• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechWorld's Most Admired Companies

Listen up: Windows 10 updates will be mandatory for home users

Barb Darrow
By
Barb Darrow
Barb Darrow
Down Arrow Button Icon
Barb Darrow
By
Barb Darrow
Barb Darrow
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 17, 2015, 9:12 AM ET
A laptop computer featuring Windows 10 is seen on display at Microsoft Build in San Francisco
A laptop computer featuring Windows 10 is seen on display at Microsoft Build.Photograph by Robert Galbraith — Reuters

Consumers buying Windows 10 starting July 29 should know that software updates and patches will be mandatory going forward.

The Register noted the change to Microsoft’s licensing agreement in a report Thursday.

With the current Windows 8.1 release, users could opt to delay or even nix individual updates, according to the Verge. Allowing users to pick the time for downloads is great for people who want to make sure the work happens overnight or at a time they won’t be using their computer.

 

Mandatory updates make sense in that updated-and-patched software is likely more secure and that the latest fixes and features are deployed. But they can also be irksome — patches can futz with and even break current applications. And, for people with tight data caps on their broadband access, these update-or-else mandates could be a problem

A Microsoft (MSFT) spokesperson confirmed the changes to Re/Code, saying they were made to keep customers secure and to deliver “Windows as a service.”

Business customers can turn off automatic updates so that their IT departments or administrators can test them before deploying.

Sign up for Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter about the business of technology.

 

About the Author
Barb Darrow
By Barb Darrow
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
Fortune Secondary Logo
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

iran
Middle EastMiddle East
Iran’s revenge: drones damage data centers for Amazon Web Services, reveal west’s Achilles Heel
By Kelvin Chan and The Associated PressMarch 3, 2026
9 hours ago
Photo of Jamie Siminoff
LawGoogle
Ring CEO Jamie Siminoff believes if people had more doorbell cameras, we may have already ‘solved’ the Nancy Guthrie case
By Catherina GioinoMarch 3, 2026
10 hours ago
AIIran
Trump’s strike on Iran and the new breed of AI wars mean bombs can drop faster than the speed of thought
By Jake AngeloMarch 3, 2026
11 hours ago
Illustration of ships on fire
EconomyU.S. economy
Top economist says companies are close to a ‘Cortés moment’ on AI, referencing the conquistador who burned his boats and then invaded Mexico
By Nick LichtenbergMarch 3, 2026
12 hours ago
snow
North Americasnow
AI that you can get behind: Syracuse claims snow complaints have dropped 30% since it partnered with the right GPS tech firm
By Jeff McMurray and The Associated PressMarch 3, 2026
13 hours ago
A Boston police officer uses radar to track speeding vehicles
CybersecurityAmazon
Cities join Amazon in cutting ties with license-plate reader Flock following public outcry. ‘Your privacy is totally fine,’ says Ring CEO
By Catherina GioinoMarch 3, 2026
13 hours ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
Interest on the $38.8 trillion national debt has tripled since 2020, and it already costs taxpayers more than defense and Medicaid
By Nick LichtenbergMarch 2, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Middle East
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard controls a sprawling business empire that dominates the economy
By Jason MaMarch 2, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, March 3, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMarch 3, 2026
18 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of March 2, 2026
By Danny BakstMarch 2, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Middle East
U.S. military gives Iran a taste of its own medicine with cheap copycat Shahed drones, while concern shifts to munitions supply in extended conflict
By Jason MaMarch 1, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
AI
American schools weren’t broken until Silicon Valley used a lie to convince them they were—now reading and math scores are plummeting
By Sasha RogelbergMarch 1, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.