Are there only "full" updates or exists "security updates-only" mode ?

pstein · 05 Jun 2019

From Windows 7 I know that all the updates are divided into two categories:
- security-related
or
- optional=feature-only
updates.

I can setup Win7 so that only security updates are downloaded and applied.

Is there a corresponding categorization in Windows 10?

I prefer to download and apply only security-only updates.

Or is there only an all-or-nothing mode?

How do I tell Win10 to update only security-patches?

Peter

dalchina · 05 Jun 2019

In build 1903 this becomes easier for people with Home. (You haven't said if you will have Win 10 Home or Pro, so I will choose to mention only Home- which you get for 'free' depends on your existing license).

If you care to read the relevant News item near the top of the list about 1903 new features, you will find MS has introduced a new option whereby feature updates (build upgrade which can remove/add features) are now controlled by a single option. Thus you can have no feature update until end of life of your current build, and will only receive updates to your present build.

What is new for Windows 10 May 2019 Update version 1903

Item 1

Bree · 06 Jun 2019

pstein said:

From Windows 7 I know that all the updates are divided into two categories:
- security-related
or
- optional=feature-only
updates.

... Is there a corresponding categorization in Windows 10?

Things are slightly different in W10. The only cumulative update to include new security fixes is the one issued on Patch Tuesday, the second Tuesday of the month. There may be additional CUs in the 3rd/4th weeks but these have no new security fixes and are optional.

Until recently the way you 'opted in' was to manually check for updates, but in both Home and Pro for 1903 (and 1803/1809 with the latest updates) you now are given a 'download and install now' option for these optional non-security CUs.

Microsoft said:

Most users are familiar with what is commonly referred to as “Patch Tuesday” or Update Tuesday. These updates are published on the second Tuesday of each month, known as the “B” release (“B” refers to the second week in the month), and are the only regular monthly releases that include both new security fixes and previously released security and non-security fixes....

We also release optional updates in the third and fourth weeks of the month, respectively known as “C” and “D” releases. ... These updates have only non-security fixes. The intent of these releases is to provide visibility into, and enable testing of, the non-security fixes that will be included in the next Update Tuesday release (we make these optional to avoid users being rebooted more than once per month). Advanced users can access the “C” and “D” releases by navigating to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and clicking the “Check for updates” box...

Windows 10 monthly security and quality updates overview