Microsoft announced that they are making improvements to the Windows update experience that is starting to roll out. The changes to Windows Update are also rolling out first to the Windows Insider Program’s new Dev and Experimental channels.
Microsoft said in their blog post
“Updates are a critical part of helping keep your device secure and protected, and with these changes you now have more flexibility to take these updates on your terms. As always, we recommend taking these updates shortly after they are released to keep your device and your data secure.”
Whats changing
1. You will now be able to skip updates immediately during the initial Setup Out of Box Experience(OOBE).
2. Better update pause control using a new calendar experience. You can choose a specific day of the month you want to pause until Microsoft has gone above and beyond, finally allowing you to extend updates past 35 days. You can now extend the pause end date as many times as you need. This means you can now re-pause for up to 35 days at a time, with no limits on how many times you can reset the pause end date. This is huge and has been a big pain point for many people.
3. Better restart options that were in older versions of Windows are returning. The power menu will now have standard Restart and Shut down, and install updates options but restart or shut down your device without having to install the pending updates is finally back.
4. Microsoft is adding device class and driver titles for drivers and other updates to make it easier to understand driver information. Examples are display, audio, battery, extension, HDC, or other applicable driver update classes.
5. Aligning all drivers, .NET, and firmware updates to align with the monthly quality update, reducing update experience to a single monthly restart.
6. Updates will install faster, reducing the download and overall time it takes to apply a Windows update, which Microsoft will continue to keep working on making faster.
No word on when consumers using the shipping, stable version of Windows 11 or commercial customers will get these changes. Microsoft will share more soon about the rollout and timing.