When using our computer, it is important to update the software that contains it, whether it is the operating system itself or the different programs that we install, as it is a crucial practice to keep Internet security safe. Learning to know how to update the software of our equipment will help us obtain improvements both in the stability of the system and in security.
Next, we are going to see why it is important to update the software on our computer. We will check how to keep the Microsoft operating system updated, both in Windows 10 and in Windows. We will also see how to manually or automatically update applications downloaded from the Microsoft Store, as well as the best programs to keep your computer’s programs and drivers up to date.
The importance of keeping software up to date
Keeping all the software on our equipment updated, both the operating system and the different programs and applications they contain, is a practice that we cannot ignore. And it is possible that many users wonder, is it necessary to update the software? Faced with this doubt, it is important to be clear that, like the operating system and drivers, all our applications and programs must also be updated on a regular basis.
There are several reasons why both the system and the applications installed on our computer must be updated, the main ones are:
- New Features – Many developers release new features through Once updated, you may find an additional button or link in your app interface with a new feature.
- Security Updates – All current security policies become obsolete after a while and new ones are always appearing to replace them. These security patches are then released through app updates.
- Compatibility : Microsoft releases operating system updates quite frequently and once our PC is up to date, it is important to update our applications or we may run into certain compatibility issues between the operating system and the application.
Once we have known the reasons why it is important to update the software on our PC, next, we are going to see how we can carry it out depending on whether we want to update the operating system, the programs and applications that we have installed, or the drivers.
Updates in Windows 11
Keeping Windows 11 up to date is one of the most important steps to protect yourself from viruses, malware, and other Internet security threats, as well as the best way to enjoy new features as they appear, stability improvements, and bug fixes. This is something that we can do from the operating system itself in the same way as the applications that
Windows 11 is in charge of searching for updates automatically and installing those that are of vital importance for its proper functioning. We can also manually download other minor or cumulative updates for drivers.
To keep up to date with all the updates we can press the key combination “Windows + I”, which allows us to access the “Settings” menu. Then click on the “Windows Update” section.
From this section we can see all the downloaded updates that are pending installation, as well as the options that we can download and install manually by ourselves. We also have more options such as the ability to pause updates, see the history about them and join the Windows Insider program, through which you can get preview versions of Windows.
From the Advanced Options section, we can configure various options, such as the possibility of receiving notifications when there are updates to other Microsoft products, receiving notifications when a restart is necessary, programming the active hours where downloads are carried out or configuring updates optional.
Keep Windows 10 up to date
Although Windows 11 is now fully available, Microsoft has promised that it will continue to make updates available to Windows 10 users until 2025 . That is why we must continue installing them to continue enjoying new features that are added, as well as bug fixes and stability improvements.
Windows 10 carries out downloads of important updates automatically, leaving other options to our choice. To check it, we must press the key combination “Windows + I” to access the “Configuration” section. Here we click on “Update and security” .
On the new screen, within the Windows Update section, we can click on the Check for updates button, so that the system is in charge of making an instant review. Here we can also find optional updates that we can download and install by clicking on the corresponding button.
From here we will also be able to pause the updates, change the active hours where the download and installation can be carried out and see the history with all the installed updates.
From the Advanced Options section we can receive updates for other Microsoft products when updating Windows, restart the device as soon as possible when it is necessary to install an update and display a notification when the computer requires a restart after finishing an update.
Update apps from the Microsoft Store
For the applications that we have installed from the Microsoft Store, we can configure them to update automatically, each time a new update arrives. To do this, it will be necessary to access the Windows Store and click on the icon with our initials that is shown in the upper right. This will bring up a menu where we select the Application Settings option.
In the new window that appears we must have the Application Updates box activated. In this way, these will be carried out automatically, without us having to do anything manually.
If we want to update manually, we can click on the Library button that we find in the lower left part of the main menu.
This will make all the store applications that we have installed appear on the screen, so we must press the Get updates button, in order to carry out a check at the moment.
How to update all programs
In the event that we want to update the installed software that does not belong to the Microsoft Store, in order to carry it out automatically, it will be necessary to use a third-party tool that allows us to carry out this task.
Patch My PC Updater
We are talking about a free and portable program that will allow us to keep more than 300 third-party programs updated . Through its use we can manage and update the different software that we have installed, as well as eliminate those that we no longer need. It is a very simple application to use so it is aimed at all types of users. We can download it from the developer’s website .
Once we run it, Patch My Pc Updater will take care of scanning the entire system in search of programs that may be out of date, showing the results in red, green or black. The green color shows the updated programs, the red ones the outdated ones and the black ones those that are not installed.
To update the applications that have been detected at that time, we can select one by one or all those that are red and click on the Perform Updates button. This will give way to the program automatically proceeding to download and carry out the corresponding updates.
IObit Software Updater
We are talking about a program that has been developed to help us keep the programs always in their latest available versions. For this, the program has a large database from which it locates new versions and allows us to download them comfortably without having to download the software and put up with annoying windows and wizards. All downloads are carried out from official websites to avoid possible scams. The program has a free version that allows us to update the software with a maximum of two applications per day. We can download it from its official website .
When we run the program for the first time, it will automatically analyze our PC and register all the programs that we have installed. Later, we will be able to see a list at the top where all the programs that we have outdated and for which the program has a new update appear.
We can update all the programs to their most recent versions by clicking on the “Update now” button, or download the new versions one by one from the button that appears to the right of each of the entries in the list. Keep in mind that in order to download all the updates at once, you will need to purchase its paid version.
Sumo
This simple and lightweight application has been designed so that we can save effort when it comes to keeping all the programs up to date. Unlike automatic updates, this software does not notify you of the availability of updates before we need to use them.
SUMo has a free one that allows us to detect the software that we have installed on our computer that requires an update. In order to proceed with the update, either with a link to the SUMo website or to the developer’s website, it will be necessary to purchase its PRO version . We can download it from this link to its official website .
Once we run it, it automatically checks the software installed on the system to show them on the screen in alphabetical order, also informing us of their company and current version. Within the Update tab we can see if there are updates available. If so, we can download it by clicking on the Get Update button corresponding to the selected program. This is something that we can do only if we have the paid PRO version.
How to keep drivers up to date
Drivers are small software elements that are essential for the proper functioning of the equipment. These allow the operating system to recognize the different components that make up the computer, such as the graphics card, the webcam, etc. That is why it is essential that we can update the software to always guarantee the best performance of the PC.
from Windows
If we want to keep our drivers updated in Windows 10 and Windows 11 we can use the Device Manager . To access it, simply press the keyboard shortcut “Windows + X”, which will open a context menu from the bottom right, where we must select it.
In the new window that opens, we find an extensive list with all the hardware elements that are part of our computer, being able to unfold each one of them to see its content. From here we will have the possibility to update the drivers directly, although without any control over the process.
All we have to do is locate the specific component that we need or want to update, and click on it with the right mouse button. Thus, in the contextual menu that appears, we will see the option to Update driver , so we click on that entry, giving us the possibility of performing the update automatically or manually by selecting the drivers that we must previously have downloaded from the official page of the developer.
Through applications
We can also use third-party programs, which will not allow us to analyze our computer to recognize the hardware, see what drivers we have and download the latest versions available for each one.
Driver-Easy
With this software we will be able to automatically detect, download and install all the necessary drivers for the components that we have installed. To do this, it has a database with more than three million drivers from which to quickly find the ones we need, being compatible with all kinds of components such as printers, video and audio cards, network, etc. It has a free version that we can download from the developer’s website, as well as a paid version with more functions.
Once we run it, its main menu appears. If we click on the Browse tab, it will search for all the hardware elements of our device, while on the Update tab it will show us all the pending updates that it has found. From here, we can update each driver individually or all at once by clicking the Update All button.
Driver Talent
With this application we will be able to keep all the drivers of our equipment up to date so that they work perfectly. To do this, the system will be in charge of scanning, it will detect all the hardware and check which ones do not have drivers installed or are outdated. In addition, to avoid problems, it allows you to make a backup copy of each driver before updating it and you can even eliminate those that are obsolete. Driver Talent is priced at 19.95, and it is possible to download a free trial version from its website.
Its procedure could not be simpler, because once we execute it, its main menu appears and from the Driver Status section that we find in the left column we can see all the hardware elements that have a new update available, informing us of its date and file size. Simply press the Download button for the program to start downloading and then updating the software.