Windows Updates: Install Optional?

[Silverhand92]

I'm interested in getting Windows Update to install the Optional Updates - such as Windows Defender Definition Updates - without having to manually select all of the updates.

I've attempted to research the methods, to no avail, although I've concluded that it is probably possible through RegEdit, or through GPEdit, although I'm not sure how to find the specific settings, if they're available.

 

[Sky Ranch]

The following link might help you with Windows Defender automatic updates. It involves adding a task using Task Scheduler. The poster gives instructions on how to do this. Hope it helps.

Updating Defender automatically without automatic downloads | Windows Secrets Lounge

 

[Silverhand92]

Can Windows Update be set to install all optional updates automatically?

 

[Sky Ranch]

I don't think there is any method to automatically install Windows Optional updates. Optional updates are left up to the user as to whether they apply to their specific machine. For example, some optional updates include drivers updates, however it's better to keep your drivers up to date by referring to the manufacturer's support website instead of what Windows updates recommends. There is also optional updates that are applicable to specific brands of PC's such as Lenovo, HP, Toshiba, ASUS etc.

Other members might be able to chime in on this topic.

 

[Silverhand92]

That's too bad, because if there was a way to install ALL updates automatically, I would approve. (And if there were some error, the affecting update would be uninstalled, or even disabled.)

 

[Sky Ranch]

Yeah, that's true if one encounters an error caused by one of these updates all one simply has to do is delete the update responsible for the error.

However some of these updates comes in waves. For instance, this past week there was a total of 7 optional updates, not all of which may apply to the user. If there was an error, the user would have to isolate it. This could mean being faced with the tedious task of uninstalling all optional updates then reinstalling each update one at a time, or uninstalling one update at a time until the error no longer exist.

I think one reason a lot of users don't automatically install optional (or recommended) updates, aside from privacy invasion issues, is the problem that surfaced a few months ago with the nagging Microsoft push to W10 for users who don't plan on upgrading to the latest operating system. This forum was pretty busy when that happened.