why is my hlk submission stopped at Manual Review?

For recent HLK printer driver submissions, being stopped at Manual Review with a message like “issues were found with the submission” is expected behavior, not necessarily an error in the driver itself.

Effective January 15, 2026, Microsoft changed the print driver pipeline so that:

1. All printer driver submissions are blocked by default
   • This applies to both WHQL and Attestation submissions that target a print driver class.
   • Every such submission is automatically halted during intake and routed to a manual review.
2. A justification document is now mandatory for every submission
   • Each printer driver in each submission must include a Driver Exception Justification Document (JSON) describing:
     • Whether it is a New Driver or Driver Update.
     • Details about the driver package.
     • Which exception category it falls into.
     • Why the exception is required.
   • Submissions without this justification JSON are automatically blocked and rejected during manual review.
3. Correct packaging of the justification JSON is required
   To avoid extra delay, ensure the JSON is placed correctly:
   • WHQL submissions: Put the justification JSON (and any supporting docs) in the HLK package → Supplemental folder before uploading.
   • Attestation submissions: Put the justification JSON (and supporting docs) directly in the driver folder (there is no Supplemental folder for attestation).
4. DriverUpdate-specific rules that can cause immediate rejection
   For DriverUpdate submissions:
   • The justification JSON must include PreviousSubmissionId. If it is missing, the submission is immediately rejected.
   • A DriverUpdate cannot add new HWIDs. Any new HWIDs in a DriverUpdate submission cause automatic rejection.
5. Use the schema/tool to reduce review delays
   • The justification document must follow the required JSON schema.
   • The DriverExceptionDocGenerator tool is recommended because it enforces schema compliance and reduces the risk of rejection or extra back-and-forth during manual review.
6. Why you see delays and no detailed issue info
   • Because all print-class drivers now go through manual review, submissions will sit in that state until a reviewer validates the justification and exception claim.
   • If the justification is missing, malformed, or placed in the wrong folder, the submission is blocked or rejected, often with only a generic message.

To minimize future delays for Arm64 (and other) print driver HLK submissions:

1. Confirm the driver is indeed a print driver class; if so, expect manual review by design.
2. Always include a DriverException.json (or equivalent) justification file:
   • Generated with DriverExceptionDocGenerator.
   • Correctly filled with submission type, exception category, and rationale.
3. Place the JSON in the correct location:
   • WHQL → inside Supplemental folder of the HLK package.
   • Attestation → directly in the driver folder.
4. For DriverUpdate:
   • Ensure PreviousSubmissionId is present and valid.
   • Verify no new HWIDs are introduced.
5. Optionally include supporting materials (security disclosures, Mopria analysis, roadmaps, model comparisons) to help reviewers validate the exception faster.

If these conditions are met, submissions should still go through manual review (by policy) but are less likely to be delayed or bounced for missing/incorrect justification.

References:

• Legacy Printer Driver Submission Process
• Information Required in the Justification JSON