Patch Tuesday is a common practice among tech companies, accumulating updates and releasing them on the second Tuesday of every month. This doesn’t mean we won’t see updates at other times.
Apple released iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV updates this past Tuesday. If you have an Apple device, you have an update waiting for you. Tap or click here for a breakdown of the updates and how to get them.
Microsoft also took the opportunity to release updates for Windows 10 and 11 this week. Unlike the Patch Tuesday updates, these are optional and typically don’t have security fixes. Microsoft refers to them as “C” releases which come with bug fixes and improvements. Here’s what’s included and how to get them now.
Updates to Windows 10
The optional KB5018482 update for Windows 10 20H2, 21H1 and 21H2 is available now and includes some quality-of-life improvements while squashing a few bugs.
Here are highlights from the update:
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- Fixes a bug that caused a Windows upgrade to stop responding and fail.
- Addresses an issue that affected Microsoft Direct3D 9 games. The graphics hardware stopped working if the hardware did not have a native Direct3D 9 driver.
- Addresses graphical issues in games that use Microsoft D3D9 on some platforms.
- Addresses an issue that affected Microsoft Edge when it’s in IE Mode (an Internet Explorer compatibility mode that lets you access old websites). The titles of pop-up windows and tabs were wrong.
- It addresses an issue that affected the lasso tool in a graphics editing program.
To update Windows 10:
- Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. Since this is an optional update, you’ll need to click Download and install to get it.
NOTE: If you’re running Windows 10 21H1, you’ll want to upgrade to 21H2 as soon as possible. All editions of Windows 10 21H1 will reach the end of service on Dec. 13, 2022. After that date, these devices will not receive monthly security and quality updates.
To check which versions of Windows you’re running, go to Start > Settings > System > About and scroll down to Version under Windows specifications.
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Updates to Windows 11
The KB5018496 update for Windows 11 22H2 comes with improvements and new features. It also fixes some bugs.
Here are highlights from the update:
- Enhances the taskbar’s visuals to help you discover more content.
- Enhances the backup experience when using Microsoft Account (MSA).
- Adds improvements to the MSA experience in Settings. For example, you can manage your Microsoft OneDrive subscription and related storage alerts.
- It addresses an issue that affected Microsoft Edge when it’s in IE Mode (an Internet Explorer compatibility mode that lets you access old websites). The titles of pop-up windows and tabs were wrong.
- Addresses an issue that caused vertical and horizontal line artifacts to appear on the screen.
- Addresses an issue with audio syncing when recording gameplay using the Xbox Game Bar.
- Addresses an issue that affected the Start menu. It would stop working when you used keyboard commands to move pinned items to a folder at the end of a list.
To update Windows 11:
- Go to Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.
- If an update is available, select Download and install now.
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