Updating your Windows version is essential to ensure the security of your computer against cyber attacks and to maintain the privacy of your information and data. Updates sometimes include bug fixes and remedies for issues that affect system stability. Additionally, updating is necessary for users to enjoy the latest features and tools available in Windows versions.
While these updates are often installed automatically, some devices may fail to complete the automatic update process, leading users to manually install updates. Here are ways to manually install Windows updates without using the Windows Update service in newer versions of Windows.
When should Windows updates be installed manually?
Microsoft periodically releases new features and tools to enhance the user experience in Windows versions. However, these new releases may contain errors and security vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious actors. Therefore, it is important to install updates to address security vulnerabilities and improve system protection. These fixes and improvements are included in monthly update packages released by the company.
When installing a new update, damaged versions of system files or files containing security vulnerabilities are automatically replaced with new enhanced versions in Windows. The update also installs a set of tools and minor enhancements that accompany each new update. Installing updates helps enhance data and information security stored on the device, protect against malicious software, and enable access to additional features and services.
The problem may arise when attempting to download new updates through Windows Update service from Windows settings, where the update may fail to download or install on the device. In other cases, Microsoft may announce a new update, but when checking for new updates, nothing appears. Usually, the reason is that the update is gradually rolled out to users, requiring patience until it appears on the Windows Update page. In such cases, you can manually install Windows updates.
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Ways to Install Windows Updates Manually
There are several ways to install Windows updates manually in Windows 10 and later versions if you have not enabled automatic updates for system files and programs on your computer. Here are the best and easiest ways to do this.
First method: Using the Windows Update Assistant program
This method works successfully only with computers equipped with 64-bit processors that are compatible with the Windows Update Assistant program, which you need to download first before starting the manual Windows update process using this method. Note that the program is designed to download major Windows updates released annually, not monthly security updates and fixes. Therefore, if you are using an older version of Windows 10 or Windows 11, you can rely on the program to ensure the installation of the latest major release, separate from Windows Update.
All you have to do is first go to the official website to download the Windows Update Assistant tool, keeping in mind that there is a specific version for Windows 10 and another version for Windows 11. After visiting the site, click on the “Update Now” button to download and add the Windows Update Assistant tool to the computer.
After downloading the tool, open the downloaded file on the device, click on “Yes,” then click on the “Update Now” button to start the tool’s compatibility check with the new version. Once the scan is complete, you will need to click “Next,” then click on the “Restart Now” button to restart the device after downloading the new version for installation.
While the device automatically restarts, the tool will install the latest Windows update available on the device. Once the update is completed, you will receive notification or a message confirming that your device is now running the latest Windows versions. Note that this update process will not affect any of your files, data, or other software settings installed on the device, but only affect system files and programs.
Second method: Using the Microsoft Update Catalog website
While the previous method is easier, it may not be suitable for everyone as it focuses on downloading major updates only. If you want to download minor updates or any updates in general manually through Windows Update, the best and secure way is through the Microsoft Update Catalog website, which allows access to all update files hosted on Microsoft’s official servers.
All you have to do in this method is to open a web browser on the computer and go to the Microsoft Update Catalog website, then in the search box, enter the update identifier (KB number) such as “KB5025239” which is the latest monthly update for Windows 11 at the time of writing. If you do not know the specific update number, you can search by entering the Windows version you want to update, such as “Windows 10” or “Windows 11”, in the search bar, then click on “Search.”
This takes us to a new page listing available updates for the specified Windows version, with information on the size of the update file and the date the latest version of the update was released. You will need to select the desired update and click on the “Download” button corresponding to the chosen update, which will automatically open a new web page containing a download link for the required update. Click on the download link, select the location to save the file on the computer, then click on “Save.”
Once the file is downloaded, you need to verify the file extension. If the file name ends with an MSU extension, you can simply double-click it to install the update on the device directly. However, if the downloaded file uses a CAB extension, this means that the update does not target Windows but rather computer component drivers, such as graphics, internet, or audio drivers. In this case, you will need to first extract the files from the downloaded file using WinRAR or 7Zip before installing them on the device.
After extracting the files to a new folder, open the Device Manager tool responsible for managing drivers by pressing the Windows key along with the X key and selecting “Device Manager” from the menu. Alternatively, you can write the command [devmgmt.msc] in the Run window after pressing Win + R together, then Enter. Next, manually update the driver by right-clicking on the driver type in the list, choosing “Update driver,” selecting the option “Browse my computer for drivers,” selecting the folder containing the update files, clicking Next, and waiting for the update to be installed.
In general, once the update is completed, you will need to restart the computer to apply the updates made. Unlike the first method, this method is suitable for manually installing updates on all devices using Windows 10 or later versions, regardless of whether they use 32-bit or 64-bit processors or ARM, rather than being limited to devices using 64-bit processors only.
