Microsoft Overhauls Windows to Fix User Frustrations
▼ Summary
– Microsoft is rolling out changes to Windows Update that give users more control over updates, restarts, and shutdowns, addressing complaints about untimely disruptions.
– Users can now skip updates during the initial setup process, pause updates as many times as needed, and always have options to shut down or restart without installing updates.
– The update also provides more insights on available updates, allowing users to make more informed decisions about installation.
– These changes are first rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels before being released to all Windows 11 users.
– The move marks a significant shift for Microsoft, which had been known for frustrating users with frequent forced updates, now prioritizing user control while maintaining security.
Microsoft has officially confirmed a sweeping overhaul to how Windows handles updates, restarts, and shutdowns , addressing what has long been one of the most persistent sources of user frustration across its billion-plus install base. The changes aim to give PC owners far greater control over when and how updates interrupt their workflow.
In a blog post on Friday, Microsoft’s Aria Hanson acknowledged two recurring complaints that “persistently pop out” from users: disruption caused by untimely updates and a lack of control over update scheduling. No longer, she promised.
Hanson expressed being “excited to share” the update improvements, which are “now starting to roll out” as a “direct result of your feedback.” The goal, she explained, is to hand users “more control” over their PCs while still keeping devices “secure by design and by default.”
The company’s new mantra: “Shutdown, Restart on your terms.” Microsoft now insists that restarting or shutting down a PC “should always be simple, predictable, and on your terms – even with updates waiting to be installed.”
Here are the specific changes rolling out to Windows PCs:
- Skip updates immediately during the out-of-box experience (OOBE)This is particularly welcome news for the more than one billion Windows 11 users, a figure expected to grow as the Windows 10 upgrade deadline approaches , just under six months away, when Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 10 will end.According to Windows Latest, this change “fixes some of the most frustrating parts of updates, which are the updates themselves. The company has finally fixed the interruptions from Windows updates and the lack of control over scheduling them.”In plain terms, users can now skip Windows updates during setup and pause updates as long as they want, which also means restarting at will without triggering unwanted installations. These updates are currently rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels, with a broader release for all users to follow.“When Microsoft said that they would give us more control over Windows updates,” Windows Latest noted, “I didn’t expect those changes to roll out so soon. In fact, I wasn’t expecting such a drastic change of heart from the company that was infamous for frustrating its users with multiple updates a month.”And yet here we are , kudos to Microsoft for finally listening.
