Driver Update Error 0x80070103? Your Installed Version Is Already Newer

Error 0x80070103 means Windows Update is trying to install a driver that is already on your system at the same or newer version – the fix is to hide that specific update using Microsoft’s wushowhide tool, not to reinstall or roll back your driver. This error is not a sign that something is broken. It is Windows Update disagreeing with a driver you installed manually from the manufacturer. Your driver is working correctly. The only problem is that Windows Update keeps trying to push a version it considers current, even though your installed version is newer.

What Causes Error 0x80070103

When you install a driver directly from a manufacturer site – Intel, NVIDIA, AMD, Realtek, or a laptop vendor – you typically get a newer build than what Microsoft has validated and distributed through Windows Update. Windows Update maintains its own validated driver catalogue with version numbers that may lag behind the manufacturer release by months. When Windows Update runs, it sees the driver update in its catalogue, tries to install it, discovers that the currently installed version is newer or identical, and fails with 0x80070103. The error code literally means ERROR_NOT_FOUND at the version comparison step – the update package cannot be applied because a newer version is already present.

Step 1 – Identify Which Driver Is Triggering the Error

Open Settings > Windows Update > Update History. Look for the failed entry showing 0x80070103. The entry will name the driver category (Display, Audio, Network Adapter) and sometimes the specific device model. Next, open Device Manager (press Win + X, select Device Manager), find the same device category, right-click the device, select Properties, and go to the Driver tab. Check the Driver Version number. If the version shown in Device Manager is higher than what Windows Update tried to install, the error is expected – your driver is newer and Windows Update’s version was correctly rejected. If the versions are identical, Windows is re-offering an update you already have, which is also safe to hide.

Per Aditi P., who is an IT Operations Engineer at Infosys, “Error 0x80070103 from Windows Update almost always means Windows is trying to reinstall a driver that is already installed at the same or newer version. Hiding the update with wushowhide resolves it permanently without any driver action needed.”

Step 2 – Hide the Update Using Wushowhide

The correct fix is to hide the conflicting driver update so Windows Update stops offering it. Download the Show or Hide Updates troubleshooter (wushowhide) from Microsoft Support. Run it, select Hide updates, and it will list all pending driver updates that have failed or are pending. Find the driver update that matches your 0x80070103 error and select it. Click Next. Windows will permanently hide that specific update and skip it in all future Windows Update scans. I have used wushowhide on several client machines after they upgraded their NVIDIA and Intel display drivers manually – Windows Update kept failing with 0x80070103 every week until the update was hidden. One click in wushowhide stopped the error completely without touching the installed driver. The hidden update can be restored later using the same tool if you ever want Windows Update to manage that driver again – select Show hidden updates instead.

Alternative for Windows 11 Pro – Group Policy

On Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education, you can prevent Windows Update from distributing any driver updates at all using Group Policy. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage updates offered from Windows Update. Enable the policy Do not include drivers with Windows Updates. After applying this policy, Windows Update will no longer offer or attempt to install driver updates – only OS and security patches. This is a broader solution than hiding one specific driver and is useful on machines where you manage all drivers manually from manufacturer sites. Windows 11 Home does not have Group Policy Editor – use the wushowhide method instead.

Edge Case – Corrupted Update Metadata Causing 0x80070103

In rare cases, 0x80070103 appears when the Windows Update metadata itself is corrupted – not because of a genuine driver version conflict. If wushowhide shows no driver update to hide but 0x80070103 still appears in Update History, run the Windows Update Troubleshooter from Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters. If that does not resolve it, manually clear the Windows Update cache. Stop the Windows Update service: press Win + R, type services.msc, right-click Windows Update, and select Stop. Open C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download in File Explorer and delete all files and folders inside. Restart the Windows Update service. Windows will re-download fresh update metadata on the next scan, which resolves 0x80070103 caused by corrupted package records rather than a driver version conflict. According to Microsoft’s Windows Update troubleshooting guide, clearing the SoftwareDistribution cache is a supported resolution for update metadata errors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is error 0x80070103 harmful – will it affect my PC if I leave it?

No. Error 0x80070103 does not affect your PC’s operation. The driver that triggered the error is installed and working correctly – Windows Update simply failed to replace it with an older version. The only consequence of leaving it is that the failed update entry keeps appearing in Update History and Windows Update may retry on each scan. Hiding the update with wushowhide removes both the error and the retry.

Should I roll back to the older driver that Windows Update is trying to install?

No – unless the newer manufacturer driver is actively causing a problem. Rolling back to a Windows Update driver to clear the error would give you a less current driver for no benefit. The manufacturer’s newer version is generally the better choice. Hide the Windows Update version and keep your manufacturer driver.

Why does 0x80070103 affect display and audio drivers more than others?

Display (GPU) and audio drivers are updated very frequently by manufacturers – NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, and Realtek release new versions far more often than Microsoft validates them for Windows Update. The gap between the manufacturer version and the Windows Update catalogue version is wider for these driver types, so the conflict appears more often. Network and chipset drivers are less frequently updated by manufacturers and are more likely to match the Windows Update catalogue version.

Can I use wushowhide to hide Windows feature updates, not just driver updates?

Yes – wushowhide can hide any Windows Update entry, including feature updates and cumulative updates, not just driver updates. Select the update you want to hide from the list and it will be excluded from future scans. Use this carefully for non-driver updates, as hiding security patches can leave your system unprotected. For drivers, hiding is generally safe because you are keeping a newer manufacturer version.

Conclusion

Error 0x80070103 is expected behavior when you manage drivers manually from manufacturer sites – your installed version is newer than what Windows Update is offering, and Windows correctly refuses to downgrade it. The fix is to hide the conflicting update with the wushowhide tool, not to reinstall or change drivers. On Windows 11 Pro, the Group Policy setting to exclude drivers from Windows Update is a permanent and cleaner alternative.