Driver Verifier Extension (VerifierExt) Service Defaults in Windows 10

Driver Verifier component to help find bugs in device drivers.

Default Settings

Startup type:
Windows 10 Home 1507Manual
Windows 10 Pro 1507Manual
Windows 10 Education 1507Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 1507Manual
Windows 10 Home 1511Manual
Windows 10 Pro 1511Manual
Windows 10 Education 1511Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 1511Manual
Windows 10 Home 1607Manual
Windows 10 Pro 1607Manual
Windows 10 Education 1607Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 1607Manual
Windows 10 Home 1703Manual
Windows 10 Pro 1703Manual
Windows 10 Education 1703Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 1703Manual
Windows 10 Home 1709Manual
Windows 10 Pro 1709Manual
Windows 10 Education 1709Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 1709Manual
Windows 10 Home 1803Manual
Windows 10 Pro 1803Manual
Windows 10 Education 1803Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 1803Manual
Windows 10 Home 1809Disabled
Windows 10 Pro 1809Disabled
Windows 10 Education 1809Disabled
Windows 10 Enterprise 1809Disabled
Windows 10 Home 1903Disabled
Windows 10 Pro 1903Disabled
Windows 10 Education 1903Disabled
Windows 10 Enterprise 1903Disabled
Windows 10 Home 2004Disabled
Windows 10 Pro 2004Disabled
Windows 10 Education 2004Disabled
Windows 10 Enterprise 2004Disabled
Windows 10 Home 20H2Disabled
Windows 10 Pro 20H2Disabled
Windows 10 Education 20H2Disabled
Windows 10 Enterprise 20H2Disabled
Windows 10 Home 21H1Disabled
Windows 10 Pro 21H1Disabled
Windows 10 Education 21H1Disabled
Windows 10 Enterprise 21H1Disabled
Windows 10 Home 21H2Disabled
Windows 10 Pro 21H2Disabled
Windows 10 Education 21H2Disabled
Windows 10 Enterprise 21H2Disabled
Windows 10 Home 22H2Disabled
Windows 10 Pro 22H2Disabled
Windows 10 Education 22H2Disabled
Windows 10 Enterprise 22H2Disabled
Display name:Driver Verifier Extension
Service name:VerifierExt
Service type:kernel
Error control:normal
Group:WdfLoadGroup
Path:%SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\VerifierExt.sys
Registry key:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\VerifierExt

Default Behavior

Driver Verifier Extension is a kernel device driver. It is starting only if the user, an application or another service starts it in all editions of Windows 10 1507, Windows 10 1511, Windows 10 1607, Windows 10 1703, Windows 10 1709, Windows 10 1803. This service is disabled in all editions of Windows 10 1809, Windows 10 1903, Windows 10 2004, Windows 10 20H2, Windows 10 21H1, Windows 10 21H2, Windows 10 22H2.

If Driver Verifier Extension fails to start, the failure details are being recorded into Event Log. Then Windows 10 will start up and notify the user that the VerifierExt service has failed to start due to the error.

Restore Default Startup Configuration of Driver Verifier Extension

1. Run the Command Prompt as an administrator.

2. Depending on the version of your operating system, copy the commands below, paste them into the command window and press ENTER.

For Windows 10 1507 Home, Windows 10 1507 Pro, Windows 10 1507 Education, Windows 10 1507 Enterprise, Windows 10 1511 Home, Windows 10 1511 Pro, Windows 10 1511 Education, Windows 10 1511 Enterprise, Windows 10 1607 Home, Windows 10 1607 Pro, Windows 10 1607 Education, Windows 10 1607 Enterprise, Windows 10 1703 Home, Windows 10 1703 Pro, Windows 10 1703 Education, Windows 10 1703 Enterprise, Windows 10 1709 Home, Windows 10 1709 Pro, Windows 10 1709 Education, Windows 10 1709 Enterprise, Windows 10 1803 Home, Windows 10 1803 Pro, Windows 10 1803 Education, Windows 10 1803 Enterprise:
sc config VerifierExt start= demand

For Windows 10 1809 Home, Windows 10 1809 Pro, Windows 10 1809 Education, Windows 10 1809 Enterprise, Windows 10 1903 Home, Windows 10 1903 Pro, Windows 10 1903 Education, Windows 10 1903 Enterprise, Windows 10 1909 Home, Windows 10 1909 Pro, Windows 10 1909 Education, Windows 10 1909 Enterprise, Windows 10 2004 Home, Windows 10 2004 Pro, Windows 10 2004 Education, Windows 10 2004 Enterprise, Windows 10 20H2 Home, Windows 10 20H2 Pro, Windows 10 20H2 Education, Windows 10 20H2 Enterprise, Windows 10 21H1 Home, Windows 10 21H1 Pro, Windows 10 21H1 Education, Windows 10 21H1 Enterprise, Windows 10 21H2 Home, Windows 10 21H2 Pro, Windows 10 21H2 Education, Windows 10 21H2 Enterprise, Windows 10 22H2 Home, Windows 10 22H2 Pro, Windows 10 22H2 Education, Windows 10 22H2 Enterprise:
sc stop VerifierExt
sc config VerifierExt start= disabled

3. Close the command window and restart the computer.

The VerifierExt service is using the VerifierExt.sys file that is located in the C:\Windows\System32\drivers directory. If the file is removed or corrupted, read this article to restore its original version from Windows 10 installation media.