Update Windows 10 to the latest version. Free programs for Windows download for free

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In this article we will answer the question, how to update Windows 10 features And install cumulative updates. Having on your computer not only the latest version of the operating system, but also all the current patches for it significantly increases the safety of its use. Outdated software is one of the most common reasons why viruses enter a PC. Not only Microsoft, but also all the largest antivirus laboratories in the world recommend keeping Windows 10 up to date.

In general, all the latest updates in Windows 10 are installed automatically by default. This applies to both small patches and major upgrades. The question of forced renewal stimulation, which is almost certainly of interest to readers of this article, may arise in several cases:

Immediately after a clean reinstallation of Windows 10. Even the latest version of the OS installation image needs to be updated.
When there is news about another major update or important security update. Many people want to be among the first to try out a new product.
Before temporarily disabling the update center (for example, before going on a business trip or to the country, where downloading large packages will be impossible due to a limited Internet connection). By the way, we have an article where you can read how to temporarily turn off Windows 10 updates.

There are four main ways to update Windows 10.

Method 1: Update Windows 10 features using built-in OS tools

The very first and most obvious method of obtaining the latest version of Ten is to use the Update Center built into the operating system. In order to open it, you need to:

Go to Options(gear icon in the Start menu or in the Notification panel, or faster - key combination Win+i).
Then go to the " Update and Security».
And press the button Check for an update».

Unfortunately, this method does not always work quickly. The fact is that from a purely technical point of view, it is impossible to simultaneously distribute update packages to all Windows 10 computers in the world. Inevitably, a kind of queue arises in which updates and upgrades (smaller and larger updates) are distributed in waves. This process, depending on the size of the downloaded files, can take days or even weeks. In this regard, the question arises: Is it possible to speed up the Update Center?Answer: yes!

Accelerate updates using built-in Windows 10 tools

You can get the latest Windows 10 updates and new features faster by changing just one setting in the Settings menu. Finding it yourself is quite difficult.

It is located in the already mentioned “Update and Security” item.
Click on the “Advanced options” link.
There we select the link “ Delivery optimization».
Here you can activate the “ Allow downloads from other computers" and select sources " PC on the local network and PC on the Internet».

Enabling this option in Settings may Get the latest Windows 10 updates faster. This is due to the fact that files will be downloaded not only from Microsoft servers, but also from the computers of ordinary users (this is exactly how torrents work). In this case, your computer will also distribute parts of already downloaded updates to other users on the Internet. With a metered Internet connection, such transmission will be stopped. If further in this paragraph of parameters you click on another link “ Extra options", then you can do it yourself limit download speed from other Windows 10 users on the Internet, as well as giving them your updates.

Here you can set a monthly traffic limit for downloading downloaded update packages (from 5 to 500 GB). If you have a slow Internet (up to 10 Mb/s), then it would be reasonable to set the return rates to a minimum: 5% of the channel width and 5 GB.

Method 2: Program to update Windows 10

This option is only suitable for Speed up your big annual Windows 10 update, which is usually published every six months and announced in the media. This method is not suitable for installing regular small patches.
First you need to go to the downloads section of the official Microsoft website and select the button “ Update now", download and run the Windows10Upgrade program.

The program will check the currently installed version of Windows 10 to see if it can receive the update and, if possible, install it. If the computer does not need to update the operating system, the message “Thank you for updating to the latest version of Windows 10” and the “Exit” button will appear.

Method 3: Download Windows 10 update

It is also relevant only for receiving large and rare improvements to the OS, which its creators themselves call upgrades.
On the already mentioned download page Microsoft official website can be downloaded full image of the latest Windows 10 and then, as they say, “roll” it on top of the old one. To do this, select the second button “ Download the tool now"(seen in the screenshot above). The installation image of the Media Creation Tool program will be downloaded to your computer. To understand whether there is a new version of Windows 10 for your computer, you need to compare the “ten” build on the PC and in the program. For this:

Right-click on the downloaded Media Creation Tool file and select “ Properties" and go to the tab " Details" Let's watch the story.
Right click on the menu Start and select the item “ System" We look at the build number.

In both cases, we are only interested in the 5-digit number. By comparing the version and build of the operating system here and there, you can understand whether it is worth downloading the update. The picture below shows that this makes no sense. The same is installed on the computer version 16299, which is also offered in the program for updating.

There are also cases when a more recent version of Windows 10 is already installed on the computer through the Update Center than is offered in the program.

If a major update for your computer exists, then we launch this utility and it gives us the opportunity to choose actions to install it: either, as in the previous method with Windows10Upgrade, by updating, or by downloading the full image to the computer and manually installing it. For the second method, when starting the program, select “ Create installation media" You can burn a full image of the latest Windows 10 either to a flash drive or to your computer’s hard drive (in this case, you need to select the “ISO file” option). After downloading, in both cases the installation program is launched by clicking on the application setup in the folder with downloaded files. The ISO image must first be unzipped.

Method 4: Cumulative Windows 10 updates from the official website

This method is suitable for finding and installing small, so-called cumulative, or cumulative updates from an official source. Like major upgrades, they can be obtained not only through the automatic Update Center built into Windows 10, but also directly from the official “ Microsoft Update Catalog" To find updates for your computer, you need to enter the build number of your OS in the search bar of the portal (for example, 16299). Let us remind you that you can view it by selecting “System” when clicking on the Start menu with the RIGHT mouse button. In addition to cumulative updates, the list will include driver updates for all types of hardware. Needless to say, they need to be installed only with a clear understanding of the need for this action.

Please note that using this method of obtaining and installing cumulative updates carries an additional risk of their incompatibility with your computer. The fact is that if problems arise with specific updates for certain brands of laptops or computer motherboards, Microsoft, as a rule, quickly suspends their installation through the Update Center and gradually solves the problems. By downloading such packages manually and essentially installing them forcibly, you risk encountering incompatibility problems. This happens quite rarely, but you need to keep it in mind. It is most convenient to use the official catalog to download cumulative updates during a clean reinstallation of Windows 10. To be on the safe side, you can see in advance which updates have already been installed on your computer before.

Where to find installed updates in Windows 10 and how to remove them

To view a list of all Windows 10 updates installed on your computer, you need to open Settings (Win+i), go to the “Updates and Security” tab and click on the link “ View the log of installed updates" Here they will be presented as
component updates and fixes, as well as driver updates, the installation of which in the “top ten” occurs automatically in the vast majority of cases.

Uninstall specific Windows 10 updates This is done as follows: at the very top of the update log, you need to select the “Delete updates” link, and then in the window that opens, select the items that are no longer needed and, by right-clicking on them, click “Delete”.

Conclusion: Which Windows 10 update method is best to use?

Finally, let's summarize. In this article we have described all the main methods update Windows 10 features, receive cumulative or major updates. However, in our opinion, the preferred method is the one described first - this is Windows 10 update using built-in tools. Using the mentioned option " Delivery optimization", you can get all the necessary updates and upgrades faster than other users in the safest way. Thus, once again we can conclude that “ten” in most cases is already configured optimally by default. Manual solutions here should be used when there is an urgent need or an irresistible attack of curiosity. For example, they are suitable for those who want to receive the latest Windows 10 features announced in the media here and now, rather than wait several days for the update to spread in waves to all computers on the Internet automatically. You can especially safely experiment if it is not difficult for you

Installing a new update to the Windows 10 operating system may cause critical errors, causing the loss of important personal data. In addition, new files may not be written due to lack of free space on the disk or BIOS errors may occur. For this reason, many users do not know how to update Windows 10 to version 1803 correctly. .

Preparing for installation

To avoid all sorts of problems with installing the update, you should check the compatibility of your equipment.

You should not pay attention to the standard hardware characteristics - processor frequency, amount of RAM or video memory. The operating system is supported by weak Chinese tablets, so the PC will definitely handle it.

The main thing that experienced users pay attention to is correctly installed drivers. Without them, the computer will not be able to work normally, even if high performance is claimed.

Ways to update Windows 10 to version 1803

Updating the operating system should not be associated with the loss of personal data. This happens on rare occasions. Before running the installer, it is recommended to create a restore point so that you can restore the settings.

Let's consider several ways.

Update centre

The easiest installation option, since you do not need to download additional programs. Everything you need is already in the OS. The procedure is carried out in a clear sequence:

Go to “System Settings”. You can see how to do this in the screenshot.

Select the “Update and Security” item.

In the central part of the screen there is a single button that needs to be clicked.

Now you can watch how the Windows 10 update April download process progressed. The procedure will take a few minutes, depending on your Internet speed. After downloading all files, automatic installation will begin.

Successful installation will require restarting your computer or laptop. During the system restart, updates will take place, which will take a few minutes.

Media Creation Tool 1803

After downloading additional software, proceed to launch it. To do this, you need to open the application as administrator (right-click on the exe file). All subsequent actions are performed according to the following algorithm:

A window opens in which you must accept the license agreement.
In the resulting list of options, the first one is selected. Click “Next”.

Next, the system will launch the distribution, create new media and begin receiving updates. When the search for the required components is complete, click “Install”.

The Windows 10 update to version 1803 has begun.

The operating system will reboot itself and start updated.

System image

Both of the first options have one drawback - on drive C or another, where the operating system is located, an “ESD” folder is automatically created with a total volume of several gigabytes. It contains temporary update files.

The third method involves downloading an image that contains updates.

To avoid such a negative phenomenon, and perceive the update of functions to Windows 10 version 1803 positively, you should follow the following sequence:

Launch the Media Creation Tool 1803 application.
Agree to the license and select the second option.

In the window that appears, leave the parameters unchanged.
Select ISO file as the media.

Select a storage location on your hard drive. Click "Done".
Open the image in Explorer and select the setup.exe file.
A window will appear - select the “Not Now” radio button.

The agreement is accepted and the system is prepared. Click “Install”.

The computer will begin installing files and reboot. After accepting the privacy settings, the user will be greeted with an updated system.

Windows 10 update version 1803: Video

Microsoft has released another major, that is, this time not a major update for the Windows 10 operating system. I think it’s no secret that Microsoft, with the release of Windows 10, switched to a service model of OS distribution and now users have a Windows 10 license twice a year are receiving a major system update. Both users and businesses are not very happy with this distribution model, since not everyone likes to constantly update the system, especially since various problems arise with each new release. Microsoft, in turn, insists on its own, although the company has made its own concessions. Firstly, now a large-scale update is tested for about 2 months, at least this was the case with the May update. Secondly, now the company is not pushing its new update.

You can now stay on the old update and still receive cumulative updates for it. A major update is now highlighted separately in Windows Update and, if you wish, you can download it at a time convenient for you. The only exceptions are those devices that have an outdated version of Windows 10 installed. Thirdly, Microsoft sends the update automatically only to those users whose equipment is compatible with the new update, and with which there were no problems when testing in the Insider branches. As new cumulative updates are released, these issues are resolved and the new update becomes available to more users. Thanks to this, the May 2019 Update went quite smoothly and with virtually no incidents, especially if you compare it with version 1809, where big problems were noticed, even going as far as deleting files.

In the case of the fall update, Microsoft continues this policy of smooth updates and as a result, the fall update is small. At first there was information that Microsoft was abandoning 2 major updates 2 times a year and from now on there would be one major update and one Service Pack. But Microsoft denied all these rumors, and the company will continue the “Windows as a service” policy, it’s just that this year there was such a hitch and the update turned out to be small, and Microsoft apparently decided not to release the functions that were not fully tested, so the update turned out to be small. But, nevertheless, the update contains features that slightly increase the functionality of the system, while the company has also worked on the performance and autonomy of the system, which we will discuss in more detail later. It’s probably worth noting right away that this conditional Service Pack is intended exclusively for version 1903, which will update your OS version to version 1909. If you have an old OS update, for example 1809, then you will download build 19H1 along with integrated updates 19H2, and This will already be considered a major update. Autumn updates have a longer OS support period for corporate users and educational institutions, which is a huge plus, since the update will be small, improve system stability, there will be no special problems with it, and it will be supported for a very long time, or rather 2.5 years. If you want to have support for more than 30 months, I can recommend using the LTSC version of Windows 10, where extended support is provided for 10 years.

This is all good, of course, but you would like to know in more detail about the new goodies of the September update 19H2, so let's take a look.

Windows containers now require the same host and container version, which reduces the ability of clients and limits them from supporting cross-container scripts.

A fix has been implemented that allows OEMs to reduce inking latency based on the hardware itself, rather than just using the default hardware configuration settings.

New Key-Roling and Key-Rotation features allow you to securely open a Bitlocker protected drive using a recovery password.
Third-party digital assistants like Alice can now also work on your PC's Lock Screen.

In 19H2, the calendar in the Taskbar was updated. Now you can add a reminder to yourself from the Taskbar using the drop-down calendar and entering information in the appropriate field. In addition to the date and time, you can also specify the location.

The Start menu has been slightly updated. No, they didn’t remove the tiles there... yet, but added a drop-down navigation bar, which now automatically expands when you hover your mouse over the ribbon with folders, account and settings.

The following changes have been noticed in the notification settings section. Now, when enabling notifications, users will also be shown GIF animations that will preview what those notifications will actually look like. In the Notifications & Actions tab, you can now sort apps by which ones last sent you notifications, allowing you to quickly find apps that frequently send notifications and quickly disable them. There is also an option to immediately mute the toast notification sound as soon as it appears on your screen. And at the top of the Notification Center, an option was added to open the Notifications and Actions section in Settings.

New capabilities for debugging Intel processors have been added for OEMs.

In the 19H2 update, energy efficiency was greatly improved, allowing some processors to use their resources efficiently while increasing battery life.

Microsoft has added a rotation policy for logical processors at the highest planning level. To ensure better performance and stability, the system will now select certain cores to provide the best performance, while the load distribution on these cores will be balanced. Overall, Microsoft has done a lot of work on performance and battery life in this update, so Windows 10 19H2 is highly recommended for installation.

Integrated Windows Defender Credential Guard for ARM64-based devices to prevent theft of corporate accounts for customers using ARM-based devices.

For corporate users, an option has been added to Group Policy to activate the launch of Win32 applications in S mode from Microsoft Intune.

The search in Explorer has been updated, which now searches for files on the PC not only locally, but also in network locations such as OneDrive.

Narrator now has the ability to read the location of the FN keys, as well as its status - locked or unlocked.

Microsoft has also slightly changed the update delivery policy in Windows 10 again. With each update, Microsoft makes some changes here based on information from machine learning and artificial intelligence. Updates are now delivered fairly quickly and are installed immediately if possible. The rest is installed only after rebooting the PC.

In addition to minor changes under the hood of the system, applications for Windows 10 have also been updated. For example, the Your Phone application now allows you to respond to messages from Windows 10 notifications, while there is support for two SIM cards and a battery charge indicator. Also, in the future, users will be given the opportunity to even receive calls on their computer. Some of the described functions are available to both insiders and ordinary users, in general, those who are lucky. You can also note the Xbox Game Bar, also known as the Game Bar, where quite recently it became possible to show the load on the CPU, GPU and RAM, and recently it even became possible to display the FPS counter and integrate achievements with Xbox Live. Again, this feature may not be available to everyone.

Other applications also received minor improvements related to performance, autonomy, multi-window support became available in some places, as in the case of the Sketch on a Screen Fragment application, and minor bugs were fixed.

You can also note the Edge browser, which is already being tested in the Beta channel. In theory, a stable RTM version should be available soon, since stable versions have leaked onto the network more than once, and perhaps it has already been released when you watch this video. The browser already works quite well, there is support for dark mode, Internet Explorer mode, and the browser also has support for the Russian language. Initially, by the way, the functionality of Sets, which provided tabs in Explorer, was tied to the Edge browser, but now, apparently, this will be abandoned, since the browser has switched to another engine, and old developments have sunk into oblivion.

In general, this is a short review of Windows 10 version 1909. By the way, you can download Windows 10 or update using the links in the description. Microsoft initially said that the update would be small, which is indeed true. The next Windows 10 update will be quite large and there will already be room for improvement. Judging by the rumors of the development of 21H1, and such an update is already being developed, which will be released in a year, then it seems that next year the autumn update will also be small. Who knows, maybe Microsoft will really move away from major updates 2 times a year, although the company was initially categorically against this and in every possible way denied rumors about 1 major and one small update per year. If this continues, then we will have 2 castes of users, some will update with a major update, others will wait for Service PacK, and others will install everything at once.

There is no perfect operating system. When creating a new platform, every developer understands that vulnerabilities will be discovered in it over time; there will be a need to fix problems caused by incompatibility of the OS with hardware and software; New features will be added. All this is solved by releasing update packages, which include all the fixes. Therefore, we suggest considering what an update is and how to install Windows 10 updates manually in several ways.

What types of Windows 10 updates are there: misconceptions and reality?

If you go to Windows Update and search for packages for an update, you will see a list of all updates released for a specific build. They are divided into several categories:

Important;
Recommended;
Basic;
Optional.

Updates from important categories should always be installed. More precisely, they are installed automatically through Windows Update. Microsoft does not recommend excluding them from your download list. They include improvements to computer security and reliability, and fix vulnerabilities.
Recommended updates may address non-critical issues. Most often they are aimed at improving system performance. And although such updates do not affect the main aspects of the device and installed components, they often contain significant improvements and therefore can be installed automatically.
Optional updates contain updates for drivers and installed programs from Microsoft. Their installation is carried out manually.

Depending on the type of updates, packages are divided into several subtypes:

Security updates. Solve vulnerability problems. Security vulnerabilities are rated based on their severity level: critical, important, medium or low.
Critical updates. They include fixes for vulnerabilities of certain programs, as well as errors that are associated with them.
Update packages. They represent sets of hotfixes, security updates, critical updates, and regular updates, as well as additional fixes for bugs found since the product's release.

In Windows 10, all updates (except optional ones) are installed automatically. However, if there is limited traffic or an error occurs after the update, the user is allowed to prevent certain packages from being installed.

Also, specifically for Windows 10, Microsoft developers have identified several types of updates:

As you can see, there are several types of updates. The only type that does not exist is selective. It existed in earlier builds. However, in Windows 10, you can only exclude a specific update, but not select the desired packages.

How to manually update Windows 10 using different methods?

There are several ways in which you can update the latest Microsoft operating system. Let's take a closer look at them.

Method 1. Forced OS update via Command Line

To force the installation of update packages, you should launch the Command Prompt with Administrator rights and enter wuauclt.exe /updatenow.

Method 2. Updating through the Windows10Upgrade program

On the Microsoft website you can find two tools that will allow you to update Windows 10: and.

If you use the first program, then, running with Administrator rights, a small window will appear. You just need to click on one button – “Update now”.

If you run the second utility with Administrator rights, a window will appear similar to when installing the operating system. Only here you need to select “Update this PC now.”

Follow the prompts of the Installer Wizard.

Method 3: Update via Windows Update

This is the official and easiest way to install update packages on Windows 10.

Go to “Settings”, “Update and Security”. In the menu on the left, select “Windows Update”. Or we go to this section through the Control Panel.

Click on the “Check for updates” button to launch the update.

Method 4. Update using CAB and MSU programs

There are special update packages that are in CAB and MSU format. They are intended for those builds of Windows 10 that cannot access the network. You can download them from the Microsoft website and run them by double-clicking, since the packages end in .exe.

If nothing happened after startup, then you can start the system update from these files through the command line with Administrator rights.

If you are using a CAB file, then the command will be like this - dism /online /add-package /packagepath: Path_to_file;
If you are using MSU - wusa.exe File_path.

The update will occur according to the classic scenario with a PC reboot.

Is it worth upgrading to Windows 10?

All updates to the Windows 10 operating system are universal. They include components compatible with various processors, motherboards, video cards, RAM, etc. However, outdated equipment may not always respond correctly to an update. An error occurs. The user rolls back the system or solves the problem, but is already wondering about the need to install updates in the future.

First, it's worth noting that not only is Microsoft not going to ask if you want to update your OS, but they can also sue you if you don't. However, we all understand that all updates are packaged in large files, are difficult to install, take a long time, and worst of all, they do not undergo preliminary testing. It’s easier for developers to send fixes afterward rather than immediately release the correct KB. Therefore, based on this, you can enable “Limited connection” in the network settings. The system will stop updating and there will be no complaints against you, since no one can tell you how to use your PC.

BUT! Still, it's worth installing updates. Why?

Improve system security;
Have bug fixes;
Aimed at increasing productivity;
Update software;
Add new goodies;
The tracking system allows you to read what problems occurred with old and new equipment. Based on this information, new updates are released.

As you can see, there are still advantages to regular updates. Therefore, it is worth updating the system and installed equipment at least once a month.

How to fix problems after installing updates?

If you have problems after installing the updates, you can solve them in a simple way:

Go to “Settings”, “Updates and Security”.
In the menu on the left, select “Troubleshooting”. Select the category to which the problem belongs.

Next, follow the prompts of the launched tool.

If you were unable to fix errors after updating Windows 10 in this way, you should use a system restore point.

What updates should you not install on Windows 10?

There is a small list of updates that should not be installed on Windows 10 due to errors that appear after installation.

To the list of updates that should not be downloaded, it is worth adding a few general recommendations:

Do not disable system restore points, as they will allow you to roll back to an earlier state by solving some error.
You should not rush to install it immediately after the release of any KB. Quite often, Microsoft withdraws its updates. Therefore, you need to wait a month and then launch the update.

Considering the fact that Windows 10 is a relatively new operating system, users often encounter a number of problems while working on the computer. Sometimes they do not understand the meaning of a particular system message, do not understand how new functions or features work, do not fully understand the interface, or do not know how to update the system to the latest version.

Quite recently, a new version of Windows 10 was released. It is called “Anniversary Update” or “Anniversary”. How to understand that you need to update and the methods of such manipulations we will analyze in this article.

Ways to update Windows 10 to the latest version

Most often, the Update Center itself will tell you that you need to update. You will simply see a corresponding message. Through the same “center” you can update the system yourself.

To do this, we will need to go to “Settings”, there find “Update and Security”
There you will see the Update Center. You will be able to see all the necessary information about the updates, such as when the process last took place.

If, after checking for updates, you still do not see the latest version, you will need to look for it directly on the Microsoft website. To do this, you can click "More details" in the Update Center. There you will be prompted to download all the necessary installation files for the update.

You will also need an updater for this process. You can open it, just click on “Update now” and just wait for the installation to complete. Another way to update is to download the image to a disk or flash drive and boot into a clean system, but this is for more experienced users.

What problems may a user encounter when updating?

In general, users did not encounter any particular problems with installing the Anniversary Update. However, the same difficulties occurred that occurred when upgrading a computer to Windows 10 from other versions of the OS. We can only advise you to make a backup copy of all necessary files so that you can completely remove antivirus programs and disable virtual devices.

In conclusion, I would like to note that the decision or not depends only on you. Please note that in the new version you will not be able to disable “Consumer Features”, delete the Windows Store, digital signature checks will change, and more.