Microsoft KB Archive/294871

= Description of the Automatic Updates feature in Windows =

Article ID: 294871

Article Last Modified on 12/5/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Update
 * Microsoft Update

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This article was previously published under Q294871



SUMMARY
This article describes the Automatic Updates feature in Microsoft Windows 2003, Microsoft Windows 2000, and Microsoft Windows XP. For more information about Automatic Updates in Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

268331 Description of Automatic Updates in Windows Millennium Edition (Me)

For more information about Automatic Updates in Windows Vista, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/features/details/windowsupdate.mspx

Note Automatic Updates is not available for Microsoft Windows 98-based computers or Microsoft Windows NT 4.0-based computers. However, a Critical Update Notification utility is available from the Windows Update Web site or from the Microsoft Update Web site to notify you when critical updates are available for download on these operating systems. For more information about the Critical Update Notification utility, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

224420 Description of the Windows Critical Update Notification Utility

The Critical Update Notification utility was previously available for Windows 2000, but it has been replaced by the new Automatic Updates feature.



MORE INFORMATION
The Automatic Updates feature is included with Windows XP, but a new Automatic Updates feature is available for both Windows XP and Windows 2000 Service Pack 2 (SP2) or later. You can use this feature to specify the schedule that Windows follows to install updates on the computer. For more information about how to install the new Automatic Updates feature and configure automatic updating by using the Windows XP or Windows 2000 user interface, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

306525 How to configure and use Automatic Updates in Windows XP

327850 How to configure and use Automatic Updates in Windows 2000

For more information about how to configure Automatic Updates by using Group Policy or registry settings, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

328010 How to configure automatic updates by using Group Policy or registry settings

For more information about how to schedule Automatic Updates, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

327838 How to schedule automatic updates in Windows Server 2003, in Windows XP, and in Windows 2000

With the Automatic Updates feature, Windows can automatically keep the computer up to date with the latest updates and enhancements. You no longer have to search for critical updates and information; Windows delivers them directly to the computer. Windows recognizes when you are online and uses your Internet connection to search for downloads from the Windows Update Web site or from the Microsoft Update Web site. An icon appears in the notification area every time new updates are available.

You can specify how and when you want Windows to update the computer. For example, you can set up Windows to automatically download and install updates on a schedule that you specify. Or, you can have Windows notify you whenever it finds updates available for the computer. Windows will then download the updates in the background. This lets you continue to work uninterrupted. After the download is complete, an icon appears in the notification area with a message that the updates are ready to be installed. When you click the icon or message, you can install the new updates in several simple steps. If you do not install a specific update that has been downloaded, Windows deletes its files from the computer. If you change your mind later, you can download the update again by restoring declined updates.