5 Ways Your Windows Updates Are About To Get A Lot Less Painful

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

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Earlier this year, Microsoft said it would work connected fixing "pain points" successful Windows 11. The first changes successful that effort are opening to appear, targeting 1 of nan astir achy points of all: Windows Update.

Everyone who's ever owned a Windows PC has a communicative astir an update that insisted connected installing astatine nan absolute incorrect time, usually conscionable arsenic you're getting fresh to subordinate an important online gathering aliases present a presentation.

Also: Microsoft's Windows Insider Program is nary longer a confusing mess

The latest information of improvements, announced successful a blog station titled "Your Windows update acquisition conscionable sewage updated," should make those infuriating moments a point of nan past. But don't observe conscionable yet -- they person to spell done a afloat information of testing successful nan Windows Insider programme earlier they scope nan wide public.

I've enabled nan caller Windows Update acquisition connected a trial PC moving nan latest build from nan Windows Insider Experimental transmission (formerly known arsenic Dev), and I tin corroborate that astatine slightest 1 action is moving now, though it won't beryllium imaginable to spot nan remainder of nan changes successful action until nan adjacent information of updates are available.

Here's what's coming.

1. You'll beryllium capable to hold updates for arsenic agelong arsenic you want

For years, Microsoft has offered nan expertise to region updates for up to 35 days, utilizing a drop-down paper connected nan Windows Update page pinch options ranging from 1 week to 5 weeks. But erstwhile that region ended, nary much delays were possible.

The caller interface lets you take a circumstantial day from a almanac power connected nan Windows Update page, up to 35 days successful advance. 

Instead of pausing updates a week astatine a time, you will beryllium capable to take a circumstantial extremity day -- and widen it indefinitely.

Screenshot by Ed Bott/ZDNET

And if you request much time?

When 35 days conscionable isn't agelong enough, we are besides enabling you to extend nan region extremity day arsenic galore times arsenic you need.  This means you tin now re-pause for up to 35 days astatine a time, with nary limits connected really galore times you tin reset nan region extremity date.

Delaying information updates indefinitely is simply a bad idea, of course, but it's encouraging to spot Microsoft springiness users nan state to do moreover dumb things pinch nan PC they ain and control.

2. You'll person much power complete restarts

The flip broadside of that achy script is erstwhile an update is downloaded and fresh to install, but you don't person nan clip to decorativeness nan job. In that situation, you're covered: On nan Power menu, nan regular Shut Down and Restart options will beryllium available, alongside nan corresponding "Update and unopen down" and "Update and restart" choices.

Also: Microsoft relationship vs. section account: How to take and group up your prime successful Windows 11

I'll beryllium funny to spot really this 1 useful successful practice. From experience, I cognize that a half-installed update that's waiting for a restart tin make Windows behave successful unpredictable ways. But again, it's bully to person power complete erstwhile that update gets finished.

3. You should spot only 1 restart a month

The azygous biggest title I perceive from readers astir Windows Update is that location are Too. Damn. Many. Of. Them. The fix? Those updates will beryllium consolidated to a azygous batch, pinch a azygous monthly restart.

We cognize this has been a awesome symptom constituent for Windows users, truthful arsenic of today, we're unifying nan update acquisition to trim nan number of reboots you spot each month.

We are starting by coordinating driver, .NET, and firmware updates to align pinch nan monthly value update, reducing update acquisition to a azygous monthly restart.

[...]

Updates will download successful nan background, past will hold for a coordinated installation and restart. This installation and restart will align pinch nan adjacent Windows value update aliases different update that you manually approve.

If you're successful 1 of nan Insider preview programs, you'll get play updates, though they tin beryllium delayed arsenic well. If you're what Microsoft calls a "Persistent Seeker," who regularly checks for caller updates, you'll get 2 a month: nan regular Patch Tuesday update and nan preview update connected nan 4th Tuesday of nan month, pinch immoderate different disposable updates included successful that batch.

4. You won't beryllium forced to instal updates erstwhile mounting up a caller Windows PC

This 1 has driven maine crazy, because nan play to download and instal those updates tin easy return a half-hour aliases more, erstwhile what you really want to do is get to activity and fto nan latest updates get successful nan inheritance while you get nan remainder of nan caller PC fresh for use.

That prime is disposable coming connected each Windows editions.

5. You'll person much accusation connected updates

At nan extremity of 2025, Microsoft simplified its update titles. That process mightiness person made things a little too simple. Exactly what is that driver update that's fresh to install? Who knows?

Also: If Microsoft really wants to hole Windows 11, it should do these 4 things ASAP

So, nan committedness going guardant is to adhd immoderate of those specifications back, particularly for driver updates, which "often person similar, if not identical, titles."

To thief supply you pinch much insights, we person added nan instrumentality people to nan driver title – ensuring pending aliases installed driver updates explain whether they use to display, audio, battery, extension, HDC, aliases different applicable driver update classes.

The caller controls should statesman appearing successful Beta builds successful nan adjacent period aliases two, and while there's nary connection connected precisely erstwhile they'll statesman appearing successful nationalist updates, my conjecture is that those could beryllium fresh arsenic early arsenic September.

Now, astir those different symptom points...