Windows computers need at minimum eight hours of internet access to install and download the latest operating system update successfully. This information is provided in an article to the Microsoft IT Pro Blog by David Guyer, program manager for Windows Updates in Endpoint Manager at Microsoft.
Another thing that was revealed in the post is that Microsoft monitors how long computers connect to Windows Update, calling the information “Update Connectivity”. The information is accessible to IT administrators through the InTune app, which is part in the Endpoint management suite.
The article details Microsoft’s efforts to determine why certain Windows devices aren’t receiving the most up-to-date features and quality updates and found it took two hours uninterrupted connectivity was required for updates. It took another about six hours after the launch of the patch to allow the device to update itself consistently.
Microsoft’s data indicate that 50 percent of Windows devices that are left unattended due to Windows Update and using a version that’s not serviced by Windows 10 that’s no longer serviced aren’t spending enough time online to get the patches installed and downloaded within the background. The percentage drops to 25% for users who are using a serviced version of Windows 10 that is behind on security updates for a period of 60 days or more.
“You can work to ensure that more devices across your organization meet the minimum Update Connectivity measurement by communicating with device owners, encouraging them to leave their devices plugged in and connected–instead of powering them off overnight–so that updates can download and install properly,” Guyer writes. Guyer. “Impress upon them the importance of keeping their devices connected so their devices can stay protected and they can stay productive.”
Windows 11 updates are smaller than their Windows 10 counterparts due to the improved compression and the new Microsoft Graph APIs released last year are expected to accelerate the process of updating.
