Windows 10 monthly updates are getting a lot smaller, and therefore faster to download and install, thanks to a feature that first debuted in Windows 11. Users with eligible devices can expect a decrease in the number of updates since the update of April 9, 2024, which was 830 MB to approximately 630 MB with the latest update, released on April 23, 2024.
The change was announced by Microsoft in a Windows blog post, which writes that Windows 10 users will get a significant efficiency boost. Monthly Windows updates are typical for Windows 10 and Windows 11, and downloading bulky updates can be annoying and time-consuming, especially for those with slower (or metered) internet connections.
You can read more about what the shortened update, KB5036979, will bring on Microsoft’s support blog. Some of the developments this update brings include account-related notifications (such as account activity, data backups, subscription management, and security settings) in the Start menu and Settings, an updated Widgets lock screen, a fix for a Bluetooth-related issue affecting select wireless earbuds, an improved and more reliable Windows Search, and other quality of life updates.
Improved Windows 10 updates ahead
Microsoft explains that until now, cumulative updates for Windows 11 were packaged more efficiently than those for Windows 10. This has now changed, with a reduction in the size of the monthly final cumulative update package (LCU).
If your device is running Windows 10, make sure you have done the following to ensure you are ready for these new updates:
- Verify that you have updated your system since the July 23, 2023 Windows 10 Update (KB5028244).
- If you haven’t already, download and install Servicing Stack Update (SSU) KB5031539.
- Once the above step is completed, download and install a quality update from April 2023 or later.
It’s good to see that Windows 10 users are still getting quality updates and that Microsoft is making adjustments to make them easier to install, especially as we approach Windows 10’s end date of October 14, 2025. While I’m sure Windows users will appreciate that they’ll still get improved functionality, it remains wise to prepare for an update to Windows 11 (or whatever the next iteration of Windows is called, which we’ll talk about soon). expect to learn).