How to update windows 10 to a new version. Free programs for Windows free download

Given the fact that Windows 10 is a relatively new operating system, users often encounter a number of problems while working on a computer. Sometimes they don't understand the meaning of a particular system message, they don't understand how new features or functionality work, they don't fully understand the interface, or they don't know how to upgrade the system to latest version.

More recently, a new version of Windows 10 has been released. It is called the Anniversary Update or Anniversary Update. How to understand what needs to be updated 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 just see the corresponding message. Through the same "center" you can update the system yourself.

To do this, we will need to go to "Settings", there we will find "Update and security"
There you will see the Update Center. You will be able to see all the necessary information about the updates, for example, when this process was last performed.

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" in the Update Center. There you will be prompted to download all the necessary installation files for the update.

You will also need an update tool for this process. You can open it by simply clicking on "Update Now" and just wait for the installation to complete. Another way to update is to download the image to a disk or USB flash drive and boot a clean system, but this is for more experienced users.

What problems can the user face during the update?

In general, users did not have any particular problems with installing the Anniversary Update. However, there were all the same difficulties as when updating a computer to Windows 10 from other OS versions. We can only advise you to back up all the 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 is up to you. Please note that in the new version, you will not be able to turn off Consumer Features, delete the Windows Store, digital signature checks will change, and more.

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 the changes made, no matter how useful they are, are carefully packaged and come to the computer in the form of constant updates, so it is so important to know what they contain 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 the Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 operating systems, then almost all updates did not bring anything new or made changes to functions that were unclaimed for ordinary users. 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, Microsoft's corporate policy is to blame for this frequency, 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 improves the overall performance of Windows 10 and its compatibility with the 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 on different computers and under different conditions in order 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 your computer has a good antivirus that you fully trust, this does not provide guaranteed protection against threats aimed at the vulnerabilities of Windows itself.

Windows 10 General Update includes vulnerabilities and security updates

Windows 10 updates are especially important for owners of older hardware. After Windows installation 10 most drivers are downloaded automatically: this procedure often includes some compatibility improvements to further improve the performance of your computer. Unfortunately, the Microsoft database 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

Under "update" 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.
Windows 10 build update (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 to automatically 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 memory of users about Windows 7, it is very common to find mention of update methods that do not actually 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 downloaded as a single package, and it is impossible to separate what you need 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.

A manual update can be called an 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 you don’t have a game mode in your 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 the latest version, you can upgrade to any previous version. 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. Multiple packages are downloaded at the same time only if there is a change in the internal version of Windows 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 deleted, but the amount of free space on the hard disk 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 via 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 current version Windows 10 will not run on a 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

CAB and MSU files are 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 a complete reinstallation of the system will help you: Enterprise is 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 the 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 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.

Windows 10 is one of the best operating systems today, but you can make it even better. To do this, you need to upgrade your system to Windows 10.1. In this article, we will tell you how to update the OS, as well as how to find out which version of the OS you have installed and are using. You can install all old updates at once, since all updates for Windows 10 are packaged. And this is good, it is for this reason that you do not have to install each update in turn.

How to find out which version of Windows 10 is installed

Before you start taking steps to upgrade your OS to Windows 10.1, we recommend that you check which version of the OS you already have installed. Suddenly you already have all the updates installed. This happens often, as Windows 10 downloads all updates automatically by default without requiring any input from you. There are 2 effective ways to unambiguously check the system version, both of them are to execute a command. You need to choose one of the following commands:

winver;
msinfo32;

To open the field for executing commands, you need to use the keyboard shortcut - Win + R. Commands are entered in small letters, without the ";" sign. The command input window looks like this and after the command you must press Enter or the OK button:

After entering the winver command, a window with the current version of the system will open in front of you:

In this window, you can find out exactly which assembly you have installed. If this code does not tell you anything, then you can find a transcript on the Internet. If this command does not work or you could not find out the current version of the system, then you can enter another command - msinfo32 and press Enter. Another window will open in front of you.

This window will provide even more information about your system. You can learn a lot more than just the OS version. But we only need one thing - the OS version. And if you have it outdated, then you need to update.

How to upgrade your system to Windows 10.1

There is no official term for Windows 10.1. This is a popular invention, similar to the version of Windows 8.1, which is the official continuation of the version of Windows 8.0. Perhaps in the future, the world will see a real version of Windows 10.1, but for now, this term simply refers to the freshest and latest version of the system. But it's still worth updating to the latest version. To do this, you need to open the update center - Windows Update. It is available from the Start panel, you need to go to Settings and then open the Update & Security tab. And click on the "Check for Updates" button.

The system itself will analyze your system and suggest suitable updates. If updates are available, the system itself will download them to your device, but will not install them. The installation will require a restart of the computer. You can restart your PC later as well. But as soon as you do this, the system will start unpacking the updates, and this can take quite a long time.

After unpacking, the computer will restart. After the reboot, the installation will begin. If you are performing this operation on a stationary computer, then make sure that there are no power outages. If you're upgrading to Windows 10.1 on a tablet or laptop, ensure they have enough battery life, or better yet, plug them in. Installing updates is a slow process. It can even stretch for hours. And if the update stops at some value, for example, at 9% or 11%, then don't worry, just wait. The update window itself looks like this:

After all the procedures, the computer will start and you will see a message that all your files have remained in their original places, and the system has been updated.

If you want to make sure that you eventually upgraded to Windows 10.1, then follow all the steps described in the first paragraph to see which version of the system you have installed. Alternatively, you can go back to Windows Update and enable automatic system updates.

Alternative Methods for Upgrading to Windows 10.1

As a rule, the method described above works fine on all OS versions. But if for some reason you cannot use it, then we recommend an alternative method. To do this, you need to download the utility

Recently, the expectations of users from corporate IT devices and their workplace have changed dramatically. Today, users are interested in functional and fast devices with a pleasant and user-friendly interface on large touch screens. Powerful, reliable and secure devices are in demand for both work and personal use. It is now popular to quickly and securely work on a corporate network, have fun on the Internet from home or by connecting via WiFi, without thinking about operating system and software updates.

On the other hand, today Microsoft Windows 10 is the very platform that can provide a seamless and securitized operation of personal equipment in a corporate network for work. Many have already managed to download Windows 10 for free and install it on their PC, or buy a new computer, laptop, tablet with Windows 10 preinstalled. The corporate sector is not so fast on the rise, although many experts and IT professionals are well aware of the benefits of switching from Win 7 or 8.1 tenth.

The innovative advantages of the latest tenth Windows include:

protection of personal information Credential Guard with reference to equipment,
built-in progressive protection against malicious activity Win Defender,
stopping Pass The Hash threats, in which hacking one computer threatens all devices on the network,
the use of Win Hello biometric data with face recognition and fingerprint identification for security purposes,
downloading updates using InstantGo technology during idle time and even in standby mode,
a single view of applications in different resolutions on a computer, laptop, tablet and smartphone,
several desktops in Task View mode, where applications are launched, as in Apple Mac OS X,
built-in DirectX 12, which previously had to be updated separately,
multimedia player supports popular formats, including FLAC, MKV, MP4 and AVI encoded with the latest codecs,
the image viewer understands the RAW format and can copy photos to OneDrive,
new fast browser Edge works with HTML 5 and no legacy technologies.

For everyone who still uses Win 7 or 8.1 that meets the requirements, it's time to download Windows 10 for free by upgrading to Windows 10 with the Media Creation Tool online, using a USB flash drive, DVD or ISO files, on the official Microsoft website. This offer is limited in time. The tenth Windows is backwards compatible with previous Windows, while allowing you to get completely new sensations and emotions both in the home living room or children's room, and in the workplace.

Updates to the latest version of Windows 10 free download

Microsoft does not stop improving the tenth version of its operating system, for this fixes are collected in patches. If automatic updates are enabled in Windows 10 settings, then you just need to check that all patches are already installed. Otherwise, you can use the Microsoft catalog. Updates can only be downloaded from the Microsoft Update Catalog using Internet Explorer because the Microsoft catalog uses ActiveX controls that are not compatible with other browsers. Alternatively, it is possible to download Windows 10 updates for free using direct links from the official Microsoft website without leaving the website without registration and SMS (below on a light green background). After installing the patches, a cold reboot of the device is required.

Troubleshooting Windows 10 Updates

Sometimes the update hangs in the process from 5% to 95%, as a result, the patch is not installed, or after restarting the computer, the user observes a blue screen. Installation problems or a blue screen BSOD after restarting the computer are fixable problems. First, before starting the process, you should disable your anti-virus software, VPN and Proxy client software. Secondly, you should be patient: unpacking and installing patches takes from half an hour to several hours, depending on the performance of your computer. As a last resort, to fix problems, you should use the "Troubleshooting" section of the "Start and run" section of the operating system. Windows systems 10.

Version 1511, 1607, 1703, 1709, 1803, and 1809 updates

Cumulative updates for Windows 10 1511 (Win 10 November Update 1511) have not been released for a long time. Support for version 1607 has ended in the Semi-Annual Servicing Channel. Devices under Windows control 10 Home or Pro will not receive monthly security and quality updates, Microsoft recommends updating Windows 10 to the latest version. Devices on Long Term Service Channels (LTSC) will continue to receive updates until October 2026. Windows 10 Anniversary Update (v. 1607) running the Intel "Clovertrail" chipset will receive updates until January 2023 on the Microsoft Community Blog.

The latest Windows 10 updates versions 1709 and 1703 prepared the system for the transition to version 1809. Patch KB4023057 for Windows 10 versions 1507, 1511, 1607, 1703, 1709 and 1803 prepares the PC for the Windows 10 October 2018 Update. Information about the current version of your Windows 10 can be seen by entering "winver" (without quotes) in the search box and pressing the Enter key. Version 1809 itself, or Redstone 5, or Windows 10 October 2018 Update, for the first time on October 2, 2018, was shown a false start, and when restarted on November 13, 2018, not everything went smoothly. At the end of 2018, 1803 remained the base.

Many users have installed Windows 10 version 1809 on their computers and laptops, while avoiding installation problems, including incorrect disk cleanup after the update. For them, we provide the opportunity to download KB4538461 (March 2020) for Windows 10 version 1809 for free, the build number will change to 17763.1098. It is expected to increase stability, improve reliability, speed of operation and security. There are no new features - only optimization and bug fixes.

Windows 1809 really learned to predict the optimal time to update and then restart the PC. It became possible to install fonts without super-administrator and administrator rights. SwiftKey, cloud clipboard, your phone with support for both iPhone and Android and other useful features appeared. Users are pleased with improved Skype, Microsoft Edge, Windows Defender, Notepad, game bar, emoticons, screenshots and search. Problems with the loss of user data did not receive an exhaustive and convincing solution from Microsoft, many users of the https: // site had doubts.

Version 1903 / 1909 updates

Version 1903 received a light theme, performance improvements and many improvements. Among the pleasant little things: changes in the Update Center, Notepad improvements, improved access to Linux files, Windows 10 sandbox, passwordless access, automatic troubleshooting, hiding notifications when running applications in full screen mode. Now the operating system allows you to remove more built-in applications and provides new applications in virtual reality. Improved compatibility with Windows 10 independent developers.

Today, Windows 10 (versions 1903 / 1909) can experience many problems. Cumulative updates will gradually resolve most issues, so we recommend installing KB4551762 (March 2020) for Windows 10 versions 1903 / 1909, which changes the operating system build number to 18363.720.

In fact, updating the Windows 10 operating system to the latest, current version is very simple. To do this, you do not need to have any professional skills in computer technology. The whole process is quite simple and is performed in a few mouse clicks.

In general, Windows 10 uses the system automatic update. And all fresh and relevant updates are automatically downloaded and installed on your computer. If for some reason this did not happen, then we will do it manually. This can be done in several ways, but we will analyze 2 of them - the most popular and working ones.

Method 1: Via Windows 10 Update.

Open the Start menu and click on the "Settings" gear:

In the window that opens, open the "Update and security" item:

Windows Update will open;
Here you need to click on the button "Check for updates":

The process of searching for the latest updates will begin;
If there are any, the download and installation of updates will begin (a reboot may be required):

Upon completion, you will update Windows 10 to the latest version.

Method 2. Using the Update Assistant utility.

If the first method does not suit you or does not work, then the official utility from Microsoft called Update Assistant. This program detects your version of Windows 10 and looks for more recent versions of the system. This Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant is very easy to use:

Download it from the official website ("Update now" button): https://www.microsoft.com/ru-ru/software-download/windows10;
We launch, the program will automatically start searching for the latest version of "Tens";
When detected, it will start downloading and installing.

As a result, we have analyzed the most common ways to update Windows 10 to a new version. If you have any difficulties, then write in the comments - we will figure it out together.