Microsoft Makes it Easier to Update to New Windows 11 Versions

A new cumulative update for Windows 11 will give users the option to update to new Windows 11 versions when your PC boots up. It’s just one of many ways that Microsoft is trying to streamline the process of updating Windows 11 continuously.

The change comes via KB5015882—thanks to Neowin for the tip—a cumulative update that will update Windows 11 21H2 to version 22000.829. Microsoft issued it via Windows Update yesterday as part of its Week C set of non-security updates, which arrive in the third week of each month.

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There are two new features enabled by this release (these are Microsoft’s terrible descriptions):

  • Gives you the option to update to a newer Windows 11 version at the very first startup of Windows if your device is eligible.
  • Gives you the option to receive urgent notifications when focus assist is on. Focus assist is like a do not disturb mode that hides notifications.

If I understand this correctly, this feature will prompt the user to update to a new Windows 11 version when the computer reboots. It’s unclear where in this process the prompt appears, but I further assume that it will include minor updates (like KB5015882 itself) as well as feature updates, like the coming update that will upgrade Windows 11 to version 22H2. I guess we’ll see.

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Conversation 7 comments

  • BenPritchard

    Premium Member
    22 July, 2022 - 12:25 pm

    <p>I took this to mean during OOBE only, looking at the release notes in the Insider blog post</p>

    • mattbg

      Premium Member
      22 July, 2022 - 12:28 pm

      <p>That would make sense. Pretty much the only reason I reboot Windows these days is to install a Critical or Cumulative Update, so I’d be installing updates far less frequently with this option enabled.</p>

      • miamimauler

        22 July, 2022 - 4:58 pm

        <p>@mattbg</p><p><br></p><p>"<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Pretty much the only reason I reboot Windows these days is to install a Critical or Cumulative Update"</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I’m one of the old fogies who completely shuts down and turns off my home laptops every night. My laptops having issues is as rare as hen’s teeth.</span></p>

    • hastin

      Premium Member
      22 July, 2022 - 1:01 pm

      <p>So the OEM OOBE already kinda does this. The first Win 11 build for OEMs was a really early build (22000.9), so when you set it up for the first time, it installs the latest cumulative update to ensure that Control Panel, Windows Explorer, etc. have the Win11 UI and not the Win 10 UI.</p><p><br></p><p>I’m guessing it will just prompt (or will automatically) install the latest build, since the migration steps would be quick as there’s limited 3rd party apps installed.</p>

  • waethorn

    26 July, 2022 - 4:45 pm

    <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I don’t know why this is an issue. Microsoft quit doing build updates unless the user went into Windows Update to do it. And so, many systems would lag behind and hit the end-of-support window, even surpassing it, without the user even noticing until they get a warning in their system tray of the EOS. I’m guessing because there were too many stability and compatibility issues with Windows 10 Creators Update and some of the other major builds (1909 was also pretty bad).</span></p><p><br></p><p>FYI: Windows 10 did build updates for some of the earlier releases during the OOBE.</p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">If they atomized a Windows image and updated it monthly as static, read-only system partitions, it would be easy to update and replace the old image with a single update download. The entire file system for the OS image should be locked during normal use. Drivers should be kept separate to isolate and troubleshoot issues, or else mandated as in-tree kernel additions the way they are for Linux. And data &amp; settings should be on an entirely separate partition. This is how Chrome OS works. Chrome OS also keeps a backup partition of the last successfully-booted OS image before an update, just in case something fails.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">And Chrome OS uses compressed OS images on the drive because all systems use SSD’s (or eMMC).</span></p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      27 July, 2022 - 8:01 am

      >I don’t know why this is an issue. Microsoft quit doing build updates unless the user went into Windows Update to do it.

      Navigating to Windows Update isn’t an implicit decision to install any and everything. It’s an explicit question about what’s there. At that point, the user should be able to decide what to install and when (for the most part; obviously security updates, etc.). Most "seekers’ are probably just bumblers who had no idea that they just agreed to something by randomly navigating into the very last spot on the list in Settings.

  • RoHo

    Premium Member
    27 July, 2022 - 8:58 am

    <p>I have a Win 11 eligible pc but I’ve yet to get the update. Anyone know what i have to do to get win11?</p>

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