Why Windows Updates Take So Long

If you have at some point sat and stared at your computer screen while Windows reports, “Working on updates… this may take a while,” you’re not alone. For many people, that screen may as well say, “Grab a snack and reevaluate your life choices,” because Windows updates can take so long. But there is a reason for it, and it’s not just to make your day a pain. There are, in fact, many reasons why Windows updates take so long to finish, and mostly they have to do with how Windows is designed, how it tries to protect your system, and the large scale of a modern operating system.

Let’s go through it in a way which does make sense.

1. Windows is large and complex.

Windows is not a single app you install. Think of it as a huge city with its roads, traffic, tunnels, and all the systems that keep it going at once. Each feature — from your Start menu to your graphics drivers to your Bluetooth — is a part of something larger.

Microsoft reports that they are going after many of these components with each update. We see some updates which are security-based, some which improve performance, and also some which completely rebuild subsystems. We put in the work to restructure those pieces and get them back into the system without issues, which is tough. Also, unlike small applications which update in a matter of seconds, Windows updates have to integrate into the system’s core.

2. Hardware is key.

In some cases, two people may download the same update at the same time, but one may finish in under 10 minutes while the other is still waiting over an hour. That’s because of hardware.

A fast SSD will install updates at a much greater speed compared to an old spinning hard drive. Also, we see that with traditional HDDs, updating Windows is a very slow process — it almost feels like watching paint dry. The drive has to process and write out thousands of small system files, and hard drives just do not have the structure for that sort of task at today’s speed.

Your RAM is also important. If your system is at its memory limit just to get by, Windows doesn’t have much space to play with as it installs updates. It is like trying to reorganize your closet without first removing some items — everything slows down and becomes more frustrating.

Also true of the processor. Newer CPUs do a better job at handling the heavy lifting of unpacking update files and modifying system components, which an older one does not.

3. Updates tested in a large number of PC configurations.

Unlike in the case of macOS, which is restricted to Apple’s hardware, Windows is used in a very broad range of devices. Laptops, desktop computers, mini PCs, state-of-the-art gaming systems, office machines — all of them come with different types of processors, chipsets, storage solutions, and drivers.

To prevent the breakage of half of the world’s computers, Microsoft rolls out updates in stages and does a great deal of compatibility testing at install time. Your system actually determines if the update plays nice with your hardware and drivers before it goes through. And those checks are a time consumer.

So it may seem at a standstill, but that is your computer preventing the installation of something which will cause greater issues.

4. Windows requires a secure environment for updates.

Some updates will install while you keep the system on, but the more in-depth ones require Windows to almost stop. That’s why you will see the message “Do not turn off your PC” — at this point Windows is running very intensive procedures which are critical.

During this period, the operating system:

Stops certain core services.

Backs up important files.

Replaces outdated components.

Restarts several subsystems.

Verifies that nothing went wrong.

In each of these steps, we must be careful. Should something fail midway — a power outage, for instance — your system may break. Thus, Windows goes slowly and carefully to avoid that.

5. The issue is usually not in downloading.

Many users report that it is their internet which is at fault, but what they don’t realize is that the download itself is the easy part. What follows after the download is when Windows begins to:

Unpack compressed files.

Check for compatibility issues.

Remove outdated components.

Insert new system files.

Verify file signatures.

Run system changes in a test environment.

This “put in place” stage is the main issue, not the download.

6. Background programs can slow updates down.

If your computer is at the moment performing other tasks — running applications, syncing cloud files, scanning for viruses — Windows has to put those in a queue. This slows down the entire update process, which really prefers to take place when the system is at peace.

If you have noticed that some updates go more smoothly right after a reboot, that’s why. After a full boot-up, there is less of a burden from apps and background services.

7. Windows tries to leave you alone.

This is a sly one. Windows, in fact, tries to put off installing updates while you are using your computer. If you are in the middle of work, streaming a movie, or in the middle of a game, Windows will delay certain aspects of the update till you are not active. It sounds considerate, but in reality, it just makes the process take much longer.

At times, Windows is patient till a “good time” that in the end does not come until you restart your computer.

8. Some changes are in fact little updates.

Not all updates are the same. Some are small patches. Others are large-scale overhauls which transform the system.

In most cases in which updates take the longest to complete, we have:

Feature updates: Annual updates which include new features.

Cumulative updates: Rollout of many changes at once.

Security updates: High-priority updates which dive into system files.

Feature updates are also close to that of installing Windows, which is why they take so long, and we see multiple reboots.

9. Microsoft is going to get it done right, which may take a little longer.

We have all experienced reports of updates which caused printers to break, audio drivers to fail, or apps to crash. Thus, Microsoft has put in more safety measures for their updates:

Reliability checks

Staged rollouts

Extra verification steps

Recovery backups

Risk analysis for hardware combinations

These extra checks do prevent wide-scale issues, but at the same time they do slow things down. We go for fewer broken systems, which in turn may make your PC’s update process a little slower.

10. In some cases your system is having trouble.

At times updates may take long due to issues in your PC. Common issues include:

Low disk space

Corrupt files

Outdated drivers

Malware or clutter

Failing hard drives

If you see that updates are taking forever to do their thing, it may be a sign your computer could use some basic maintenance or upgrades.

Is there a way to speed it up?

Although Windows updates may be very slow at times, we have a few tips which help:

Having a solid-state drive instead of a hard disk drive.

Freeing up disk space

Closing apps before updating

Keeping your drivers updated

Restarting your PC regularly

Updating frequently, so you’ll not have large backlogs.

You can’t rush Windows through the careful steps, but you can make it run a little smoother during them.

Final Thoughts

Windows updates may seem slow due to what goes on behind the scenes — we do a great deal more than a typical app update. We check for compatibility, we protect your data, we reorganize system files, we make backups, and we install changes all very carefully, which in turn lengthens the process at times and may frustrate you.

All of that caution is for the better health of the system. It’s a full car repair instead of a quick oil change. Not the most pleasant at the time, but better for the machine in the long run.

If you find yourself caught looking at that “Working on updates” screen, well, we know that you should be looking at a different time, out of which this is the one in which your PC is doing very precise work behind the scenes.