How to handle Windows 10 and 11 updates

Windows 10 and 11 They are the latest operating systems Microsoft and offer many features and improvements over previous versions. However, they also require regular updates to keep them safe and stable. Sometimes updates can cause problems, such as compatibility issues, performance slowdowns, or even data loss. In this blog post, we'll discuss how to handle Windows 10 and 11 updates, and what to do if you encounter any issues.

The first thing you should know is that Windows 10 and 11 have different types of updates: quality updates and feature updates. Quality updates are released monthly and include security patches, bug fixes, and minor improvements. Feature updates are released twice a year and include important changes such as new functionality, design changes, and system optimizations. Quality updates are required and are installed automatically, while feature updates are optional and require user consent.

To check for updates, go to Settings > Update & security > Windows Update. Here you can view the status of your updates, pause them for up to 35 days, or manually check for new updates. You can also change the active hours, which are the hours when Windows will not restart your device to install updates. You can set up to 18 hours of activity per day.

If you want to install a feature update, you can click Download and install when it is available. However, you should always back up your important files before installing a feature update as it may cause some compatibility issues with your hardware or software. You can also use the Update Wizard or the Media Creation Tool to install a feature update manually.

If you encounter any problems after installing an update, you can try a few steps to fix it:

– Restart your device and check if the issue still occurs.

– Run the Windows Update troubleshooter, which can fix common update errors.

– Uninstall the problematic update from Settings > Update & security > Windows Update > View update history > Uninstall updates.

– Roll back to a previous version of Windows from Settings > Update & security > Recovery > Roll back to the previous version of Windows 10/11.

– Reset your device from Settings > Update & security > Recovery > Reset this PC.

Windows 10 and 11 updates are essential to keep your device secure and up to date. However, they can also cause some problems that require your attention. By following the advice in this blog post, you will be able to handle Windows 10 and 11 updates more effectively and avoid potential problems.

Windows 10 and Windows 11 updates can be confusing for many users. Microsoft has made several changes to how Windows Update works over the years, such as the frequency with which major updates are released. Major updates are typically released twice a year, in spring and fall, but can sometimes be delayed or skipped. These updates bring new features, improvements, and security fixes to Windows, but they may also cause compatibility issues or errors for some users. That's why some users may want to postpone or avoid these updates, while others want to get them as soon as possible.

In this article, we'll explain how Windows Update works on Windows 10 and Windows 11, and answer some of the most common questions users have about it: whether you should accept all updates, whether you can uninstall updates that cause problems, and how to reduce the bandwidth consumed by some updates. We'll also give you some tips and tricks, such as how to stop all updates if necessary.

This article is based on the latest versions of Windows: Windows 10 22H2 and Windows 11 22H2. The features and screenshots we describe and show here may not match what you see if you are on an older version of Windows 10 or 11. Windows Update works similarly on Windows 11 as it does on Windows 10, but there are some minor differences in appearance, menu options, etc., which we will point out below.

If you are a Windows user, you may be confused by the different types of updates that Microsoft releases for its operating systems. Here's a quick guide to help you understand what they are and how they affect your PC.

The first thing you should know is that not all updates are the same. Microsoft distinguishes between two main categories of updates: feature updates and quality updates.

Feature updates are the most important updates that introduce new features, improvements, and capabilities to Windows. They usually have their own version numbers, such as Windows 11 22H2, which is the latest feature update for Windows 11. Feature updates are released once a year, usually in the fall, and require a full Windows installation.

Quality updates are smaller ones that fix security issues, bugs, and minor changes to Windows. They are delivered on a regular basis, usually on the second Tuesday of each month (also known as Patch Tuesday) and sometimes at other times as well. Quality updates install in the background and do not require a restart.

There are also other types of updates that Microsoft releases from time to time, such as cumulative updates, optional updates, driver updates, and firmware updates. These are also considered quality updates, but they may have different purposes and installation methods.

The main difference between feature updates and quality updates is that feature updates are optional, while quality updates are required. You can choose whether to install feature updates or not, depending on your preferences and compatibility issues. However, you cannot skip quality updates as they are essential to keep your PC safe and stable.

Microsoft used to call feature updates “updates” and quality updates “updates,” but it appears to have removed the term “update” from its vocabulary. It also used to release two feature updates a year for Windows 10, one in spring and one in fall, but it changed that pattern in 2019 and started releasing one major feature update and one minor feature update per year. Now, with Windows 11, it only releases one feature update per year.

Windows 10 will not receive any more feature updates after version 22H2, which is expected to be released later this year. However, it will continue to receive quality updates until October 2025, when it will reach its end of support date.

In summary, here's an easy way to remember the difference between feature updates and quality updates:

– Feature updates: large, optional, once a year

– Quality updates: small, mandatory, monthly or more.