How to keep Apps up to date on Windows devices

Keeping your software up to date on Windows is crucial for security, performance, and access to new features. This guide will walk you through various methods to on how to keep Apps up to date on Windows devices. We’ll cover manual updates, automated tools, and leveraging PowerShell and winget for advanced update management. Please see How to install Winget CLI on Windows, and H ow to add a new Domain Controller to an Existing Domain.

Here are other related guides: How to update Windows Applications with Norton Updater, Install Applications with Winget CLI on Windows, How to Troubleshoot Unable to Install Office, and Upgrade Microsoft Office 2019 to 2021 on Mac.

Why Keeping Apps Updated is Important

Updating your applications is essential for several reasons:

Security: Updates often include patches for vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malware or hackers.
Performance: New versions can improve the efficiency and speed of your applications.
Features: Updates often bring new functionalities that can enhance your productivity.
Compatibility: Keeping software updated ensures compatibility with other software and the operating system.

Ensuring Timely Application Updates

Users often hesitate to update applications, but staying current protects against evolving threats and vulnerabilities. Using Application/Patch Management Software like Endpoint Configuration Management and DSM can streamline this process. For applications not managed by DSM/SCCM, additional steps are needed to ensure updates.

With users having administrative rights on their devices, finding solutions to keep all applications updated is crucial. The steps below outline effective methods to achieve this.

Manual Updates Using Built-in App Update Features

Many applications have built-in update mechanisms. Here’s how to manually update some common types of software:

Windows Store Apps

Open the Microsoft Store app, and click on Library in the lower-left corner.

Click on “Update all” or “Get updates” to check and install the latest versions of your installed apps.

*Update all apps installed via Microsoft Store*

If you are having trouble accessing the Microsoft Store, here is a fix for you How to Unblock Microsoft Store on Windows 11.

Third-Party Software to keep Apps up to date on Windows devices

Most third-party applications have an “Update” option in their settings or help menu.

Check the application’s website or support page for the latest version and update instructions.

Please see Azure Virtual Desktop: Connect to Session Hosts Using Entra ID [Part 04], and Azure Virtual Desktop: Autoscaling Implementing and Monitoring Session Hosts [Part 05]

Automatic Updates: Windows Update

Windows Update is a built-in service that keeps your operating system and certain Microsoft software up to date.

Press “Windows + I” key to open Settings, and click Windows Update. Click on Check for updates to search and install the latest update for your system.

Using Third-Party Software

There are several third-party tools that can help keep your apps updated automatically. Some popular options include:

Ninite

Visit the Ninite website. Select the applications you want to keep updated.

Download and run the Ninite installer, which will automatically update the selected applications.

Patch My PC:

Download and install Patch My PC.
Run the program and it will check for updates for a wide range of software.

Advanced Update Management with winget and PowerShell

What is winget?

Winget is a package manager for Windows that simplifies installing, upgrading, and managing software packages. Using winget with PowerShell allows for more granular control over your updates.

Run PowerShell as administrator to use the winget module.

Open Powershell — *Run Windows PowerShell as administrator*

To use winget from PowerShell, you need to install the Microsoft.WinGet.Client module:

			
# Install the winget client module from the PowerShell Gallery
Install-Module -Name Microsoft.WinGet.Client

You can list all available commands from the Microsoft.WinGet.Client module using:

			
# List all commands provided by the winget client module
Get-Command -Module Microsoft.WinGet.Client

To see apps with available update on the system, use:

			
# List all apps with available updates 
winget upgrade

To update all packages that have updates available, run:

			
# Update all packages that have updates available
winget upgrade -h --all

Please see Azure Virtual Desktop: Deploy host pools and session hosts in the Azure [Part 01], Azure Virtual Desktop: How to set Up Azure Virtual Desktop Insights Monitoring [Part 03], and Azure Virtual Desktop: Manage Azure Virtual Desktop host pools and session hosts using the Azure portal [Part 02]

Update Apps Using Task Scheduler

Here is a script using Windows’ winget to update all installed apps. This script can be added to the Windows Task Scheduler to run daily.

Please see How to fix Windows Microsoft Store not opening, how to Install and Manage Applications with Winget, and how to “enable or disable automatic software updates on Mac“.

Create the Script

Open a text editor (like Notepad) and paste the following script:

   # Update-Apps.ps1
   # Script to update all apps using winget

   # Ensure winget is available
   if (-not (Get-Command winget -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
       Write-Output "winget is not installed on this system."
       exit 1
   }

   # Update all installed apps
   Write-Output "Updating all installed apps..."
   winget upgrade --all --accept-source-agreements --accept-package-agreements
   Write-Output "Update process completed."

Save this file as Update-Apps.ps1 in a directory of your choice, such as C:\Scripts.

Set Up Task Scheduler

Open Task Scheduler by pressing Win + R, typing taskschd.msc, and hitting Enter.

In the Task Scheduler window, click on “Create Task” in the Actions panel.

In the General tab, give your task a name like “Update All Apps“.

Select “Run whether user is logged on or not” and check “Run with highest privileges“.

Select the Triggers tab, click “New” and set:

Begin the task: “On a schedule“.
Settings: “Daily“
Start: Set to the next time 9:00 AM
Recur every: 1 day

In the Actions tab, click “New” and set:

Action: “Start a program“
Program/script: powershell
Add arguments (optional): -File “C:\Scripts\Update-Apps.ps1”

In the Conditions tab, uncheck “Start the task only if the computer is on AC power” if you want it to run on battery power as well.

Click “OK” and enter your password if prompted.

Please see Disaster Recovery Test Checklist: What to Capture Before You Start, Secure Boot 2023 Compliance Across WinPE, MDT, WDS, and ADK: Boot Chain Alignment and PXE Validation [Final Part], and Fix an error occurred while attempting to start selected VM on Hyper-V.

Testing the Script

You can manually run the task to test if everything is set up correctly. Right-click on your newly created task in Task Scheduler and select “Run”.

Check the output to ensure apps are being updated. This will ensure that all apps are updated daily at 9 AM using the winget module.

Conclusion on how to keep Apps up to date on Windows

Keeping your apps updated on Windows is easy. Whether you use manual updates, automatic tools, or advanced scripts with winget and PowerShell, staying current ensures better security, performance, and functionality.

For apps not managed by DSM/SCCM, these methods keep them updated even when users have admin rights, enhancing resilience against threats and maintaining optimal performance and security.

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