Windows os update

Article number:. Last updated:. The world news. Widgets help you find content that matters to you. With Chat from Microsoft Teams, you can reach anyone however you prefer call, chat, text, video right from your desktop. The apps you need. The shows you love to watch. Find them fast in the new Microsoft Store. Play the latest games with graphics that rival reality. Play with players on console. Play with the peripherals that you love. When it comes to playing your way, Windows 11 makes it happen.

PCs preloaded with Windows 11 are coming soon! And more good news: Many Windows 10 PCs will be eligible for a free upgrade. If you get an error when trying to update, see Fix Windows Update issues. If you're trying to activate Windows 11, see Activate Windows for more info. If you're having trouble installing updates, see Troubleshoot problems updating Windows. To get the latest major update of Windows 11, see Get the latest Windows update.

Check for Windows updates. In Windows 10, you decide when and how to get the latest updates to keep your device running smoothly and securely. If you're trying to activate Windows 10, see Activate Windows for more info. To get the latest major update of Windows 10, see Get the latest Windows update. To install it, select Download and install now.

Make sure that your device is connected to the internet. Downloading updates requires an internet connection. Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter. Under Most frequent , select Windows Update. If the Troubleshooter doesn't fix the problem, see Troubleshoot problems updating Windows or Fix Windows Update errors. 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. 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. Next to Pause updates , select the pause length you prefer. 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 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. Get updates when you're away from your PC with active hours in Windows.

For more tips on freeing up disk space, see Free up drive space in Windows. This way, if updates are installed outside active hours, your device will have enough power to complete the installation.

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. View update history. However, if you must remove an update, you can do so in update history. 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.