The difference between "feature updates" and "quality updates" in Windows 10

Microsoft provides two types of updates for Windows 10: "feature updates" and "quality updates". In this guide, we explain the differences between the two.

Starting with Windows 10, Microsoft has introduced a new model of operating system support known as "Windows as a Service" (WaaS), which simply means that instead of getting a new version every three years, you get increasing updates that speed up integrating new features and simplifying the process of maintaining devices in a fast-paced digital world.

As a result of this new support model, you now have two types of updates, “feature updates” ( updates) and "quality updates". Both are equally important, but each offers different kinds of improvements, at different times.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll go over the major differences between the two updates, for a better understanding of that you install on your device.

Feature Updates

Feature updates are technically new versions of Windows 10, which are available twice a year (about every six months) in the spring and fall. These are also known as "semi-annual" releases.

During the development of a new important update, Microsoft uses telemetry data and feedback from in-house testing as well as from Program Participants Windows Insider, to prepare the new version.

Once the update proves to be reliable, it first comes to simple consumers and then to business customers, through Windows Update or as a manual installation.

Typically, these updates include new features, visual enhancements, and major changes to improve overall experience and security. However, unlike the previous support model (for example, Windows Vista and Windows 7), feature updates include a smaller list of changes that help reduce application compatibility problems and simplify user control.

In short, the updates that changed your operating system and where you used to see them almost every three years, now they come every six months. Remember that Windows Vista came out in 2007, after two years Windows 7 came out (in 2009), then in 2012 came the , in 2013 Windows 8.1 and in 2015 Windows 10. The way it used to be now you had to run Windows 11 or Windows 12.

Additionally, feature updates are larger in size than quality updates. The size It can be close to 3GB for the 64-bit or 2GB for the 32-bit version.

However, starting with Update Fall Creators 2017, Windows 10 use a new update mechanism that downloads and installs only the changed files, making the download package about 35 percent smaller.

When installing a feature update, you install a new version. Therefore, a full reinstallation of Windows 10 is required. This also means that it will take more time to implement and it is more likely to experience problems than when installing an updated quality version.

Although not technically necessary, we recommend that you create a full backup, or at least backup your files, before installing a . Otherwise you risk becoming, along with the Insiders, testers of new functionality, like food testers in ancient Rome.

If you are running the Pro version of Windows 10, you can postpone the function updates up to 18 months after the original release date and if you are using Windows 10 Enterprise or Education versions, up to 30 months. This is what our people say: "Let the others take the chestnuts out of the fire".

Although you can prevent your computer from installing these updates, at the end of the support cycle, you will need to upgrade it to a supported version to continue to obtain security updates and not.

Quality updates

Quality updates (also called "cumulative updates" or "cumulative quality updates") are mandatory updates that are downloaded and installed automatically each month through Windows Update. The process usually takes place every second Tuesday, every month (also known as "Patch Tuesday"). However, from time to time, you will see quality updates to circulate outside the monthly program.

Note: In Windows Update, quality updates may appear as "Cumulative Update", "Pivot Update", "Security Update" or "Update for Windows 10". You can also always see the updates installed on your device from Settings> Windows Update and then by clicking "View Update History".

Unlike feature updates, these updates do not include new features, visual changes, or significant improvements. Instead, these are maintenance updates designed to fix bugs, patch vulnerabilities, and improving reliability with the current version of Windows 10.

They also increase in size each month as the their is cumulative, and this means that each update includes the changes that are available in previous updates. As a result, this cumulative approach reduces the number of problems and the number of updates you should receive on your device.

Quality updates are downloaded and installed faster than feature updates because they are smaller packages and do not require a full reinstallation of the operating system, which also means that you do not have to back up before installing. However, it is always a good idea to have a current backup of your data, as errors and hardware failure can happen at any time. And why with Microsoft, potassium was donkey rather than donkey.

Whether you use Windows 10 Pro or Windows 10 Home, you can delay quality updates up to 35 days. However, you can only stop these updates once, and when updates continue to come, your computer must install the latest quality update before you can use this feature again.

In conclusion
Using the "Windows as a Service" model with feature and quality updates is Microsoft's new approach to ensuring that your device can stay safe and running the latest features and security updates while maintaining consistency and reliability.

That's at least in theory, since as we've already seen, Microsoft has a hard time keeping pace with QA . For example, after the release of the Windows update on October 10, 2018, last fall, the company was forced to withdraw the 1809 feature update, due to data loss and other issues, even though it had previously tested by Insiders. Also recently, the company had to issue a fix for a quality update that caused Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) on some HP devices .

If you want to learn more technical details about the updates, you can check this Microsoft support article .

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Written by Dimitris

Dimitris hates on Mondays .....

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