How to Install Windows Updates

Overview

The Windows Update manager allows you to centrally deploy patches to your managed devices. Beyond simply installing updates, you can create a deployment policy that defines how the installation behaves—whether to force a restart immediately, allow users to postpone the update, or send a custom notification pop-up.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Navigate to the Updates Management Page

Access the central patch management dashboard to see available updates.

• From the main menu, go to the Security section (1) and select Updates (2).

• Ensure the Windows Update tab (3) at the top is selected.

2. Select Updates to Install

• Review the list of available patches. You can see critical details like the Title, KB number, and Safety Confidence (e.g., "Caution").

• Check the boxes (4) next to the specific updates you wish to deploy.

• Click the Install button (5) in the top left corner to proceed.

3. Configure Installation Policy

A configuration window titled "Install Update" will appear. Here you define how the update is rolled out.

• Policy Name: Give this deployment a name (e.g., Install Jan Updates) for tracking purposes.

• Deployment Scope: Toggle Install to all computers requiring this update to ensure every machine that needs this patch receives it automatically.

• Restart Policy: Toggle Force Restart After Update if the patch requires a reboot to take effect. This prevents the update from sitting in a "pending" state indefinitely.

4. Configure User Notifications

You can control what the end-user sees when the update occurs to minimize disruption.

• Notify User: Enable Notify User About Update to show a message on their screen.

• Notification Style: Choose between a Popup (a custom BoolDesk window) or a standard Windows Toast Notification.

• Postponement Settings: If you want to be lenient, you can set a Maximum Postpones limit (e.g., 4 times) and a Postpone Interval (e.g., 30 minutes), allowing users to finish their work before the update runs.