Coming soon to enterprises: One Windows Update to rule them all

Microsoft is giving its Windows Update software stack more power, and the tool will soon be able to update other software and drivers within Windows systems.

The company is establishing the capability for system administrators to wrangle all software updates into a one-click experience, Microsoft said in a blog post on Wednesday.

Sysadmins today have to run Windows Update to keep the OS updated, and separately patch individual pieces of software, which can be a lot of work.

“To solve this, we’re building a vision for a unified, intelligent update orchestration platform capable of supporting any update (apps, drivers, etc.) to be orchestrated alongside Windows updates,” Microsoft said.

Typically, system administrators deploy patch management tools to update Windows and related enterprise software, but Microsoft wants to bring it all to a Windows Update-style deployment. Potential benefits include more streamlined and lower-cost deployment of updates, the company said. A unified patch management system also reduces computing requirements.

The current process for doing updates to Windows systems is a hodgepodge of different tools and techniques, said Jack Gold, principal analyst at J. Gold Associates.

“I applaud Microsoft for finally trying to bring all of this under one umbrella but wonder why it took them so long to do this,” Gold said.

In addition to Windows, Windows Update today updates Microsoft’s development tools such as.NET and Defender, and also updates system drivers. With ARM-based PCs, it also delivers system BIOS and firmware so users don’t have to download it from the PC maker’s website.

But how quickly companies adopt this new way of doing things will depend on how easy Microsoft makes it to adopt the new service, Gold said.

Microsoft is providing a tool for software providers to put their software updates into its orchestration platform. The company has only provided information on how developers can test it out with their applications, and Microsoft will then provide further information.

Developers who have access to the Windows Runtime environment can test it out and implement it. APIs are also available to test out the system.

Microsoft separately announced that Windows Backup for Organizations, a data backup feature announced last year, is now in public preview.

The product will allow for a smooth transition to Windows 11 from Windows 10 for enterprises, the company said. Windows 10 support ends in October 2025.

“This capability helps reduce migration overhead, minimize user disruption, and strengthen device resilience against incidents,” Microsoft wrote in a blog entry.

Microsoft’s Entra identity authentication is a key component of such transitions via Windows Backup for Organizations, Microsoft said.

Further reading:

How to handle Windows 10 and 11 updates

Windows 10: A guide to the updates

Windows 11: A guide to the updates

How to preview and deploy Windows 10 and 11 updates

How to troubleshoot and reset Windows Update

How to keep your apps up to date in Windows 10 and 11