To check for updates in Windows 10, open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select Check for updates. Windows downloads anything that is available, and you restart when it asks. Since Windows 10’s standard support ended, what you receive also depends on whether the PC is enrolled in Extended Security Updates (ESU). If this is a fresh PC, the order of updates, ESU enrollment and activation is laid out in how to set up Windows 10 today.
Note: Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) now run until October 12, 2027. These steps still work on Windows 10, but upgrading to Windows 11 is the long-term way to keep getting security fixes.
How to check for Windows 10 updates
- Select Start, then the gear icon to open Settings. You can also press Windows + I.
- Select Update & Security. Windows Update opens on the left.
- Select Check for updates.
- Wait while Windows looks for, downloads, and installs updates. The page shows each update’s progress.
- If you see Restart now, save your work and restart. Some updates finish installing during the restart, so leave the PC plugged in.
A quick shortcut: type check for updates in the search box on the taskbar and press Enter.
Getting security updates after end of support
Without ESU, a Windows 10 PC no longer gets new monthly security updates. To keep receiving them:
- Make sure the PC runs Windows 10 version 22H2, the final version. Press Windows + R, type winver, and press Enter to check. If you are on an older version, install the 22H2 feature update from Windows Update first.
- Install all available updates.
- On the Windows Update page, look for the Extended Security Updates message and select Enroll now, then follow the wizard. It shows the enrollment options available for your account and region.
Microsoft explains the current terms on its Windows 10 Extended Security Updates page. Work and school PCs are enrolled by their IT department instead.
Optional updates and driver updates
Some updates are not installed automatically. Under the Check for updates button, select View optional updates to see:
- Driver updates for hardware such as printers, graphics, or touchpads. Install these only if a device is not working correctly.
- Preview (non-security) updates, which deliver fixes before they appear in the next monthly update.
Check the boxes you want and select Download and install.
See which updates are already installed
On the Windows Update page, select View update history. Updates are grouped into quality updates, driver updates, definition updates (for Microsoft Defender), and other updates. Each entry shows its KB number and whether it installed successfully.
Control when updates install
- Pause updates: select Pause updates for 7 days. Under Advanced options, you can choose a longer pause date. Updates resume automatically when the pause ends.
- Change active hours: tell Windows the hours you normally use the PC so it does not restart during them.
- Get updates for other Microsoft products: in Advanced options, turn on the setting to receive updates for apps such as Microsoft Office when you update Windows.
For longer-term options, see how to stop or pause Windows updates.
If Windows Update is stuck or shows an error
- Restart the PC and check again. Many stuck downloads clear after a restart.
- Free up disk space. Updates need several gigabytes. Use Settings > System > Storage to clean up temporary files.
- Run the troubleshooter: go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters > Windows Update and select Run the troubleshooter.
- Clear the update cache. Our guide to clearing the Windows Update cache shows how.
- Install a specific update manually by searching its KB number in the Microsoft Update Catalog.
More fixes are in our Windows Update troubleshooting guide.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I check for updates?
Windows checks automatically, but a manual check once a month after the second Tuesday, when Microsoft releases security updates, is a good habit.
Can I upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 through Windows Update?
If your PC meets the Windows 11 requirements, Windows Update shows an upgrade offer on the same page. You can also check compatibility with the PC Health Check app.
Does Microsoft Defender still get updates on Windows 10?
Microsoft has said it will keep providing Defender security intelligence (definition) updates for Windows 10 for a period after end of support, separately from ESU. Check the update history page to confirm they are arriving.
Kermit Matthews runs Live2Tech from just outside Philadelphia. He started on a university help desk, spent years as the IT person for small businesses, and has been writing tech guides full time since 2020. Each guide is checked on a device he owns, and re-checked when a menu moves. More about Kermit.