Microsoft'southward Patch Tuesday is both a approval and a curse. On the one manus, your system will have fewer vulnerabilities. On the other, updates carry the take chances of introducing other unintended issues.

On older Windows versions, users have full control over Windows Update; they tin review descriptions for each update and choose which updates to install.

We'll show yous how to detect out virtually updates in Windows 7 through x, with Windows Update setup tips along the manner.

How to Access and Control Windows Update in Windows 10

With Windows ten, Microsoft strength-fed Habitation users all updates immediately. Initially, users didn't even have admission to detailed data about updates. Eventually, Microsoft started offering release notes for all Windows 10 updates.

Between Windows XP and Windows 8.1, Windows Update didn't evolve much. Windows x, however, brought meaning changes. Non merely did Windows Update move from the Control Panel to the Settings app, simply information technology also received a consummate makeover.

  1. Press Windows key + I to launch the Settings app, and so navigate to Update & Security > Windows Update. Per default, Windows will automatically download and install any available updates, whether they're security patches or feature upgrades.
  2. You can press the Check for updates button to manually check whether anything new is bachelor.
Windows 10 Windows Update Settings menu overview.

Active Hours

Windows Update always seems to strike at the worst possible moment. With agile hours, y'all have some control over when Windows will restart to install an update.

Become to Alter agile hours and either enable the automated selection or click Alter to gear up your own preferred hours.

Active Hours in Windows 10 Windows Update Settings menu.

Unfortunately, this won't end Windows from downloading updates or installing them in the background, which tin can also deadening your figurer down. Let'south have a look at some more options to control the download.

Advanced Options

Under Avant-garde options, you tin can tweak how updates are installed and View your update history. If you're using Windows 10 Professional, you can Defer upgrades relating to new features for a limited time; security updates will yet install automatically.

Advanced options in Windows 10 Windows Update Settings menu.

Delivery Optimization

Under Delivery Optimization, you can decide whether your reckoner can download  updates from sources other than Microsoft, such asPCs on your local network, which could save y'all bandwidth.

Delivery Optimization in Windows 10 Windows Update Settings menu.

Yous can further refine Windows Update download and upload settings under Avant-garde optionsby limiting the accented bandwidth for downloads or setting a monthly upload limit.

Advanced options for Delivery Optimization in Windows 10 Windows Update Settings menu.

If you ever run into issues, head to View update history to uninstall updates or access recovery options.

We accept previously shown y'all how to manage Windows Update in Windows 10. Please refer to this article for advanced instructions on how to defer or uninstall updates. If you're struggling with drivers, read our guide on how you tin can control commuter updates in Windows 10.

How Does Windows Update Piece of work in Windows vii and 8.one?

To open Windows Update in Windows seven, 8, or eight.1, printing the Windows fundamental, type Windows Update, and select the matching result. Depending on your current Windows Update settings, your system is either upwardly-to-appointment, or updates are in the queue to download or install.

Windows 7 Windows Update

Under Change settings, you tin choose how you lot wish updates to be downloaded and installed. These are your options:

  • Install updates automatically
  • Download updates, but choose when to install them
  • Check for updates, only choose whether to download and install
  • Never cheque for updates.

Generally, we recommend the first option considering it ways your system will always be upward-to-engagement and prophylactic. If y'all've been having issues with updates in the past, yous tin can go with the second or third option.

Call back that this puts the responsibility of checking for updates and installing them on you! You should aim to install security patches immediately later on they become available.

Disable Recommended Updates

For advanced information on Windows Update in Windows 7, please refer to our defended commodity.

How to Learn More About Updates in Windows 10

Now that y'all know how Windows Update is set upward on your machine, let'south encounter how you lot can review detailed information nearly specific updates.

In recent years, Microsoft has added dorsum more options to gather data nigh individual updates. Here are the ones nosotros recommend.

1. Local Windows x Update History

Head to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history to come across the final few updates installed on your organisation. From this carte du jour, yous can too Uninstall updates, which will open the Control Panel.

Update History in Windows 10 Windows Update Settings menu.

The updates are sorted past type. Clicking an individual update will bring you lot to the Microsoft support page detailing the contents of that update.

ii. External Windows 10 Update History

The local update history only goes back a few months.

  1. If yous'd similar to look up details on older updates, you lot can find a shortcut underSettings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
  2. Scroll down toLooking for info on the latest updates and click theLearn more link to open the Windows 10 update history page.
Windows 10 Update History Version 21H1 Microsoft support page.

The sidebar is sorted by Windows 10 versions (aka branches). Under each version, you'll find knowledge base (KB) articles for each OS build. The KB pages contain lists of known problems with workarounds and other helpful notes. Start here when you lot run into Windows bug later an update.

three. Windows 10 Release Data

A like simply more than compact overview is available within Microsoft's Documentation: Windows 10 release data. The folio lists current Windows 10 versions past servicing option and links to knowledge base articles for all cumulative (Patch Tuesday) updates since Windows x's initial release.

Windows 10 release history overview.

For details virtually the contents of a Windows ten update, yous can refer to the corresponding KB commodity.

3. ChangeWindows Logs

A third-political party resource for tracking Windows 10 builds is ChangeWindows. Scroll through a visually pleasing interface for an overview of the different Windows x builds.

Click on each build to see a visual representation of where it is in the support timeline.

Overview of support stages and timelines of an individual Windows 10 version.

At this time, the site focuses on listing all builds and hence does not provide links to individual Windows Update KB manufactures.

Windows seven & 8.1

On older Windows versions, information technology's much easier to get data about installed updates.

1. Windows Update History

Afterwards you launched Windows Update, either through the Command Panel or through a Windows search, you tin can click on View update history to encounter a listing of recently installed updates.

Windows 7 Update History

Right-click on an update and select View details to access a summary of the respective update. For more information, click through to the KB article linked to at the lesser.

Windows 7 Update History Details

2. Installed Updates

Under Installed Updates, you lot can review the complete history of updates installed on your computer and sort updates by name, plan, date installed, and more. Select an update, and you lot'll find a link to the respective KB article at the bottom.

Windows 7 Installed Updates

Here, you tin also uninstall Windows Updates; the option comes up when you right-click an update.

3. Available Updates

The large advantage of older Windows versions is that you tin preview and exclude updates earlier proceeding with the installation. From the main Windows Update window, click on the important or optional updates bachelor for download and installation.

You can get through the list and view a summary on the right-hand side in the side by side window. At the bottom of the summary, you can follow a link to the in-depth KB article for each update.

Windows 7 Available Updates

If you don't want to download and install a specific update, remove the checkmark. You lot tin also right-click and select Hide update, and then it won't be shown again or accidentally installed in the future. You can, of course, view and restore subconscious updates any fourth dimension you desire.

Up-to-Date on Windows Update

Whatever Windows version you're running, y'all should now understand how y'all tin can inform yourself virtually current updates. We've as well shown you how to dispense the most basic Windows Update settings. Please review the articles linked above for advanced information.

How to Resolve Windows Update Problems in five Like shooting fish in a barrel Steps

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