Update Windows the right way

1. Check for updates

Go to Settings, Windows Update and click Check for updates. Let everything it finds download and install. On Windows 10 the same page is under Settings, Update & Security.

2. Restart on your schedule, not its schedule

Updates finish during a restart, and this is where work gets lost by surprise. On the Windows Update page, open Advanced options and set Active hours to your workday so Windows never restarts in the middle of it. When an update is waiting, choose Schedule the restart for the end of the day, save your work, and let it run.

3. Take the optional driver updates with care

Under Advanced options, Optional updates, Windows sometimes offers driver updates. If everything on the computer works, you can skip these. If you are chasing a specific problem, like flaky Wi-Fi or a misbehaving printer, the matching driver update there is often the fix.

4. Do not pause updates for long

The pause button is fine before a big presentation or a travel week. As a habit, it quietly turns one missed patch into six. Set active hours properly instead, and the restarts stop being disruptive enough to want pausing.

A note if you are still on Windows 10

Free security updates for Windows 10 ended in October 2025, which means every month adds risk that no setting on this page can remove. Our free Windows 11 readiness check tells you in about thirty seconds whether your computer should be upgraded, refreshed, or replaced.

When to stop and call us

These steps are safe on any computer. If you get partway through and something looks different from what is described, or the problem keeps coming back, that is usually a sign of a deeper issue worth a professional look. Call (858) 429-1311 and a US-based technician can take it from there, including managed patching, where updates install and verify themselves. The first conversation is free.