What are DCH drivers and why do you need to know about them?

Table of Contents:

1. What are DCH Drivers?
2. How does this affect my Dell computer?
3. Can I roll back to a legacy driver?
4. Can I upgrade from a legacy driver to a new DCH driver?
5. Where can I get more information about DCH drivers?

What are DCH Drivers?

Windows Declarative Componentized Hardware (DCH) supported apps and drivers are driver packages that install and run on Universal Windows Platform (UWP) based editions of Windows.

• Declarative (D): Installs the driver by using only declarative Information (INF) directives. Does not include co-installers or Register Dynamic Link Library (DLL) functions
• Componentized (C): Edition-specific, OEM-specific, and optional customizations to the driver are separate from the base driver package. As a result, the base driver, which provides only core device functionality, can be targeted, flighted, and serviced independently from the customizations
• Hardware Support App (H): Any user interface (UI) components that are associated with a universal driver must be packaged as a Hardware Support App (HSA). Alternatively, they must be preinstalled on the OEM device. An HSA is an optional device-specific app that is paired with a driver. The application can be a UWP or Desktop Bridge app. You must distribute and update an HSA through the Microsoft Store.

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How does this affect my Dell computer?

Moving to DCH drivers is a requirement from Microsoft for anyone developing drivers for Windows going forward.

Dell supplies copies of the drivers that are used for all its computers on its support pages. Windows drivers are changing to DCH as they are developed and updated. There is a chance that you can have driver issues if you are unaware of this change that started with Windows 10 (version 1709). Regularly update your version of Windows and keep your drivers up to date as recommended by Microsoft and Dell.

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Can I roll back to a legacy driver?

All the driver vendors recommend upgrading from Legacy to Windows DCH drivers. They all point you to your computer manufacturer for the latest driver updates. (Dell Support Site.) Most vendors actively try and discourage you from going in the other direction. (Going from a DCH driver back to a Legacy driver.) Most driver vendors advise that it is a complex process that can result in system instability. Most have asked that you to contact them directly if you think you need to attempt it.

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Can I upgrade from a legacy driver to a new DCH driver?

All the driver vendors recommend upgrading from Legacy to Windows DCH drivers. For some drivers, you may have to fully uninstall the Legacy driver from your computer before installing the Windows DCH driver.

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Where can I get more information about DCH drivers?

Here are some external web pages that discuss this in more detail:

• Getting Started with Universal Windows drivers 
• Introduction of Windows DCH Drivers for Intel Products  
• Frequently Asked Questions about Windows* DCH Drivers for Intel® Graphics  
• NVIDIA DCH/Standard Display Drivers for Windows 10 FAQ  

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