Automatic UpdatesTasks

Automatic UpdatesTasks

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This section describes how to configure and work with automatic updates.

Configure Automatic Updates

Shortly after you install Windows on your machine, an icon appears in the notification area prompting you to keep your machine current with Automatic Updates. If you ignore it, it keeps bothering you until you decide to configure the feature or disable it. To configure Automatic Updates using this icon, do the following:

Click the Automatic Updates icon in the notification area Next choose an update option under Settings

If the notification icon isn't present, you can still configure Automatic Updates by:

Control Panel System Automatic Updates tab

Download Updates

When the notification icon appears indicating updates to download, do this:

Click the notification icon clear checkboxes for updates you don't wish to download Start Download

If you decide later that you wish to download updates you previously declined, do this:

Control Panel System Automatic Updates tab Declined Updates

If you need to pause downloading for some reason, click the notification icon and select Pause, and then click it again later and select Resume. If Windows notifies you about available updates but you don't want to be bothered, do this:

Click the notification icon Remind Me Later specify a time from 30 minutes to 3 days

Install Downloaded Updates

When Windows notifies you that updates have been downloaded and are ready to install, do this:

Click the notification icon Details clear checkboxes for updates you don't wish to install Install

If you don't want to install the updates you downloaded, click Remind Me Later instead of Details. If you decide later that you wish to install updates you previously downloaded but declined to install, do this:

Control Panel System Automatic Updates tab Declined Updates

Disable Automatic Updates by:

Control Panel System Automatic Updates tab clear the checkbox

If you disable Automatic Updates, you can still keep your system up to date by regularly visiting the Windows Update web site, windowsupdate.microsoft.com, and following the instructions displayed there.