable driver signature enforcement".

10. Your computer will restart one more time, and driver signature enforcement will be disabled for this session.

Remember, this setting only applies for the current boot session. The next time you restart your computer, driver signature enforcement will be enabled again by default.

As with Windows 10, you should only use this option when necessary, such as when installing specific drivers that require it. Always ensure you trust the source of any unsigned drivers before installing them.

Installing Unsigned Drivers

After disabling driver signature enforcement, you can install unsigned drivers. Windows will display a warning message; click "Install this driver software anyway" to proceed.

Remember to re-enable driver signature verification after installing your required drivers to maintain system security.