Keeping your Windows 10 computer clean and up-to-date

Other Windows 10 related notes

Updating Windows 10

Windows 10 updates and versions history

There are 2 major Windows 10 releases every year, a spring and fall version

The two major updates are called feature updates

The more regular (~monthly) intermediate updates (small fixes and security updates) are called quality updates
e.g. 2020-08 Mise à jour cumulative pour Windows 10 Version 1909 pour les systèmes x64 (KB4565351)

The version number (of a major/feature update) is based on the date of the most recent large build release and uses a YYMM or YYHn format

YYMM, until Version 2004 (i.e April 2020)

YYH1 and YYH2 format (first and second half of year YY), starting at the end of 2020 with version 20H2

Full version history: Windows 10 release information

Checking the installed version

Using Windows Settings

Windows+I (open Settings) => System => About

You will get something like

Edition: Windows 10 Pro
Version: 19O9
Build: 18363.535

Using winver

Find and launch winver

Check the version and build number displayed by winver

Note: installed “Version 21H1” (i.e. first half (H1) of 2021) on May 27th 2021 (JYP's laptop)

Updating Windows 10

Update types are explained above

Windows should automatically check for updates (this may depend on your settings), and display a notification when the computer can be updated.
You can also manually check for updates: Windows+I (open Settings) => Update & Security => Check for updates

if Windows Update tells you that Quality Updates and optional Feature Updates are available, it is probably better to apply the quality updates first

The special case of major/feature updates

Windows may not tell you that a feature update is available, but you can manually check for updates and get one of the 3 cases below:

No feature update available

A feature update is theoretically available, but your computer is not ready yet to install it (maybe because the required device drivers are not available yet), or just too old. In that case, you may see a message saying that the latest update will soon be available. It should rather say that your computer is not ready yet (and maybe will never be!)

A feature update is ready for download! But don't rush to install a feature update!

To be safe, don't start a feature update during a field trip or when you are away for a conference! It is probably safer to do it at work (where you can get some help from Help) or at home.

Make sure you have enough time (at least 2 hours) to download/install a feature update and that a laptop is connected to AC power! It may take some time to download a feature update, and the installation will also take time (including a few reboots)

Things should not go wrong, but:

Make sure that the System protection by recovery is activated. It may allow you to go back to the previous version if things really go wrong

Maybe this is a good time to use SyncBack or something else to create a backup of your computer, before installing the update

If things go wrong, remember the Recovering from a Major Windows 10 Crash page

Check for updates, apply the updates, reboot, check for updates again and repeat until there are no more updates available.
At that stage, the installed version of Windows 10 should have the same (or close) version number as the latest one in Windows 10 release information (unless your computer is too old to install the latest major update)

Dell specific updates

Start => Dell => Dell Command Update: use this to get Dell specific updates (e.g. BIOS, some low level drivers) that you will not get from the Microsoft Update

Note: you can also get these updates from (if it is installed):

Start => Dell => SupportAssist

or Start => SupportAssist

HP specific updates

See the Installing HP software section and probably only install the BIOS update (if there is one available)

Intel updates

You will probably receive all the driver updates you need through the Windows and Dell/HP updates, but in some cases, you may also want to check if Intel provides some updates (there could be some extra updates for your Intel processor, your Intel graphics card, your Intel WiFi/Bluetooth card, etc...)

Visit the Automatically update your drivers page and follow the instructions to install and use Intel® Driver & Support Assistant

Check How to Uninstall/Reinstall in case of problems

Updating Microsoft Office

You need to activate the Office (and misc Microsoft software) update, if you want to get updates for some Microsoft products

Windows+I (open Settings) => Update & Security => Advanced options

Activate the Get updates for other Microsoft products option

Updating the applications from the Microsoft Store

Start => Microsoft Store => … (in the top right corner)

=> Settings: check that the automatic updates are activated

=> Download and updates: check if some applications need to be updated (e.g. the Microsoft Store itself)

Cleaning the computer

Free up drive space in Windows 10

Follow the steps listed in Free up space with Storage Sense

Some options, like removing the previous version of Windows (C:\Windows.old) may appear only if you are using the .\admin account

Removing the pre-installed applications that you think you don't need (you can always reinstall them later from the Microsoft store library): e.g. Bubble witch, Disney Magic Kingdoms, March of Empires, Minecraft, Microsoft Solitaire Collection, ...

Windows+I (open Settings) => Applications => Select and uninstall the applications you don't want

More options available in: 10 best ways to free up hard drive space on Windows 10

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