How To Check For and Install Windows Updates

Checking for, and installing, Windows updates, like service packs and other patches and major updates, is a necessary part of running any Windows operating system.

Windows updates can support your Windows installation in many ways. Windows updates can solve specific problems with Windows, provide protection from malicious attacks, or even add new features to the operating system.

How To Check For and Install Windows Updates

Windows updates are most easily installed using the Windows Update service.

While you could certainly download updates manually from Microsoft's servers, updating via Windows Update is considerably easier to do.

The Windows Update service has changed over the years as Microsoft released new versions of Windows. While Windows updates used to be installed by visiting the Windows Update website, newer versions of Windows include a special built-in Windows Update feature with more options.

Below is the best way to check for, and install, Windows updates based on your version of Windows.

Check For and Install Updates in Windows 10

In Windows 10, Windows Update is found within Settings.

First, tap or click on the Start menu, followed by Settings. Once there, choose Update & security, followed by Windows Update on the left.

Check for new Windows 10 updates by tapping or clicking on the Check for updates button.

In Windows 10, downloading and installing updates is automatic and will happen immediately after checking or, with some updates, at a time when you're not using your computer.

Check For and Install Updates in Windows 8, 7 and Vista

In Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista, the best way to access Windows Update is via the Control Panel.

In these versions of Windows, Windows Update is included as an applet in Control Panel, complete with configuration options, update history, and lots more.

Just open Control Panel and then choose Windows Update.

Tap or click Check for updates to check for new, uninstalled updates. Installation sometimes happens automatically or may need to be done by you via the Install updates button, depending on what version of Windows you're using and how you have Windows Update configured.

Check For and Install Updates in Windows XP, 2000, ME and 98

In Windows XP and previous versions of Windows, Windows Update is available as a service hosted on Microsoft's Windows Update website.

Similar to the Control Panel applet and Windows Update tool in newer versions of Windows, available Windows updates are listed, alongside a few simple configuration options.

Checking for, and installing, uninstalled updates is as easy as clicking those respective links and buttons on the Windows Update website.

Important: Microsoft no longer supports Windows XP, nor versions of Windows that preceded it. While there may be Windows updates available for your Windows XP computer on the Windows Update website, any you see will be updates released prior to the end of support date for Windows XP, which was on April 8, 2014.

More on Installing Windows Updates

The Windows Update service is not the only way to install Windows updates. Like I mentioned above, updates to Windows can also be downloaded individually from Microsoft Download Center and then installed manually.