HSA Best Practices Guide
Hardware Support Apps (HSAs) are a core part of the modern Windows driver model — UWP/MSIX apps published by OEMs or IHVs that extend a base driver, typically delivered via the Microsoft Store. Common examples include Intel Graphics Command Center, AMD Software, Realtek Audio Console, and Lenovo hardware control apps. They are a fundamental piece of the Declarative, Componentized, Hardware Support Apps (DCH) driver architecture introduced in Windows 10 1809.
Understanding how HSAs are designed to work — and where enterprise management intersects with that design — is critical to deploying and maintaining a clean, supportable Windows environment.