Updating Windows 8

Windows 8 carries on the tradition of periodically offering security fixes, new hardware drivers, and other updates for the operating system and Microsoft software. Some of these are critical fixes that should be applied as soon as possible, while others are simply recommended or optional updates that you can install if you wish. When you first personalize Windows 8, you are asked how you want the operating system to handle updates. You can install them automatically, download them but choose whether to install them, check for updates but choose whether to download and install them, or never check for updates. You can change those settings as well as view and install available updates. This task explains how to update Windows 8.

1 Open the Windows Update screen: Open the desktop. Hover your mouse in the lower-right hot corner to display the Charms bar. Click the Settings charm. Click Control Panel at the top of the desktop sidebar. From Control Panel, click System and Security. Click the setting for Windows Update. The screen displays how many updates are available, if any.

2 Change settings: Click Change settings. Click the drop-down menu under Important updates if you want to change the setting. Leave the Recommended updates check box selected if you want Windows to handle those in the same way it handles important updates. Click OK.

3 View update history: Click the link to View update history to see a list of updates that have already been installed. Click OK.

4 Restore hidden updates: Click the setting to Restore hidden updates if you previously hid any updates from view. Click Restore to restore any hidden updates, or Cancel to return to the previous screen.

5 Check for updates: Click the Check for updates setting to see if updates are available. If a notice of any updates appears, click the link to see the updates. You can then install the updates if you want.

6 Open Windows Update from PC Settings 8 screen: Open any Windows 8 screen or app. Hover your mouse in the lower-right hot corner to display the Charms bar. Click the Settings charm. Click the Change PC settings link. Click the Windows Update setting at the bottom of the left sidebar. Windows displays a We'll install X important updates automatically link, where X is the number of updates.

7 Check for more updates: Click Check for updates now to see if any other updates are available. Windows checks for more updates.

8 View all updates: You can wait for the updates to be installed automatically, or you can install them yourself. To install them yourself, click We'll install X important updates automatically. A list of all updates appears.

9 Install all updates: Click Install to install all the updates.

10 Restart your PC: After the updates have been installed, you may be prompted to restart your PC. You can click Restart now or wait for your PC to automatically restart.