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Windows Update is an essential part of Windows 10, no matter what edition or version of this operating system you use. Windows Update is a way for Microsoft to distribute not only so-called feature updates, but also those that fix bugs or fix system security breaches. If you want to know everything there is to know about Windows Update in Windows 10, including how to open and use Windows Update , how to install and block updates, read this guide:
Where to find Windows Update in Windows 10
In Windows 10, Windows Update is available in the Settings application . Open Settings (press Windows + I on the keyboard) and go to Update and Security .
Windows 10 settings
Then you should see the Windows Update page in the Settings application . If you don’t see it, make sure you’ve selected Windows Update in the left-hand column of the window.
An alternative to reaching the Windows Update settings in Windows 10 is to use the search . Type update in the search field on the taskbar and then click on the “Windows Update settings” result . This should take you to the Windows Update page in the Settings application .
How to check for Windows 10 updates available
No matter how you get there, the first thing you see on the Windows Update page is whether you ‘re “up to date” or not. Also, see some details about when your PC last checked for updates.
Windows Update informing you that you are up to date
If you want to check for new updates for your PC, click the “Check for Updates” button .
Check for updates button
The search may take some time, depending on the speed of your internet connection and the number of updates available for installation. While Windows 10 is checking for updates, the Settings app tells you “Check for updates…” .
Looking for updates for Windows 10
Next, let’s see how to install updates in Windows 10.
How to install updates in Windows 10
When the search is complete, Windows 10 begins installing the available updates. For each of the updates in the list, you can see the status: download, install, or wait for the system to restart to complete the installation.
These updates are available for Windows 10
You can continue to use your PC for as long as updates are installed, but you may notice slowdowns during the process. After all updates have been downloaded and installed, if they require a Windows 10 restart, you should see a message that says “Restart required” in the Windows Update window . If they don’t need to be restarted, Windows 10 tells you “You’re up to date” again.
You can choose to restart your PC now for updates to be installed immediately, or you can choose to schedule a restart at a later time that suits you best, or you can ignore the message and let Windows 10 automatically restart your PC in outside your working hours (work). You can find more information about these options here: Configure the Windows 10 update program and when it restarts your PC .
Windows 10 prompts you to restart your PC to complete the installation of updates
Regardless of when you choose to restart Windows 10, it shows you a screen like the one below, in which it tells you that “We are working on updates” and “Do not shut down the computer” while doing so. If you do this, the updates may not install properly and your operating system may not work properly.
Windows 10 is working on updates
How do you see what Windows 10 updates are doing
In Windows 10, you can’t see many details about what an update does before it is installed. However, you can always check the Windows Update history and see what it was about in each update you ever installed. On the Windows Update page in the Settings application , click ‘View update history’ .
This loads a page called ‘View update history’ . Here you can see all the updates that have been installed on your PC. Find the one you want to know more about and click on her name.
Click on an update for Windows 10
Windows 10 now opens your default web browser and loads a web page from Microsoft that gives you more information (in English) about that update.
Details about an update in Windows 10
IMPORTANT: If you want information about an update before installing it, go to this page: Windows 10 update history . Here, Microsoft keeps a log of all the Windows 10 updates it has distributed and details of what each one does.
How to postpone updates for Windows 10
If you want to delay the update process, you can pause Windows 10 updates for a while. However, this depends on which version or edition of Windows 10 you have. To stop installing updates on your PC, you can use the “Pause X Days Updates” button on the Windows Update page , or you can configure Advanced Options . If you need help with this, read this guide: Postpone the installation of updates for Windows 10, such as the May 2019 Update .
Postponing Windows 10 Updates
Although Windows 10 does not let you check the available updates before installing them, you can use a tool called “Show or hide updates” ( Show or hide updates ) to block (or unblock) updates. Read this tutorial for full details: Use Show or Hide Updates to block unwanted updates for Windows 10 .
How to optimize the distribution of Windows 10 updates
Until Windows 10, Windows updates were traditionally downloaded directly from Microsoft servers. In Windows 10, Microsoft introduced a new way to get updates faster and more secure, using a feature called Distribution Optimization . This allows computers and devices to share updates already downloaded with other computers on the same network or the Internet. If you want to optimize the distribution of updates on your Windows 10 computers and devices, read Update Windows 10 from another PC on your network or from the Internet .
What do you think about Windows Update?
In Windows 10, checking for updates is an easy and simple process that happens automatically. No need to manually check for available updates. They are automatically distributed in the background. Although some people do not welcome automatic updates, the truth is that, in most cases, it helps to have a safer computer experience.
