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Mastering Windows Updates | How to Keep Your Laptop Up-to-Date

Windows Updates are an essential part of keeping your PC secure and up to date. But do you know how to master them? Do you know how to check for updates, install them, and troubleshoot any problems that might arise? Do you know how to customize your update settings and preferences? If not, don’t worry. This article will teach you everything you need to know about mastering Windows Updates.

This article will cover a variety of Windows Update-related topics, such as how to manually or automatically check for and install updates, how to pause, resume, or defer updates, how to resolve common Windows Update errors and problems, how to modify your Windows Update settings and choices, and much more.

By the end of this article, you will be able to master Windows Updates and keep your PC running smoothly and securely. Let’s get started!

Mastering Windows Updates

How to check for and install Windows Updates manually or automatically

Checking for and installing Windows Updates manually or automatically is a good way to keep your PC secure and up to date. Windows Updates are patches that Microsoft releases to fix bugs, enhance security, and improve system performance. There are different types of updates, such as quality updates, optional updates, and feature updates.

To check for and install Windows Updates manually on Windows 11, you can follow these steps:

  • Open Settings on Windows 11.
  • Click on Windows Update.
  • Click the Check for updates button.
  • (Optional) Click the “Download and install” option to apply a preview of an upcoming update of Windows 11.
  • Click the Restart now button.

To check for and install Windows Updates automatically on Windows 11, you can follow these steps:

  • Open Settings on Windows 11.
  • Click on Windows Update.
  • Click on Advanced options.
  • Under Active hours, choose to update manually or automatically in Windows 11.

You can also download and install specific updates manually from the Microsoft Update Catalog website. Or you can use commands to install updates from PowerShell and Command Prompt.

How to pause, resume, or defer Windows Updates.

Pausing, resuming, or deferring Windows Updates is a way to control when and how your PC gets the latest updates from Microsoft. Depending on your Windows version and edition, you may have different options to pause or resume updates.

To pause updates for up to 35 days on Windows 11 or Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions, you can follow these steps:

  • Open Settings and click on Windows Update.
  • Click on Advanced options.
  • Under Pause updates, select a date you want in the Pause until drop-down menu.

When using Windows 10 Home edition, you can do the following to pause updates for 7 days at a time for up to 35 days:

  • Open Settings and click on Windows Update.
  • Click on Pause updates for 7 days on the right side up to five times to pause updates seven days at a time for up to 35 days.

To resume updates on any Windows edition, you can follow these steps:

  • Open Settings and click on Windows Update.
  • Click on Resume updates on the right side.

On Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions, you can do the following to delay feature upgrades for up to 365 days:

  • Open Settings and click on Windows Update.
  • Click on Advanced options.
  • Under Choose when updates are installed, select the number of days you want to defer feature updates for.

How to change your Windows Update settings and options.

Changing your Windows Update settings and options is a way to customize how your PC receives and installs updates from Microsoft. Depending on your Windows version and edition, you may have different options to change your update preferences.

To change Windows Update settings and options on Windows 11, you can follow these steps:

  • Right-click the Start button, and choose Settings. You can also left-click the Start button and search for Settings.
  • Choose Windows Update from the menu on the left.
  • Select Advanced options from the right side.
  • Here you can choose to receive updates for other Microsoft products, download updates over metered connections, pause updates for a certain period, or defer feature updates for up to 365 days.

To change Windows Update settings and options on Windows 10, you can follow these steps:

  • Open Settings and click on Update & Security.
  • Click on Windows Update on the left, then click on Advanced options on the right.
  • Here you can choose how updates are installed, whether to receive updates for other Microsoft products, pause updates for up to 35 days, or defer feature updates for up to 365 days.

How to fix common Windows Update errors and issues.

Common Windows Update errors and issues can be frustrating and prevent you from keeping your PC secure and up to date. However, there are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and fix them. Here are some possible solutions:

1. Use the Windows Update Troubleshooter.

This is a built-in tool that can scan your PC for problems and apply fixes automatically. To use it, go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters > Windows Update > Run the troubleshooter.

2. Install updates manually.

Sometimes, you may be able to download and install specific updates from the Microsoft Update Catalog website. You can also use commands to install updates from PowerShell and Command Prompt.

3. Repair hard drive errors.

If your hard drive has bad sectors or corrupted files, it may cause Windows Update to fail. To check and repair your hard drive, you can use the chkdsk command in Command Prompt or the Error checking tool in File Explorer.

4. Restore and repair system files.

If some of the system files are missing or damaged, Windows Update may not work properly. To restore and repair system files, you can use the sfc and dism commands in Command Prompt.

5. Perform a clean installation of Windows 10 or Windows 11.

If none of the above methods work, you may need to reinstall Windows from scratch. This will erase everything on your PC and give you a fresh start. However, before you do this, make sure you back up your personal files and have a valid product key to activate Windows after installation.

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