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If you"re a regular reader here at Neowin, you"re probably well-versed on the subject of Windows updates. We cover them quite extensively, regardless of their scope. This has become even more important in the evolving threat landscape where AI is being used to exploit security issues in software, which now needs patch deployments more often than before. Now, Microsoft has shared a brief explainer differentiating between the different types of updates delivered by the company.
The first kind of Windows update is Patch Tuesday, which is delivered on the second Tuesday of each month. A recent example of this is the KB5094126 update offered to Windows 11 users on June 9. Patch Tuesday provisions security and non-security content, and is cumulative in nature, which means that if you install the latest version, you"ll also receive all the updates present in previous versions.
IT admins can leverage various tools like Autopatch, Intune, Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), and more to deploy Patch Tuesday across their organization. They can also utilize hotpatching, which ensures that only security updates are quickly applied and a device restart isn"t needed. People also refer to Patch Tuesday releases as "B" release, quality update, security update, monthly cumulative update, and latest cumulative update (LCU).
Next, we have optional non-security preview updates that become available in the fourth week of each month. They act as a precursor to the upcoming Patch Tuesday, enabling IT admins to test and validate the release before they deploy it more widely the following month. If you"re on a non-IT-managed device, you can install these through Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates. People also refer to this update as "C" or "D" release, but "optional non-security preview update" is now the preferred terminology.
Finally, we have out-of-band (OOB) updates which can be released at any time, typically to fix a major issue or a security risk. OOB updates are also cumulative, and while some are highly recommended, others are optional. Enterprise customers can leverage their regular update management tools to deploy these releases.
Outside of this, Microsoft also rolls out Windows 11 features via annual updates, monthly updates, and the Microsoft Store. The firm uses Controlled Feature Rollout (CFR) to stagger rollout, and for enterprise customers, capabilities managed via this technology are usually disabled by default. Regardless of update cadence, Microsoft has urged IT admins to keep their organization updated and secure, and also encouraged users to join the Windows Insider Program (WIP) if they want access to the latest Windows 11 features.