Windivert Driver Cannot Be Installed You Must Restart Your Computer Top !!hot!! Jun 2026

A previous session or crashed application left a copy of the WinDivert driver registered in the kernel memory, blocking new installations.

(the version number may vary)

Very old builds of WinDivert (pre-1.4) may not support Windows 11 22H2+ or ARM64 devices.

WinDivert: What is the reason behind the error message "error A previous session or crashed application left a

: Some antivirus or firewall software (like Sophos) is known to block the WinDivert driver. Temporarily disabling these may allow the driver to load. Test-Signing Mode

To prevent future blocks, go to > Manage settings .

To prevent future blocks, navigate to > Manage settings > Exclusions . Temporarily disabling these may allow the driver to load

Open regedit and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WinDivert . Delete the entry and reboot.

If the driver fails to uninstall, clean the store:

Type the following command to delete the service registry entry and press Enter: sc delete WinDivert Use code with caution. A previous session or crashed application left a

Solving the "WinDivert Driver Cannot Be Installed: You Must Restart Your Computer" Error

Below is a breakdown of why this happens and the specific steps you can take to clear the error without endlessly restarting. Why Is This Happening?

WinDivert: What is the reason behind the error message "error