1803: Is Windows Update automatically checking for updates?

Eddie Doc said:

When I click on the 2nd option ('Automatically download updates...') it won't turn on. It seems I have to manually check for updates for now...

That option doesn't control whether the automatic check for updates is on or off. What it does is to control whether or not an updates will download over a metered connection once the automatic check has found one. Automatic checks should still take place regardless of that setting being on or off.

The inability to turn it on appears to be a bug in 1803, in 1709 it would stay turned on and automatic checks would still take place.

Eddie Doc said:

Thanks.
It used to say on the windows update page that 'Updates will be downloaded automatically..' etc, but doesn't anymore. That made me wonder if it was still working properly.

the full text was....


I seem to recall reading in another post (can't find it now) that Microsoft removed that text from 1803 because it was confusing some users, not least because of the vague 'only those updates required..' wording. No one knew what it meant (and Microsoft weren't telling). My observations in 1709 have seen that Flash updates and Antimalware Platform updates would download over metered connections, Cumulative Updates, Definitions updates and the others waited for a non-metered connection.

It all seemed to work as designed in 1709 and (at least, when I manually check for updates) and still does in 1803.

Whether or not the automatic check for updates takes place in 1803 is another matter. I have never been patient enough to see if it does, I always do a manual check as soon as Brink posts the news. :)

Eddie Doc said:

I only asked the question because windows update always used to check for updates whenever the pc was turned on - now it doesn't show that it does. C'est la vie. :)

It's a good question, does the automatic check work as intended in 1803? I know the manual check works, but that doesn't answer your question.

AIUI, the default behaviour is to check once every 22 hours, +/- a random few hours. That should only cause an automatic check at start up if you left it turned off for a day or more. Perhaps you are just turning it on more often since getting 1803? :)

Or it could be that the automatic checking is broken, so worth watching carefully to see if it works as intended. Wouldn't surprise me if it had got broken in this release, they do seem to have broken related things (like your '2nd option' in the first post) so they've obviously done work in this area.

Bree said:

AIUI, the default behaviour is to check once every 22 hours, +/- a random few hours. That should only cause an automatic check at start up if you left it turned off for a day or more. Perhaps you are just turning it on more often since getting 1803? :)
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@Bree You may be correct about most updates, but IME the Windows Defender updates are far more frequent.

On the 2 PCs I have running Defender (my others use a 3rd party A/V) the Definition updates are several times a day. In fact I searched for this and found a 2013 thread on the old Seven Forums site which says that what was then MSE (MS Security Essentials) updates every 4 hours - here for anyone interested Is it Normal to have new updates for Windows defender everyday? - Windows 7 Help Forums

I believe that Defender Definition updates are the same and that Flash is also updated every 4 hours. As you mentioned above, these updates will occur whether or not the Network / WiFi is metered.