Windows Update Questions

Hi. I know this is a windows 10 forum but figure this applies the same whether it's windows 10 or 11 so want opinion.


Dell xps 15 9520 with windows 11 pro. I would say on average 1 or 2 times a month, I get that notification on the bottom right corner that says


Your device needs to restart to install updates. Select a time to restart.


When I click on it, it would show the estimated amount of minutes it would takes. It would also show what the updates are. So few times it has shown Dell Firmware Update or some cumulative update. So when it's the dell firmware update, it would be the BIOS. Now each time I done an update, there wasn't an issue with the update. However, several times after doing an update, there were issues where my main external monitor didn't work and just my 2nd external monitor and only way to fix this was go to the intel site and download the intel/arc driver and that fixed the issue. I have i7-12700h processor and downloaded the same graphics card drive updated which fixed it. Other time, my sound didn't work but then it got fixed somehow by itself.


At the moment when checking on this windows update, it shows


Restart required (estimate: 5 min) Option of restart now or schedule restart


2023-06 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 48.1.1 for Windows 11, version 22H@ for x64 (KB5027119)

2023-06 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5027231)


Now each time I notice the bottom right notification of a windows update, what I do is ... assuming I'm not busy doing something at the moment, I would then just close all my programs and chrome windows. Then I would click on it and restart now. Then it would take a bit to restart my laptop and then that's all. But of course if I have external monitor issue or sound, I have to fix it.


1. Now... what happens if I don't click restart now and just continue what I'm doing on my laptop until I'm finished and then just shut down my laptop? The next time I power on my laptop, it would still show that windows update notification logo on the bottom right of my laptop? If so, how long can I have that there without doing the update? A few days? A week? How long before it automatically updates it for me?


2. The other big question is this. If it automatically does the update, is it possible it does it during the day when I'm busy on the laptop? Example say I'm going to be busy on the laptop for the next 8 hours. Is it possible during those 8 hours, it then automatically restarts my laptop to do the update? Because I absolutely cannot have this happen which is why whenever I see that windows update notification, I make sure to restart now for the update assuming I'm not busy now... or do it in few hours when I am done for the day... or say it is during a time when I'm busy for next 8 hours on the laptop. Well I do the windows update after I'm done with my business.


3. Do most people just click restart now whenever they see that windows update notification? I mean obviously you aren't going to restart now if you are busy on your laptop trading stocks or say on a zoom or skype call and do it afterwards. But can you delay it for several days or longer? There is option to schedule restart but when you do that, you pick the exact date and time? But what happens if your laptop isn't powered on during that day and time? Also whenever these windows update show up, they are safe right? Or should you wait a few days to see if others complain about these updates? Reason I ask is basically by the end of the night, I always click restart now to do the update because I don't want the next day I'm on the computer and it suddenly restarts and update when I'm busy on the laptop the next 8 hours or more.


4. Is there a way to know these updates are not good such as it causes issues for your computer? Such as with the monitor and sound issues? I am not a fan of updates because several times it has caused issues with monitor or sound. But these updates have to be done?


5. I do not do any dell updates and only do update from windows. That is always the way to do it? I have the Dell Update app but I figure better to only do Windows Updates?

Yes you can delay it in definitely and it will just update when you restart. You should also consider setting a time that it will auto check for updates that suits you more or you could even just disable the check all together that way you can just search for update at your leisure.

So you are saying even if I shut down... then power on my laptop several days in a row, it won't update? It only updates if I click on restart on my laptop? But how long before it has to restart itself? The last thing I want is it restarts during the day when I'm busy on the laptop for the rest of the day. So that is why I always do the restart at the end of the night or when I'm not doing anything.


It seems to randomly show the windows update. I have had it shown up after I turned on my laptop early in the day but it shows up mostly in the evening.


But it is recommended to restart laptop and update that day you get notification? I thought if you just shut down computer, then there might be issues with it the next time you power it on?

Newmann said:

So you are saying even if I shut down... then power on my laptop several days in a row, it won't update? It only updates if I click on restart on my laptop? But how long before it has to restart itself? The last thing I want is it restarts during the day when I'm busy on the laptop for the rest of the day. So that is why I always do the restart at the end of the night or when I'm not doing anything.

Not sure where you mentioned about shutdown. But yes you can delay a restart.

Newmann said:

It seems to randomly show the windows update. I have had it shown up after I turned on my laptop early in the day but it shows up mostly in the evening.


But it is recommended to restart laptop and update that day you get notification? I thought if you just shut down computer, then there might be issues with it the next time you power it on?

no it does not matter when you restart

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if you shutdown through a update it will just start over from the start.

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Just disable the update check that way it will never bother you. You will have to check manually when you have time to do so, or you could set it to update at like 3 in the morning when you are asleep or something and then have the PC turn off once its finished.