Windows 10 update finally lets YOU control system updates, but there's a catch

Microsoft has included granular control over auto-updates back to PC owners

MICROSOFT has included a much-requested feature in its latest Windows 10 update. But it's not available to everyone.

 

Microsoft has rolled out an update to Windows 10 – version 1511 – which hands control over auto-updates back to PC owners.

The Redmond technology firm has become increasingly aggressive in its plans to upgrade users to the latest operating system.

Earlier this year, it emerged Microsoft was silently downloading the 6GB Windows 10 installer file onto all Windows 7 and Windows 8-powered PCs.

 

Microsoft would even start the install process behind the PC owner's back – in an effort to increase adoption, which the US firm hopes will hit one billion devices within the next 18 months.

However the latest update to Windows 10 bundles granular control over the future updates, but it is only available in select versions of the operating system.

Windows 10 Enterprise, Education and Pro customers can now distinguish between Updates, usually system patches, and Upgrades, which includes new versions of the Windows OS.

Users can then deferthe updates within each category up to a maximum of eight months. 

This finally allows customers to pick and choose when to update to the latest features and functionality pushed out by Microsoft.

 



Microsoft currently advertises the free upgrade for its new OS in a series of pop-up adverts



When selecting the option, Windows 10 will warn users about the importance of keeping your system up-to-date with the latest security patches.

Unfortunately – Windows 10 consumers are still at the mercy of Microsoft's own update schedule.

General Manager of Microsoft's Windows and Devices team, Jeremy Korst previously revealed the background auto-updates are for customers' own good.

"You've got two sets of users, one is the average user who wants to make sure they've got the most secure and always up to date version of Windows, and the feedback we get is that people want that to be as simple and seamless as possible," he said.

 

The news comes after Microsoft released its first major update to Windows 10, dubbed Threshold 2.

The blockbuster update also includes performance fixes, visual tweaks, new functionality for virtual assistant Cortana and IT-level Windows 10 management tools to your PC.

But Threshold 2 has also been dogged by the familiar controversy that has surrounded Microsoft's new operating system since it launched this summer.

 

Windows 10 combines design elements and functionality from both Windows 7 and 8.1

NewsNewsBlog.blogspot.com has a comprehensive guide to downloading the Threshold 2 update.

Microsoft has labelled this latest update its "next milestone" for Windows 10, which rolled out earlier this summer.

Amongst the new additions, Windows 10 users are now able to install apps to external storage devices.