Latest word re: HP Display Control / Critical Update popup

[LAKDW]

Part 1 - I see several Q&A's from February 2026 regarding a popup message saying "HP Display Control requires a critical update in order to function properly." Consensus at that time seems to have been to disable that message as the update was not working correctly. Just wondering what the status is now (April 2026)? 

Part 2 - If it is recommended to download the update, it would be awesome if anyone can provide step-by-step directions for how to do so ... as in, pretend you're talking to your non-tech-savvy grandma (which - who knows? - maybe that's who I am!). Thank you in advance. 

[Deep_World · Accepted solution]

Hi @LAKDW,
 
Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

I Understand your concern, don’t worry let me help you with this. 

To Understanding the Issue

• The popup appears even after attempting the update.
• HP Display Control is a utility for managing display settings, but the “critical update” message is more of a software glitch than a true system risk.
• HP Support Assistant is the recommended way to check for updates, but many users report the update does not install properly.

Here are a few  steps you can try (explained simply, step by step):

1. Check for Updates via HP Support Assistant
   • Click the Start Menu (Windows icon at bottom left).
   • Type HP Support Assistant and open it.
   • Go to the Updates section.
   • Look for HP Display Control and try installing any available updates.
2. Disable the Popup (if updates fail)
   • Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
   • Click the Startup tab.
   • Find HP Display Control or HPDC_Service.
   • Right-click it and choose Disable.
   • Restart your computer.
     (This stops the popup but doesn’t affect your display settings.)

Don’t worry your computer is safe even if you ignore or disable the popup. The “critical update” it’s not a hardware emergency.

I hope this helps. 

[LAKDW]

This is so helpful. Thank you for including the step-by-step directions - greatly appreciated. This appears to have successfully resolved this issue! 

[Deep_World]

Hi @LAKDW,

A huge thank you for marking this post as the 'Accepted Solution'! We're thrilled that we could help resolve your issue. 

If you have any more questions or need further assistance, please don't hesitate to ask. We're here to help! 

Thanks again for your confirmation, and we wish you an amazing day ahead! 

Best Regards,

Deep_World