Tick tock! The next evolution of the Windows as a Service model is here. And this one is really out left field, with Microsoft changing how both Windows 11 and Windows 10 receive updates.
If you have been keeping an eye out for the servicing strategy of the two modern operating systems, then you might aware that Redmond releases mainly two types of Windows updates — feature updates and quality updates.
Each one delivers a different set of bug fixes and features.
Quality updates can not be skipped. Case in point, the Patch Tuesday updates released on the second Tuesday of every month are installed automatically, unless you manually pause their deployment using Windows Update or Windows Update for Business.
Of course, pausing or skipping updates comes with its own set of challenges, primarily an increase in the size of the update packages.
For better performance of the Windows Update service, Microsoft has now made a decision to start removing older quality updates from servers. These removed updates will expire automatically and appear as expired updates.
As an example, this is one such update that has recently expired:
The idea here is to improve the performance of Windows Update, while also reducing update cache size.
And as the older updates are superseded with newer ones, it would also result in shorter scan times. An expired package will not appear in Windows Update scan results, which can also cut down on internet data usage.
This is an important consideration for those who have limited internet connectivity.
The software titan plans to evaluate Windows updates for expiration on a regular basis, and the expired status will appear on the official Microsoft support website as shown in the above screenshot.
Guess they were serious about offering a completely modern usage experience with Windows 11.
