Articles about Windows Update

Later this year, Microsoft will launch a new service called Windows Autopatch which will help users update their software.

The free service will help enterprise customers obtain Windows 10 and Windows 11 quality and feature updates, drivers, firmware, and Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise updates. Microsoft is due to launch Windows Autopatch in July, and the company had provided information about how it will work.

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Microsoft is putting the squeeze on anyone who is hanging doggedly on to an old version of Windows.

The company is ending support for Windows 10 version 20H2 in just a few short weeks, meaning that anyone who fails to upgrade will no longer receive security updates. Microsoft would, of course, like users to upgrade to Windows 11, but this is not the only option.

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It has been a very long time coming, but Microsoft appears to have finally understood the value and importance of HTTPS. For reasons best known to the company, anyone looking to download updates from the Microsoft Update Catalog have had to do so via HTTP links -- but no longer.

In the last few days, Microsoft made a server-side change that means Microsoft Update Catalog downloads now use HTTPS connections. The switch to HTTPS affects everything from Windows 11 to Office, and everything in between.

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Microsoft has made numerous missteps with Windows 11, but one that drew a lot of attention was the convoluted method involved in changing the default web browser. But following complaints and criticism, the company has backtracked and dramatically simplified the process.

The change was quietly introduced with the release of the KB5011563 update for Windows 11. This is currently an optional update, but the fact that Microsoft has now made it so much easier to set the default browser to something other than Edge is one very good reason to get it installed right now.

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Microsoft has released a new optional update for Windows 11 in the form of the KB5011563 preview. The update takes Windows 11 up to build 22000.593, and as well as fixing numerous problems with the operating system, it also introduces an important change to the way notifications work.

The KB5011563 update has previously been released to Windows Insiders, but now the preview version is available for anyone who wants it to install ahead of its full release this coming Patch Tuesday. Among the fixes included in this update are a patch for an issue that causes OneDrive to lose focus, and a speed boost for slow start times.

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Looking for another reason to be annoyed by Windows 11? Microsoft delivers yet again. It is not very long since the company started A/B testing a watermark on the desktop of people who had installed Windows 11 on unsupported hardware. Now, for reasons best known to Microsoft, the decision appears to have been taken to roll out this irritating banner.

In the latest update pushed to the Release Preview Channel, the watermark is present for everyone running Windows 11 on hardware that doesn’t make the grade. The message has changed slightly, now reading "System requirements not met. Go to Settings to learn more". The good news? You can take steps to hide the watermark if it grates on your nerves

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Last month, Microsoft confirmed an issue affecting Windows 10 and Windows 11 that means data was left behind after a system wipe. With the Patch Tuesday updates for March, the company has addressed this problem and more.

The fix comes in the KB5011493 update which also includes a number of other fixes as well as new features and options. The new features -- including multiple monitor support for taskbar clocks, weather widget updates and more -- were seen last month, and this time around it is a mandatory update thanks to the inclusion of security patches.

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We are, slowly but surely, moving towards the release of Windows 11 Version 22H2, also known as Sun Valley 2, and this is very evident to Windows Insiders. We very recently saw the release of Windows 11 Preview Build 22567 to Insiders and then there was the KB5012427 update for testing the servicing pipeline.

Now Microsoft has released a second Cumulative Update Build of Windows 11 for Windows Insiders signed up for the Dev Channel. The KB5012432 update takes Windows 11 up to build 22567.200, but this time Microsoft is not making it available to everyone -- not even all Insiders.

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It is only a few days since Microsoft released a new build of Windows 11 in the form of Preview Build 22567, and already the company has pushed out a cumulative update for it.

With the release of the KB5012427 update, Microsoft takes the current build of the operating system available to Insiders signed up for the Dev channel to Windows 11 build 22567.100. So, what can you expect from this update?

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When Microsoft released the KB5010414 update for Windows 11 a couple of week ago, there was great interest in the new features it added. But there was also a sense of heavy anticipation for the almost inevitable problems the update would cause.

We have already had reports of the update not only breaking printing, but also causing some systems to overheat, but this is not all. Users are also complaining that KB5010414 is causing the Start menu to be hidden.

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Microsoft has issued a warning to users of various versions of Windows Server that a recent update is causing problems with Netlogon connections.

Affecting Windows Server 2022, 2019, 2012 R2, 2012, 2008 R2 SP1 and 2008 SP2, the problem means that some applications and appliances on domain controllers may be unable to establish a Netlogon secure channel. Microsoft is blaming not only the KB5009555 update, but "updates released January 11, 2022" for the problem.

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Microsoft has been pouring a lot of love into Windows 11 of late, and understandably so -- but this does not mean that people who have decided to stick with Windows 10 have been forgotten. And to prove this, the company has just released the significant KB5010415 update, introducing new features and options, as well as fixing various issues.

For now, KB5010415 is only a preview, meaning that it is an update that gives an early taste of the full launch next Patch Tuesday. The update is available to anyone who wants to install it, and it includes a number of compelling reasons to do so.

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Microsoft has issued a warning -- or reminder, depending on your perspective -- about the impending end of support for Windows 10 20H2.

Also known as Windows 10 October 2020 update, this is not the first time Microsoft has urged people to upgrade their operating system to a version that will be supported for longer. The deadline is just three months away, so what are your options?

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We've already written about the release of Windows 11 Build 22000.526 to testers on the Beta and Release Preview channels, but this update warrants further investigation. With the release of the KB5010414 update, Microsoft not only fixes a lot of Windows 11 problems, it also introduces some important tweaks to the taskbar that will delight users of Microsoft Teams, as well as people with more than one monitor connected to their computer.

There are various important additions to the taskbar as well as changes to functionality. These changes, such as the decision to (finally!) include the clock in all taskbars on multiple monitors, represent a pleasing evolution of a staple feature of Windows and are likely to be well-received -- but there is still room for improvement.

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It is the time of the month when Microsoft releases updates for Windows, and we've already looked at KB5010386 for Windows 11. There are also two updates available for Windows 10 users to install -- KB5010342 and KB5010345.

The update you need depends on which version of Windows 10 you are running. KB5010342 is for Windows 10 versions 20H2, 21H1 and 21H1, while KB5010345 is for anyone still running Windows 10 version 1909.

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