Never Miss a Software Update Again: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Windows Application Updates!
Keeping your software up to date is crucial for ensuring optimal performance, functionality, and security. However, manually checking and downloading software updates can be a time-consuming and tedious process, especially if you have multiple applications installed on your Windows computer. Fortunately, you can automate the process of updating your Windows applications, ensuring that you never miss a critical update again. In this guide, we’ll explore some of the best practices for automatic software updates on Windows and how you can set it up on your computer.
Why Automatic Updates are Important
The primary reasons for updating software are to address issues that have been discovered in the existing version, which may affect security or functionality, improve the overall performance of the application, and patch known vulnerabilities. Keeping software updated can help prevent hackers from gaining access to your computer, keep your system running smoothly, and ensure that you have the latest features and improvements to your applications. However, keeping up with software updates can be a tedious task, and you might end up missing essential updates that could leave your system vulnerable. Automatic updates can help ease this burden by providing a simple and straightforward way to keep your software updated.
How to Configure Automatic Updates
There are different ways to set up automatic updates on Windows, depending on the type of application you want to update. Generally, applications fall into two categories: those that come with Windows, such as Windows Store apps, and those that are installed independently of the operating system, such as web browsers or office suites.
Automatic Updates for Windows Store Apps
If you use Windows Store apps, you can enable automatic updates easily. The Windows Store app on Windows 10 provides a setting that allows you to control the automatic update of all apps installed from the store. To enable the automatic update of your Windows Store apps, follow these steps:
- Click on the Microsoft Store app icon on your taskbar or in the start menu.
- Click on the three dots (…) at the top-right corner of the window.
- Select “Settings” from the dropdown menu.
- Under “App updates,” click “Update apps automatically.”
Now, Windows Store apps will automatically update when there is an available update.
Automatic Updates for Other Applications
For applications that are independent of the operating system, there might be different ways of setting up automatic updates. Most reputable applications have built-in automatic update functionality, which you can enable in their settings. Check the settings or preferences menu of your application to locate the update options. For some applications, you can find the option to enable automatic updates in the application’s system tray icon or from the application’s start page.
If your application does not have an automatic update feature, you may need to consider using a third-party tool such as Chocolatey, a package manager for Windows that installs and manages software, including updates. You can install Chocolatey on Windows by following the instructions on their website at https://chocolatey.org/install.
Best Practices for Automatic Updates
While automatic updates are convenient, they may cause issues if not managed correctly. Here are some best practices to consider when setting up automatic updates:
- Enable automatic updates only for critical applications that affect system security or performance.
- Ensure that your applications are set to download updates in the background, without interrupting your work or other activities.
- Configure your applications to automatically install updates during off hours, such as at night or during weekends.
- Test automatic updates on a smaller group of computers before rolling it out company-wide, to ensure that there are no compatibility issues.
- Monitor automatic updates to identify any potential issues, such as failed updates or compatibility problems.
By following these best practices, you can help ensure that your applications remain up-to-date and secure, while minimizing any potential disruptions.
Conclusion
Automatic software updates can help keep your Windows system secure, up-to-date, and running at peak performance. Whether you use Windows Store apps or independent applications, there are different ways to set up automatic updates. It’s essential to manage automatic updates correctly, following best practices to avoid any issues or conflicts. With proper setup and management, automatic updates can be a great tool for ensuring that your computer stays updated, secured, and running smoothly.
Typically, you have to open and check each app one at a time to see if an important or critical update is waiting to be installed. Well, instead of checking each program manually, there’s an easier way, namely by using a software updater. The best software updaters will check all your Windows applications for updates and then install them for you. Such tools as Patch My PC Home Updater, Adlice Software’s Ucheck, and IObit Software Updater will automatically update the programs on your PC. Here’s how they work. Also: Yes, you can still get a free Windows 10 upgrade. Here’s how
How to automatically keep your Windows applications updated
Also: How to ‘downgrade’ a Windows 11 PC to Windows 10 Upon startup, the software automatically scans your PC for supported applications. The home screen then shows a list of apps color coded based on status. Apps in green are installed but don’t need to be updated. Apps in red are installed and do need to be updated. Apps in black are not installed. The screen also tells you how many apps need to be updated and how many are already up to date. To see if a specific app is supported, either browse the list on the left or search for the app by name
Adlice Software’s UCheck
The free version of Adlice Software’s UCheck will scan for apps in need of updating and let you install those updates. For $13 a year, the Premium version allows you to schedule scans and install new applications. For $32 a year, a Technician edition kicks in a portable configuration and license, scriptable software, and unlimited use on computers.
Like Patch My PC Home Updater, UCheck supports a healthy array of apps, but there will always be certain ones missing from the list. A handy link lets you suggest an app that you feel should be supported. After launching UCheck, click the Scan button. In response, the program shows you how many apps need updating and how many apps are installed on your PC.
Click the link for Pending Updates. At the screen showing the available updates, you can select all the listed apps or just specific ones. Click the Update Selected button to update all the selected apps or click the Action button for a specific app to download the latest update.
The program then refreshes to display the installed updates. An update in purple means that it’s been downloaded but not yet installed. An update in green means it’s been downloaded and installed.
Also: These cheap Windows laptops are all under $400
Finally, click the icon for History & Settings to check various settings to tweak and view past scan reports. Certain features and settings aren’t available in the free version. But if all you need is a good software updater, then the freebie should do the trick.
IObit Software Updater
IObit Software Updater is another capable updater that supports a wide range of applications. The main drawback is that the free flavor limits you to two updates per day. For greater flexibility, you have to shell out $13 for the pro edition. Just be careful during the installation as IObit tries to add other programs to your PC, such as a VPN and password manager. Just say no if you don’t need these extras.
Once the program is up and running, it automatically scans your installed applications to see which ones need updating, as listed in the Outdated section. You can check only the apps you want to update or select them all and click the Update Now button.
As the free version limits you to two updates per day, you’ll have to return again tomorrow to update any remaining apps. Otherwise, the paid edition lets you update as many as you want and also provides an auto update function that automates the process. Overall, the program worked well, though I did bump into one glitch where it was unable to update OBS Studio with no explanation of what went wrong.
Also: The best Windows laptops
Beyond Patch My PC Home Updater, UCheck, and IObit Software Updater, some programs include a software updater as part of their overall package. For example, Glary Utilities and Norton 360 both come with software updaters that work effectively. But whatever program you use, I think you’ll find a software updater will save you a lot of time and effort.
