Windows Update: FAQ

Note: If you’re looking for Microsoft Office update info, see Install Office updates.

In Windows 10, you decide when and how to get the latest updates to keep your device running smoothly and securely. When you update, you’ll get the latest fixes and security improvements, helping your device run efficiently and stay protected. In most cases, restarting your device completes the update. Make sure your device is plugged in when you know updates will be installed.

If other questions come up when you update Windows 10, here are some other areas that might interest you:

When you only want info about updating Windows 10, you’ll find answers to many of your questions here:

When the Windows 10 May 2020 Update is ready for your device, it will be available to download and install from the Windows Update page in Settings. Choose a time that works best for you to download the update. You’ll then need to restart your device and complete the installation. After that, your device will be running Windows 10, version 2004.

To manually check for the latest recommended updates, select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Windows Update .

To get help updating to the latest version of Windows 10, go to the Microsoft software download page and download the Update Assistant.

Some updates may not be available on all devices at the same time—we’re making sure updates are ready and compatible.

To stay up to date, select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Windows Update , and then select Check for updates.

If a feature update is available for your device, it will appear separately on the Windows Update page. To install it, select Download and install now.

Here are a few things you can try if you’re having trouble installing updates:

Make sure that your device is connected to the internet. Downloading updates requires an internet connection.

If you’re connected the internet, try to install the updates manually. Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Windows Update , and then view available updates.
Check for updates

Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter. Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot . Under Get up and running, select Windows Update.

The time required to download updates primarily depends on internet connection speed, network settings, and update size. Make sure your device is plugged in and connected to the internet to download updates faster.

You can’t stop updates entirely—because they help keep your device safe and secure, updates will eventually need to be installed and downloaded, regardless of your update settings. Here’s how to temporarily pause updates from being downloaded and installed. Note that after the pause limit is reached, you’ll need to install the latest updates before you can pause updates again.

In the Windows 10 November 2019 Update (version 1909) or later, or in Windows version 1809 for Pro or Enterprise, select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update . Then choose one of the following options:

Select Pause updates for 7 days.

Select Advanced options. Then, in the Pause updates section, select the drop-down menu and specify a date for updates to resume.

To finish installing an update, your device will need to restart. Windows will try to restart your device when you’re not using it. If it can’t, you’ll be asked to schedule the restart for a more convenient time. Or, you can schedule anytime by following these steps:

Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Windows Update .

Select Schedule the restart and choose a time that’s convenient for you.

You can set active hours to make sure automatic restarts for updates only happen when you’re not using your device. Learn about active hours for Windows 10.

Try deleting files you don’t need, uninstalling apps you don’t use, or moving files to another drive like an external USB drive or OneDrive. For more tips on freeing up disk space, see Free up drive space in Windows 10.

We recommend keeping devices like laptops and tablets plugged in when you’re not using them. This way, if updates are installed outside active hours, your device will have enough power to complete the installation. Windows updates don’t consume more battery than other typical system processes.

An update history is available so you can see which updates were installed, and when. You can also use this list to remove specific updates, although we don’t recommend this unless it’s necessary.

Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Windows Update > View update history .

For more info about what’s included in updates for Windows 10, see Windows 10 update history.

We don’t recommend that you remove any installed updates. However, if you must remove an update, you can do so in update history.

Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history > Uninstall updates.

Select the update you want to remove, then select Uninstall.

Feature updates are typically released twice per year and include new functionality and capabilities as well as potential fixes and security updates. Quality updates are more frequent and mainly include small fixes and security updates. Windows is designed to deliver both kinds of updates to devices through Windows Update.

To double check that your device is up to date, open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and see your update status and available updates.

To find which version of Windows you’re running, see Which version of Windows operating system am I running?

Reserved storage is not automatically turned on by Windows in any update scenarios. It is only turned on for new devices with the Windows 10 May 2019 Update (version 1903) or later preinstalled, or devices on which a clean install was performed.

Note: If you’re looking for Microsoft Office update info, see Install Office updates.

The best way to keep Windows 8.1 up to date is to turn on automatic updates. With automatic updates, you don’t have to search for updates online or worry about missing critical fixes or device drivers for your PC. Instead, Windows Update automatically installs important updates as they become available.

To turn on automatic updates:

Open Windows Update by swiping in from the right edge of the screen (or, if you’re using a mouse, pointing to the lower-right corner of the screen and moving the mouse pointer up), select Settings > Change PC settings > Update and recovery > Windows Update. If you want to check for updates manually, select Check now.

Select Choose how updates get installed, and then, under Important updates, select Install updates automatically (recommended).

Under Recommended updates, select Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates.

Under Microsoft Update, select Give me updates for other Microsoft products when I update Windows, and then select Apply.

Click the questions below to see answers about how Windows Update keeps your device up to date.

Note: If your PC is connected to a network where updates are managed by Group Policy, you might not be able to change settings related to Windows Update. For more info, contact your organization’s technical support.

To see your PC’s update history, open Windows Update by swiping in from the right edge of the screen (or, if you’re using a mouse, pointing to the lower-right corner of the screen and moving the mouse pointer up), select Settings > Change PC settings > Update and recovery > Windows Update > View your update history.

We don’t recommend that you remove any installed updates. However, if you must remove an update, you can do so in update history.

Select the update you want to remove, then select Uninstall.

Here are a few things to try if you’re having problems installing updates:

Make sure that your PC is connected to the internet. Some updates can’t be installed if you’re using a metered internet connection.

If you’re connected the internet and updates aren’t installed automatically, wait a few minutes and then try to install the updates manually.

See the Fix Windows Update errors guided walkthrough to try to fix the problem.

Support for Windows 7 ended on January 14, 2020

We recommend you move to a Windows 10 PC to continue to receive security updates from Microsoft.

Click the questions below to see answers about how Windows Update keeps your device up to date.

Check update server windows

Windows-Update-Checker : KUC

Downloads Update Lists FAQ

KUC is a small utility that will check what updates are installed, missing or removable on your Windows7, W2008R2 system.
[SP1 must be installed]

KUC will download all missing updates and install new and/or remove not needed once.

KUC is running on any computer with .Net 4.6.1 installed.

References of the following systems are included:

Win7 x64 and Win7 x86,
W2008R2 and W2008R2 Server Core,
WMS2011,
WHS2011, WSS2008R2ess, SBS2011ess,
W7Ex64-online, W7Ex86-online, W7Ex64-install.wim, W7Ex86-install.wim

I have created these references from installation images (wims) that have all updates installed.
(Except the –online references)

You can easily manage KUC’s output file in Excel .

For each package, update or hotfix you get the following information:

[KB#] : The knowledgebase (KB) number of the update

[Version] : The version number of the update

[State] : The installation state of the update: installed, install pending, staged, superseded.
Packages that have been added by KUC have an empty [State].

[Release Type] :
Update, Security Update, Hotfix, Language Pack, etc.

[Install Time] : The date and time, the package was installed.

[Package Identity] :
The (short) name of the package.

[Language] : If the package is language depended, you find the installation language here.

(The information above depend on DISM)

[Filename] : The name of the .msu file of the package.

[Superseded] : Just ‘yes’ or (nothing). The result depends on my update list (see above).
Do not mix up this column with the [State] column. This column is set by KUC, the [State] column by the operating system.

[SupersedingUpdates] :
Here you find the KB-number(s) of the update(s) that supersede this update. (Note: only the most recent update(s) can be found here, intermediate updates are ignored). (Example: KB3 supersedes KB2, witch supersedes KB1. For both, KB1 and KB2 this column will contain KB3)

[KUC-Type] : If a package only updates a specific feature or addition, the name of this feature or addition can be found her.

[KUC-State] : The column you should look at. (See Description below)

[KUC-StateRemarks] :
Special information about the package.

[NotInstalledSupersedingUpdates] :
KUC also will check, if all of the superseding updates are installed. If some are not installed, you can find them here.

· ADD : update is missing.

· ADD/EXCLUSIVE : Those updates should be installed exclusively.

· ADD/GDR : Add this normal update to avoid Windows message “new updates are available”.

· ADD/LDR : Add this “BF” update to avoid Windows message “new updates are available”.

· ADDLATER : update is missing but you should to do something else before you install it, look at the [KUC-StateRemarks] column to find out more.

· BAD : Oh oh! Something was going wrong during the update installation. First, remove all BAD packages. Then try to add the package again.

· BAD/IGNORE : Something was going wrong during the update installation. You can’t remove this package directly. Try to reinstall GDR&LDR version of those KB#s.

· IGNORE : see [KUC-StateRemarks] for detail.

· KEEP : You should not or cannot remove this package.

· OK : I like those .

· OK/ADD : The package is missing; you could add it, but needn’t.

· OK/GDR : Keep this normal update to avoid Windows message: ’new updates are available’.

· OK/IGNORE : The package is copied from the reference because you checked ‘do not ignore any’ and irrelevant.

· OK/INFO : The package is installed; there may be some additional actions to perform.

· OK/LDR : Keep this “BF” update to avoid Windows message: ’new updates are available’.

· OK/REMOVE : You can remove this package. Look at [KUC-StateRemarks] for detail.
(Example: LDR “BF” version of this package is installed; you can remove the GDR version.)

· REMOVE : You get the KUC-state under several circumstances.
1. The OS marked this package as “Superseded” (in column [State]).
2. You have installed an update that was designed for the RTM version of windows or witch is included in service pack 1 (SP1).
3. This package is superseded and all of the superseding updates are installed.
In all these cases, you can remove the package.

· REMOVE/ADD : Normally you get this KUC-State, if you have installed a package in a lower version than that of the reference. So first remove the old and then add the new version.

REMOVE/FORCED : You get this KUC-State, if you decide to remove/ignore packages for features you do not want.

· REMOVELATER : Most common reason for this KUC-State is: This package is superseded but not all superseding updates are installed!

· unknown : I hate those .
New updates -not found in the reference- are also listed here.
If you get one of those and it is not a new update, please tell me, I may be able to add it to the reference. New updates will be included in the next release.

· … More to come on next releases

I also added some routines to handle special cases like » only install 2615701, if 2619234 is installed «, or » not integratable «, » don’t integrate «, .

Installation:
Just place the file in a folder you like. I suggest to use the folder C:\WU.
KUC does not make any changes to your System.

Execution:

To run/use the program, you have two choices:

Choice 1. Create the packages.txt your own, on a computer, you want or from a wim-image, you like. Then run KUC and tell him were to find the packages.txt file.

Command to create the packages.txt file for online systems:
dism /online /get-packages /format:table /English >Packages.txt

Command to create the packages.txt file for offline images:
dism /imagepath:D:\Offlinepath /get-packages /format:table /English >Packages.txt
(Replace D:\offlinepath as you need)

Choice 2. Let KUC generate the packages.txt file of your online system.
(Not possible for server-core or wim-images.)
To do this you must run KUC as administrator . (KUC cannot run dism without this right.)

With the first choice you are able to check the [KUC-State] of computers of friends,
of computers that do not support KUC or of installation images.

KUC searches for windows additions that you have installed on your system.

If an addition is installed “ found ”, the search for missing updates of this addition is automatically selected. All missing updates will be added to the output file with [KUC-State] “ADD”.

If an addition is not installed “ not found ” you can decide if you want to add it or leave it.

1. Leave it unchecked: All not needed packages will get the [KUC-State] “REMOVE”

2. Check it: The installation package of this addition and all superseding packages will be placed in the output file with [KUC-State] “ADD”.

All additions will be marked in the [KUC-Type] column.

Note: Not every addition can be integrated. For example “Management Framework” needs .Net 4.0, which is not available in most foundation wims. [KUC-StateRemarks] will inform you.

Note: All labels and checkboxes have tool-tips. So just move your cursor over them.

Don’t ignore any packages of the reference:
KUC normally ignores some packages of the reference with low relevance. This option should only be checked for special propose.

check for missing IE8 updates:
If IE9 is not found you cannot change this. KUC will search for missing IE8 updates.
If IE9 is found and the box is unchecked, IE8 updates will be treated as removable.
If IE9 is found and this box is checked KUC will search for missing IE8 updates.

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check for missing RSAT (Remote Server Admin Tool) updates:

If RSAT is found, you cannot change this. If RSAT is not found and the box is unchecked, remaining RSAT updates will be marked as removable.
If you check the box, KUC will search for missing RSAT updates. Since RSAT updates are normal updates on servers, you cannot uncheck this box there. If you cannot install RSAT on a special foundation, this box is disabled.

AD LDS = Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services

VPC = Virtual PC

WIF = Windows Identity Foundation

WUA = Windows Update Agent

ADFS = Active Directory Federation Services

Media Server = just guess

ServerBPA = BPA for server foundation

BPA = Best Practice Analyzer

SystemReadiness = Tool for checking updates (registry and installation)

WinHelp = Utility to view help files created in Windows Help format.

Fmapi = File Management API

MSAgent = Microsoft Agent

NTBackup = the old NTBackup/Restore utility for Windows 7

BrowserChoice = User will be asked what browser he wants

ClientBPA = BPA for client foundation

disable AMD CorePark. = Update that disables AMD Core Parking

check for ALL Server Additions:

If the foundation is server, you select all possible server additions by one click.

check for ALL other Additions:

You can select all possible other additions by one click here.

After you make your decisions KUC starts to run and gives you a first overview of your installation.

Not installed Additions are red ; installed are blue .

KUC found 341 packages (not updates) in your windows installation and 1075 in the reference (+10 extra -95 ignored (depending on your former decisions). KUC also found 761 packages that are not present. Moreover, Oh-Oh 2 packages have a BAD KUC-State.
4 packages for IE8, 5 for IE9, 30 for VPC, 2 for WIF and five for the other additions are found in the input file.

There are +9 new packages for IE9, +4 new for VPC and +3 new for WIF. Nothing new could be found for the other additions. (“disable AMD CorePark.” is new; but was not selected).

Now let’s have a look on the 2. Option Window.

KUC found 767 packages to and 13 to remove in your input file.
273 input packages have no Category (No Cat.) +612 (to add) and -10 (to remove).

20 input packages are for drivers +82 (to add) –3 (to remove).

1 input package is for Media +12 (to add). (Windows Media Player network share and/or Media Center).

2 input packages are for Group Policy +12 (to add) and none to remove.

Some options are disabled. This depends on the foundation and the additions that are installed.
Note that the Vmdriver checkbox is disabled due to VPC is installed.

You do not have any “BF” packages (you did not use “force LDR installation”). There are +232 packages to add and -0 to remove.

Since you have no “BF” there are obviously no GDR/LDR combos.

You did not install any packages for the features IIS, MSMQ, NFS, SNMP or SUA.

As you can see KUC selected only the features that have been installed before.

Also, note that some updates belong to more than one category.

Select Check Options 2:

check for superseded updates:
KUC gives you an overview about all superseded updates installed on the test system. All no longer needed updates will get [KUC-State] “REMOVE”.

Note: This is a very important checking. Some users are wondering, why they get so much packages marked as “missing” on their systems, even if they had installed all of SoLoR updates.
If this box is unchecked, ALL missing updates (superseded or not) will be placed in the output file with [KUC-State] “ADD”. Therefore, if you do not want superseded updates leave this box checked.

use “GDR/LDR” to keep to avoid ‘update available’:

Some superseded updates will popup with ‘update available’ message if they are not installed. KUC takes care the this small number of updates are not removed form your system.

check for ‘force LDR install’ packages:
(This option is only checkable, if the ‘check for superseded updates’ option is selected.)
If you do not check this box ‘force LDR-installation’ packages will be ignored.

KUC check for updates that are present as GDR and LDR:
(This option is only checkable, if the ‘check for superseded updates’ and the ‘force LDR install’ option are selected.)

If you use a “force LDR-installation“-method to install updates, sometimes updates are present in GDR and LDR version. Normally there is no reason to keep both.
Depending on the number of GDR/LDR combos, KUC will propose a checking now.

Note: This is a very important checking, too. Users are often wondering, why KUC adds both (normal and BF_) versions to the output file. You can control this with this check box.
If this box is unchecked KUC assumes, that you want both, the GDR and the LDR version of a package. Therefore, KUC adds both of them to the output file. Also if KUC finds both versions installed he does not mark the GDR version as removable.
If this box is checked, KUC will find GDR versions that you can remove and will only add the LDR (BF_) version of missing updates to the output.