Despite the fact that Windows 10 has been on the market for quite some time, it is still considered a "young" operating system. Developers are working on its improvements every day to make the user experience more comfortable. All changes made, no matter how useful they may be, are carefully packaged and come to the computer in the form constant updates, therefore it is so important to know what they carry in themselves and how to install them correctly.
Do I need to update Windows 10
The question of the need for Windows updates has always been acute, and for good reason. There is still no consensus, therefore, in order to decide whether to upgrade the system, it is necessary to consider all the arguments for and against.
Why You Shouldn't Update Windows 10
The meaning of updates for the Windows line of operating systems has always been in question.
If we talk about operating systems Windows 7, 8 and 8.1, then almost all updates did not bring anything new or made changes to functions that for ordinary users were unclaimed. With the release of Windows 10, this tradition has been partially preserved. Most updates to this OS add only new enterprise, server and other narrowly focused features, as well as fix old ones and add new minor bugs.
Windows 10 updates take a long time to install and require you to restart your computer. There would be nothing wrong with that if they came out less often than once every two weeks. For the most part, this frequency is to blame for Microsoft's corporate policy, thanks to which everything new is immediately packaged and sent to work without thorough verification and testing.
Windows 10 updates are installed for a very long time and at the most inopportune moment
Windows 10 doesn't ask users if they need an update or not, and installs everything automatically when the system reboots. This can come as a surprise to the user who decides to quickly restart the computer. Installing some Windows 10 updates can take up to two hours, depending on device specifications. In addition, downloading them can eat up all Internet traffic, and sometimes even computer resources.
Also in Windows 10 there is such a thing as advertising. And on free versions system, it is often accompanied by the forced installation of unpopular and low-quality software from Microsoft. Updates to services responsible for advertising are also included in the list of general windows updates.
Why you need to update Windows 10
It is necessary to install the first update immediately after installing the system. The fact is that there are many more varieties of Windows 10 than it might seem at first glance.
First, a general non-personalized version of the system is installed. After installing the drivers and updating the OS for the first time, the OS is changed to the version that best matches the hardware configuration, which can improve the overall Windows performance 10 and its compatibility with a computer.
Now let's talk about the advantages of regularly updating Windows 10. Surely you have heard about the spy functions of this system. In many ways, these services work with a single goal: collecting and sending statistics to the technical support center. This allows developers to monitor Windows work 10 per different computers and under different conditions to regularly improve the system by releasing updates. It is thanks to the active collection of information that some Windows 10 updates are really valuable and allow you to make the user experience more comfortable.
Separately, it should be said about the security update. Every second Windows 10 update brings an improvement in system protection against viruses and other external threats.
Taking into account the high activity of ransomware and cyberattacks in recent times, updating security systems is relevant. Even if the computer has good antivirus, which you completely trust, it does not provide guaranteed protection against threats aimed at vulnerabilities in Windows itself.
Windows 10 General Update includes vulnerabilities and security updates
Windows 10 updates are especially important for owners of older hardware. After installing Windows 10, most drivers are downloaded automatically: this procedure often includes some compatibility improvements in order to further ensure the best performance of the computer. Unfortunately the base Microsoft data is far from complete, which especially affects the outdated hardware. But such information is collected very quickly, and the next update may come with a package designed exclusively for one of the computer components.
All kinds of Windows 10 updates and the misconceptions associated with them
By "updating the operating system" many users sometimes understand completely different things. To avoid confusion, for starters, it’s worth taking a closer look at a couple of points: what an update is, what it can be, and what it can’t.
The confusion about the types of updates is quite serious. It arose due to inaccurate translation of English words into Russian. For example, version - version, edition - version, build - version, and the like.
Table: what is called "Windows 10 Update"
| Switching to Windows 10 (Version update) | Also, this procedure is often referred to as "Upgrading to Windows 10" or "Updating Windows", which sounds very ambiguous. Moving to Windows 10 means upgrading from Windows 7 (or 8 or 8.1) to Windows 10. This is the only procedure that literally translates as "Upgrade Version". Windows 10 also has an internal division into versions, for example, version 1607. Such versions are updated through Windows Update. In fact, this is an update of the assembly, which, for beauty, is called a version. Upgrading to Windows 10 can be done through the Windows10Upgrade utility, which is described below. |
| Changing the edition / edition of Windows (Edition update) | Microsoft also refers to this procedure as "Windows Update". Literally, it translates as "Updating the edition." An edition change includes, for example, an upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Professional or another "tariff change". The article below explains how to do this. |
| Update Windows builds 10 (Build update) | The correct name for this procedure is "Build Upgrade". However, when many users say "Update Windows 10", they mean it, so in the future we will refer to this procedure as such. Updating a build means updating Windows 10. The main way is automatic update Windows through the "Update Center". However, there are others, which will be discussed below. |
| Update additional Windows resources | It refers to everything that is an important application to the system, but is not officially part of it. This includes security tools, features, some services, built-in programs, and more. When Windows 10 says it's being updated, most of the time it means updating resources. In Windows 10, it is almost inseparable from the build update, so it should be considered part of the Windows 10 Update. |
What is meant by "Windows 10 Update"
Windows Update is responsible for updating the system in Windows 10. When it starts, it automatically checks for new builds and additional resources, and if it does, it starts downloading and installing immediately. There are other ways to start the update, but the procedure itself is always the same.
"Windows 10 Update" is "Windows 10 Build Update" plus "Windows Additional Resources Update". This procedure is indivisible and the only possible option for updating your system.
Updating Windows 10 involves updating the operating system and some of its components
What methods of updating do not exist
Due to various misconceptions and user memory about Windows 7, it is very common to find mention of ways to update, which actually do not exist.
Selective update
Many users mistakenly believe that selective system updates are acceptable in Windows 10. Once upon a time, there was indeed information that Microsoft would make such an opportunity for owners of the release of Windows 10 Professional. However, this idea was not continued, and no choice is expected from users in the near future.
All updates for Windows 10 are downloading in a single package, and it is impossible to separate what is needed from everything else. There are also no special programs or utilities that allow you to implement this function. And although there are ways to update the system to a certain version, excluding subsequent ones, it will not work to choose what to install from this update and what not.
All updates for Windows 10 are packaged in one package that cannot be separated in any way.
Manual update
A manual Windows 10 update can be considered a synonym for a selective update: that's exactly what it means. Windows 10 only has automatic updates that you can start manually. It's just that it either starts by itself, or at the request of the user, and Windows 10 is always updated the same way.
You can call it a manual update. offline update via an MSU file downloaded from the Microsoft Update Catalog
Game mode upgrade
Game mode is enabled in the settings:
- Click the Start button and click the gear icon to open Settings.
Click on the "Start" button and click on the gear to open "Settings"
- In the window that appears, click on "Games".
In the window that appears, click on "Games"
- On the left side of the window, click on "Game Mode" and activate the only switch.
On the left side of the window, click on "Game Mode" and activate the only switch
If game mode you will not have it in the settings, just update the system using any of the suggested methods and try again.
Installing a specific update
It is recommended to download only the latest Windows 10 update, which is what the system itself does. Any update package installs completely and includes changes from all previous OS updates. You won't be able to skip any particular update.
Service packs include changes from all previous ones, unless they were excluded by newer ones. Also, if you experience problems after upgrading to latest version, you can upgrade to any previous one. How to do this is described in the "Upgrading to a specific version" chapter. However, remember that any subsequent update of the system will bring back all the changes.
How much do updates weigh and how long does installation take
The Update Center downloads only the latest update, which is enough to keep the operating system up to date. Several packages are downloaded at the same time only if the internal Windows versions 10. In this case, their weight is summed up. The updates themselves do not accumulate in any way, but simply replace each other. They are approximately 500 MB for x86 systems and 1 GB for x64 systems.
After applying the changes, the update package itself is removed, but the size free space on the hard drive will change:
- the size of the operating system can change within 1 GB up or down (the weight of the update itself does not affect this);
- the update cache will remain on drive C, which by its weight is 50-80% of the update itself.
The update cache is designed to restore the system in case of failure. Usually it is deleted on its own after some time when there is not enough free disk space. The update cache is located at C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\. This is the only trace left. To remove it, you need to disable the "Update Center" and start the system in safe mode. How to do both is written in the chapter "How to stop updating Windows 10".
Deleting the update cache will not harm the system in any way
It is difficult to predict the time that the system will spend on updating, since it depends on the capabilities of the computer and the speed of the Internet. The update can take from 15 minutes to two hours.
If you run a check for updates yourself, the weight of the update will be shown before it starts downloading. If the system starts the process itself, and there is not enough space on the computer, it will notify the user about it. The table below shows the latest service pack sizes for all internal versions of Windows 10 that the system will boot.
Table: Weight of latest Windows 10 update packages
| Windows 10 version | Update package | Weight for x86, Mb | Weight for x64, Mb |
| 1703 | KB4034674 | 498,1 | 862,2 |
| 1607 | KB4039396 | 612,8 | 1150,8 |
| 1511 | KB4034660 | 577,5 | 1092,9 |
| First version of Windows 10 | KB4034668 | 450,5 | 852 |
How to update Windows 10
Usually, Windows 10 update starts without the knowledge of the user. Either the system receives a message about the appearance of something new, or it checks for updates on a timer on its own. If the information about the availability of updates is confirmed, their background download will begin, and the user will know about it only after the computer is rebooted.
However, you can also request to check for updates yourself.
Basic way
The easiest way to run a scan is through Windows Update, which is located in the Settings window.
- Click on the "Start" button and open "Settings" by clicking on the gear icon.
Click on the "Start" button and open "Settings" by clicking on the gear
- In the window that opens, click on "Update and security".
In the window that opens, click on "Update and Security"
- Click on the "Check for Updates" button.
Click on the "Check for Updates" button
Video: How to check for updates in Windows 10
Through the "Command line" (forced)
Checking for updates can be disabled through various system settings. If this is the case, you will not be able to update in a general way. In this case, you should use the "Command line" to force the search for updates.
Through utilities
Windows 10 can also be updated through special programs designed just for this purpose.
The utilities will not provide special features. They do not contain updates themselves, but only redirect the system to the Microsoft server to search for them.
Both of the applications described below are located on the official Microsoft website in the "Software Downloads" section.
Utilities for updating Windows 10 can be downloaded from the official Microsoft website
Media Creation Tool
Windows10Upgrade (+ upgrading to Windows 10)
Everything is even simpler here, since in the application itself you will have to press only one button, but it will be installed on your computer. It also allows you to upgrade to Windows 10 from version 8.1 and earlier.
Download the application from the official Microsoft website, run it as an administrator and click "Update Now".
Run Windows10Upgrade as administrator and click "Upgrade Now"
Upgrading to a specific version
These methods can also be considered as updating without an internet connection. They differ from the previous ones in that now the search for the current version of Windows 10 will be carried out not on Microsoft server, but on a Windows 10 image or special file.
Through the ISO image
Video: How to Download the Official Windows 10 Image
Via CAB or MSU file
Files from CAB format and MSU - special Windows 10 updates that are designed to update systems that do not have access to the Internet. You can download them from the official Microsoft website. The update files should open like regular .exe files, but if this does not happen, they can be run through the "Command Prompt".
Run "Command Prompt" as an administrator and enter one of the following commands:
Changing the edition of Windows 10 (without reinstallation and data loss)
Changing the edition of Windows 10 is only possible for a more “expensive” version of the system. If you want, for example, to change from Enterprise to Professional, only complete reinstallation systems: Enterprise - the most expensive edition. But from the Home version, the transition is more than possible.
- Click on the "Start" button and click on the gear to go to "Settings".
Click on the "Start" button and click on the gear to go to "Settings"
- In the window that opens, click on the "Update and security" section.
Click on the Update & Security section
- On the left side of the window, select "Activation" and click "Change Product Key".
Select the "Activation" tab and click "Change Product Key"
- Enter one of following keys(the keys are conditional: they allow you to change the version, but do not activate it):
- If the update does not start automatically, select Windows Update on the left side of the window and click Check for Updates.
Select the "Winodws Update" tab and click "Check for Updates"
How to stop updating Windows 10
If you need to urgently interrupt a Windows 10 update that has begun, quickly disconnect your Internet connection. Now you need to run the “Command Prompt” as an administrator and enter the following commands in turn: net stop wuauserv, net stop bits and net stop dosvc.
Open the start menu, search for "cmd", click on " command line» right click mouse and select "Run as administrator"
If you want to prevent updates from being downloaded, the easiest way to do this is through services.
- Open the Start menu, type "services.msc" and run the found utility.
Expand the Troubleshooting tab and select your problem
Regular updating of Windows 10 is a useful thing, but not always convenient. Nevertheless, periodic updates for this system are almost a vital necessity. It’s better to endure an hourly system update once again than to try to deal with more serious computer problems later.
The period when you could upgrade your computer to Windows 10 for free is long over. However, there are still some possibilities. Therefore, how to upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 10, as well as version 8 systems, XP or Vista, will be discussed later in this article.
Microsoft, having released version 10, decided to please the fans of all previous versions. Taking into account all the disadvantages and advantages of XP, Vista, 7 and 8 versions, Microsoft decided to make a generous gift in the form of free update. The ten was intended to be the last version of the famous OS and now only updates will be available, and the version will always be the same.
It is clear that not everyone rushed to update and not only for some of their subjective reasons. It is impossible to release an ideal software product instantly, and for some time it is being finalized and brought to a fully operational state. Many manufacturers computer components and peripherals, even very famous and serious ones, still could not release fully working drivers for Windows 10 for their equipment.
Of course, this constant discussion on the Internet of version 10 spying on its users also made me think and “sleep through” the free update period.
But do not be afraid, some update features still remain in 2018, and we decided to devote this article to such an update. The issue of differences between different configurations is also considered here. We really hope that this article will be useful to you.
Initially, after the release, we received not just a “raw”, but with a really large number of “bugs” not yet resolved, which made it difficult to work on.
At present, all the main problems have already been solved, and equipment manufacturers have also managed to create new drivers for their hardware. Of course, owners of older PCs and laptops need to be careful and make sure they have everything they need before upgrading. To do this, go to the official websites of manufacturers. Then you can search for drivers under the top ten on the Internet. As an option, there remains a direct request to the manufacturer for e-mail. Often, developers go to a meeting and will be able to release the necessary update for you.
Requirements for installing Windows 10
The new version of Microsoft Windows turned out to be quite demanding.
For Windows 10, your PC needs to have:
- Least 20 GB free hard disk space in the presence of a 64-bit operating system and 16 GB for a 32-bit one. Of course, these are the most minimal requirements, and it is worth having even more space, otherwise, believe me, your computer or laptop will slow down quite often, and some programs will open much longer than before.
- CPU: at least one gigahertz. It is possible to use SoC.
- RAM: for 64 bit is 2 GB, for 32 bit 1 GB.
- video card: DirectX 9th generation or higher with WDDM 1.0 driver support.
- Display resolution: at least 800 x 600 pixels.
You can see that the requirements are almost similar to the requirements of Windows 7 and 8.1, and this was done specifically so that you can upgrade the same Windows 7 and 8 to Windows 10 without changing the hardware.
The update is intended for people who for some reason have limited capabilities and therefore use special Windows technologies ( narrator, magnifier, high contrast and so on).
To download the update before downloading 3GB boot files, you need to confirm that you are using accessibility features:
This Windows 10 Upgrade utility downloads the OS distribution and the upgrade to Windows 10 is ready to run.
For installation, you may need bootable media, it can be a USB flash drive or DVD.
Upgrade with license
If you don't think your options are limited, you can purchase and install a full version of Windows 10. Finding a store is not a trivial task at the moment, and if you try to look for some cheaper online store, you will quickly find many offering licenses for strange and surprisingly low prices, up to 1000 rubles.
All such licenses are gray and by buying them you do not actually become the real owner, but from the point of view of Microsoft, you will be a person who "peeped" someone's license number and entered it upon activation. In fact, this is theft.
Therefore, we provide here a link to an online store where we recommend going to purchase a license. Select Windows variant 10 which suits you: Home , Professional . The main difference between the Home version and the Professional version is that only the latter can work in a domain. OEM options. They are cheaper, but the license is forever tied to a specific PC or laptop.
Now, if you wish to upgrade to Windows 10 using a purchased license, you can do so using the Media Creation Tool. You can download this utility at https://www.microsoft.com/ru-RU/software-download/windows10
After launching the utility, when you see the “What do you want to do?” window, then select the first item, which will lead to updating the PC or laptop.
Windows XP or Vista
Now let's move on to the answer to the question of how to update from Windows Vista or upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 10. You cannot upgrade directly. In fact, you will have to install Windows 10 again. And for this you need to create bootable media.
Download special program at https://www.microsoft.com/ru-RU/software-download/windows10
After launch software tool, in the "What do you want to do?" window, select the second option and create the installation media.
There are many ways and software products, with which you can create, as well as a DVD.
Just run Windows installation 10 from a flash drive or disk, follow simple actions, which will be described in each window.
What else is important to know about this update
Remember that Ten is not installed quickly. Even a miracle modern technology will update exactly at least an hour, and even an old laptop even longer.
And we repeat once again: if you have an old computer, then before updating, be sure to make sure that you have drivers that work under Windows 10 for all computer components. Especially it concerns motherboard, sound card and video adapter. Don't forget to also check for compatible drivers, for external devices type of printer and scanner.
Technical support of some laptop manufacturers does not yet advise updating the system due to ongoing debugging of drivers released for Windows 10. For example, after the update, the sound may not work, the video may not be displayed correctly, and so on.
We sincerely hope that our Windows 10 Upgrade Help article was really helpful and interesting for you. Be sure to visit other articles on our website, and share this information with your friends and acquaintances, and we will try to make even more quality content.
Related videos
Microsoft wants smartphones to work with Windows 10, and the Your Phone app helps make that happen. So far, it is mostly intended for owners of Android devices and allows you to synchronize images and messages from your smartphone. For example, you can quickly copy a photo and paste it into a document on your computer.
But main function- the ability to send SMS from a PC using a phone. Over time, it should become available to iPhone owners.
2. Cloud Clipboard
With the Win + V keyboard shortcut, you can view a complete history of what has been on the clipboard. This data is synced across all your devices under Windows control 10.
In the future, cloud clipboard support will appear in SwiftKey keyboard. This will copy text from one mobile device to another.
3. Night theme "Explorer"
In the "Explorer", with which you view files on your computer, a night theme has appeared. It will be useful if you work at a PC until late: the eyes get tired of dark tones much less than from light ones.
4. Preview search results
A preview function has appeared in the search for the operating system. When you start typing a query, the most relevant results will be displayed. So you, for example, can immediately see the contents of documents. If you search for an application, the system will show a list of files that were recently used in it.
5. New Screenshot Capture Tool
The Screen Snip Sketch tool, which used to be part of Windows Ink, is now a standalone application. With it, you can capture screenshots and make notes on them.
Windows 10- a relatively new operating system, so users often encounter some problems in its operation. This may be incompatibility with some application, lack of drivers, lack of understanding how to work with, inability to synchronize, not knowing how to update the system to new version and other.
Update Center is available for both corporate system as well as for the home. Consider all the ways to upgrade the OS to * dozens *.
- Update via Windows Update: "Settings - Update and security - Windows Update - Check for updates." Usually, if there is an update and it is available, it is downloaded and installed without user assistance - automatically.
To complete the process, just restart your PC.
- Installing an update using the Update Assistant. This special utility, which is always available and no matter what device you have, the update will be available immediately. For this on official page Assistant, click "Download update".
- Media Creation Tool. It is available on the official website through the button "Download tool now - Update this PC now". Then everything is installed automatically.
There will be several reboots in the process.
- ISO image. It is used to update the *edition* of the system or install it from scratch. Available for download through the program downloaded from the official site - Media Creation Tool.
- Through the Refresh Windows program, an update will be performed, which will erase all data on the PC before installation.
How to update Windows 10 to the latest version?
When a new update appears for your device, usually the system sends a notification where you need to react whether you want to install the update now or later. And if the default update is installed, the next time you turn off or reboot, a notification will appear on the screen about this.
But you can not wait for this, but intervene in the process and update yourself: “Settings - Update and security - Update now”. If there are no updates in the Center, we go to the Microsoft website and look there, through the "More details" link. More advanced users download applications on removable media, for example, on a USB flash drive and load a clean system, but if you are not sure about the result, it's better to just make the system updated.
If after all OS processes *update* you don't like this assembly, you can always return to previous version within 10 days.
What's new in the updated Windows 10?
Thanks to the new functions and capabilities of the system, your work will be carried out faster and more efficiently.
The embedded MICROSOFT EDGE browser has been improved. Now available for him:
- extensions from the store, supplemented daily;
- returned gestures that can be customized;
- notifications will now come from sites in real time;
- improvements: pinning tabs, creating folders in the bookmarks bar and others;
- energy saving improved;
- new HTML5 and CSS3 standards;
- convenient work at the computer for people with disabilities.
The handy WINDOWS INK drawing panel is now available. Improved voice assistant- Cortana. Skype is now integrated into Messages and personalization has been improved. Improved "Settings", the Start menu and tablet mode. The design of the taskbar has been improved and some small features have been added to it. WINDOWS Defender now works with another installed antivirus.
Minor but nice improvements include new emoticons, window design, the Connect app, Xbox Play Anywhere features, and more. Thanks to the new functionality, it will be easier and more pleasant for the user to use the OS.
Possible difficulties during installation of the system
In general, no problems were found as such, however, there may be difficulties when updating the system from other versions of the product. In this case, it is recommended to do backup important files, turn off devices and suspend antiviruses.
After January 14, 2020, Microsoft will stop releasing security updates Windows support 7. To keep your PC serviced and protected with monthly security updates, you have the option to upgrade to Windows 10 for free.
For Windows users 7 and 8.1, the scheduled one-year free upgrade period to Windows 10 officially ended on July 29, 2016.
Immediately after this date, Microsoft launched a site for users with disabilities using assistive technologies for Windows. However, it also stopped working on January 16, 2018. However, with the help Windows utilities 10 Upgrade Assistant, which is still available for download from the official servers, anyone can still upgrade to Windows 10 for free.
On this moment a phased update to Windows 10 November 2019 Update (version 1909) is available.
To take advantage of the free upgrade offer, you must complete the following steps:
1. For a hassle-free installation, you need to install all Latest updates for your current system.
2. Download a special version of the Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant utility, with which you can check the compatibility of your computer and update your operating system Windows 7 SP1 or 8.1 for free.
3. Launch the utility and follow the instructions on the screen.
4. The update may take from one to several hours depending on your computer configuration and Internet connection speed. After the update is completed, the OS will be installed Windows 10 (version 1709).
5. Check system activation. Press combination Windows keys+ I to open the application Options, and go to Update & Security > Activation.
For other ways to update to the latest version of Windows 10, you can see the article:
Windows 10 can be activated with product keys from Windows 7 and 8.1.
If you are the owner of an OEM version of Windows 7 or 8.1, then when you complete it, you will be able to go through the activation procedure in the application Settings > Update & security > Activation > Change product key.
Loading...