It’s very important to keep Windows up to date. Many of the updates your computer gets are security updates, which close loopholes in Windows that hackers and malware could use to get onto your computer.
Other updates fix bugs, add new features and update the drivers that keep your hardware working. In this lesson I’ll show you how to update Windows 11 and Windows 10, what to do when an update won’t install, and what you need to know if you’re still using Windows 10.
The Short Version
- Click Start, type windows update and open Windows Update.
- Click Check for updates, even if it says you’re up to date.
- Let any updates download and install, then click Restart now if asked.
- Still on Windows 10? Make sure you’re signed up for Extended Security Updates, which run until 12 October 2027.
How to Update Windows 10 and Windows 11
Windows 11 and Windows 10 are pretty good at keeping themselves up to date. Even so, it’s worth checking now and then that you’ve got all the latest updates.
- Click the Start button and type “windows update“.
- Click Check for updates (or Windows Update settings) at the top of the search results.
- Click the Check for updates button.
Another Way In
In Windows 11 it’s Settings, then Windows Update at the bottom left. In Windows 10 it’s Settings, Update & Security, then Windows Update.
Laptop Users
If you’re using a laptop, or any computer with a battery, plug it in first. Updates can take a while and drain the battery.
Most of the time, if the battery does go flat, Windows recovers and carries on where it left off. But not always. Sometimes something goes wrong with the update, and then it’s down to luck how quickly you get your computer working again.
Don’t leave it to chance. Plug it in.
The Windows Update screen might tell you you’re already up to date. Don’t take its word for it. Always click Check for updates.
If, after checking, Windows still says you’re up to date, you’re done.
Windows Updates Available
After checking, you might see a whole list of updates appear. Most of them download and install by themselves. If you see a Download & install button, click it.
You might also see some updates marked as optional. Let the others finish installing before you do anything with those. I explain optional updates further down.
Get the Latest Updates as Soon as They’re Available
On the Windows 11 Windows Update page there’s a switch called Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available. Turn it on and your computer gets the yearly update (the Windows 11 2026 Update, also called version 26H2, came out at the end of September 2026) and new features sooner, rather than waiting its turn.
It’s safe to leave it off, too. You still get every security update either way.
Restart Required
Some updates need a restart to finish installing. Click Restart now.
Save anything you’re working on first. And do the restart before you install any optional updates.
Update and Shut Down
When updates are waiting, the power button in the Start menu shows Update and shut down and Update and restart. Choosing Update and shut down at the end of the day lets the updates finish while you’re not using the computer.
Optional Updates
Optional updates are extras that Windows doesn’t install by itself. They’re usually early versions of next month’s fixes, or updated drivers for parts of your computer.
Microsoft’s own advice on the optional updates page is that if you have a specific problem, one of these drivers might help, and otherwise automatic updates keep your drivers up to date. The same goes for the other optional updates. If your computer is working fine, you can leave them.
Optional Updates for Windows 10
Go back into Windows Update and click View optional updates (or Download and install under the optional update). When it’s finished, you’ll probably need to restart again.
Optional Updates for Windows 11
In Windows 11 they’re a couple of clicks further in:
- On the Windows Update page, click Advanced options.
- Click Optional updates.
- Tick the updates you want and click Download & install.
Driver Updates
Drivers are the small programs that let Windows talk to your hardware, such as your printer, graphics and Wi-Fi. Windows Update keeps them up to date for you, and any extra driver updates are tucked away with the optional updates.
In Windows 11 you’ll find them under Advanced options, Optional updates, Driver updates. In Windows 10 they’re behind the View optional updates link.
Windows Update and Drivers
Windows Update used to be poor at drivers. That’s changed. Most hardware makers now keep Microsoft up to date with their drivers, so for most people Windows Update is all you need. If something like your printer or sound stops working, a driver update here is a good thing to try.
How to Pause Windows Updates
If an update would come at a bad time, for example when you’re about to give a presentation or you’re on a slow connection, you can pause updates for a while.
- Windows 11: on the Windows Update page, click Pick a date and choose when to resume updates.
- Windows 10: on the Windows Update page, click Pause updates for 7 days. Click it again to add more time.
When the pause ends, Windows installs everything it’s been holding back. You can’t switch updates off for good in Windows 11 Home, and you wouldn’t want to: an unpatched computer is an easy target.
Still Using Windows 10?
Microsoft stopped supporting Windows 10 on 14 October 2025. Your computer still works exactly as before, but Windows 10 no longer gets security updates, unless you sign up for Extended Security Updates (ESU).
Get Free Extended Security Updates until 2027
Extended Security Updates keep the important security fixes coming to Windows 10 until 12 October 2027. Microsoft extended it by a year in June 2026, so if you signed up last year you’re already covered and don’t need to do anything.
To sign up, open Settings, Update & Security, Windows Update, and click Enrol now. It’s free if you sync your settings with a Microsoft account. Otherwise you can use 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points or pay a one-off fee (around $30).
This PC Can’t Run Windows 11
On a Windows 10 computer you might see an offer to upgrade to Windows 11, or this message: This PC doesn’t currently meet the minimum system requirements to run Windows 11.
If your computer can run Windows 11, the upgrade is free. Click Download and install on the Windows Update page. It’s a big update, so back up your files first and leave plenty of time.
If it can’t, that’s common with older computers. Sign up for Extended Security Updates, keep using it, and plan to replace it before October 2027.
Want to Try Windows 11 Anyway?
There are no guarantees, but there are ways to get Windows 11 onto a computer that doesn’t meet the requirements. If you’d really like to try, these guides will help:
Windows Update Failed or Won’t Install?
Every now and then an update fails, gets stuck, or keeps trying and failing. Work through these in order:
- Restart the computer and check for updates again. This fixes it surprisingly often.
- Plug it in and check you’re connected to the internet.
- Free up some space. Big updates need about 20 gigabytes of free space. Empty the Recycle Bin and delete anything you don’t need.
- Unplug anything extra, such as USB drives, external hard drives and docks, then try again.
- Run the Windows Update troubleshooter: open Settings, System, Troubleshoot, Other troubleshooters, and click Run next to Windows Update. In Windows 10 it’s under Update & Security, Troubleshoot.
- Check the date and time are right. If they’re wrong, updates can fail.
Stuck on a Percentage?
Big updates can sit on the same number for a long time, especially on older computers. If the computer’s still busy (the disk light flickers, or the dots keep spinning), give it an hour or two before doing anything. Switching off in the middle of an update is the one thing most likely to cause real trouble.
Something Stopped Working After an Update
You can remove a recent update. In Windows Update, click Update history, then Uninstall updates. If your computer won’t start properly, System Restore or Safe Mode can get you back to a working computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does Windows update itself automatically?
A: Yes. Windows 11 and Windows 10 download and install most updates by themselves. It’s still worth opening Windows Update and clicking Check for updates now and then, and restarting when it asks.
Q: How long do Windows updates take?
A: Monthly updates usually take a few minutes plus a restart. A big update can take an hour or more on an older computer. Plug laptops in and don’t switch off part way through.
Q: Can I use my computer while it updates?
A: Yes, while the updates download and install in the background. Only the restart at the end stops you, which is why it’s worth choosing Update and shut down at the end of the day.
Q: Is Windows 10 still getting updates?
A: Only if you’ve signed up for Extended Security Updates, which run until 12 October 2027. It’s free if you sync your settings with a Microsoft account. Without it, Windows 10 hasn’t had security updates since October 2025.
Q: Should I install optional updates?
A: Only if you have a problem they might fix, such as a printer or sound that has stopped working. Otherwise you can leave them. Windows installs everything important by itself.
Q: Can I turn off Windows updates?
A: You can pause them for a while, but you can’t switch them off for good in Windows 11 Home, and you shouldn’t want to. Updates are what keep your computer safe.
Q: What is the latest version of Windows 11?
A: The Windows 11 2026 Update, version 26H2, released at the end of September 2026. Turn on Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available in Windows Update to get it sooner.
Summary
The vast majority of Windows updates are bug fixes and security updates. They keep your computer running smoothly and close the holes that hackers and malware look for.
- Open Windows Update and click Check for updates every so often.
- Restart when Windows asks you to.
- Plug laptops in before updating.
- On Windows 10, sign up for Extended Security Updates to stay protected until October 2027.
Being up to date, together with Windows Security, keeps most threats out. But both can fail you, which is why the next lesson is all about backing up.
Next Lesson
How to Turn Your Computer Off Properly
Your computer is on, and you want it off. Simple enough, until you open the Start menu and find three choices looking back at you.
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