# Are Windows 10 Updates Pending? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 17, 2021, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-windows-10-updates-pending/944459 "2021-06-17T13:18:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-windows-10-updates-pending/944459/1 "2021-06-17T13:18:17Z")
In Control Panel, isn’t there some way to tell if there are updates pending for my Windows 10? Googling, I’ve found tools you can download to check, but I have no idea if they are safe and legit. Also, how do I know what is the latest version of Windows? Besides simply “Windows 10”, I mean. Mine is Windows 10.#.#####.####. How should this read? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-windows-10-updates-pending/944459/2 "2021-06-17T13:29:20Z")
I think that’s in “Settings” not “Control Panel” (why those are two different things I’ll never understand). Not at my PC right now to doublecheck, but I’m pretty sure you can just hit the Windows key and type “update” and it should bring up the correct Settings page. If there is a pending update, you also may have a little icon that looks like a trapezoid with a yellow dot in it on the right side of your taskbar. Clicking on that should take you to the same place. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-windows-10-updates-pending/944459/3 "2021-06-17T13:34:04Z")
If you type “winver” (and hit enter) in the search field next to the start button in the bottom-left corner of the screen, you will get a screen with more detail on the exact version of Windows 10 and build number installed on your machine. You can manually initiate a search for updates by going to “Settings”, then “Windows updates” (or type “updates” into that search field). If pending updates are found, you can then start the download. FWIW, the latest of the semiannual updates, 21H1, was released just recently, so you’ll probably find this as pending. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-windows-10-updates-pending/944459/4 "2021-06-17T13:47:26Z")
BTW, 21H1 can be read as the major update released in the first half of 2021. There are two major updates each year, one each in the first and second halves of the year. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-windows-10-updates-pending/944459/5 "2021-06-17T14:18:03Z")
I have updates pending. When I click on the Windows logo on the lower right, there’s a little orange dot on the power icon indicating that there will be updates next time I restart. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-windows-10-updates-pending/944459/6 "2021-06-17T17:57:43Z")
Click on your Windows icon in the lower left corner. Type “check” and an option “Check for Updates” appears. Click on that. It will show you if any updates are pending, when it last checked and you can force it to check right now if you want to (doesn’t take too long). To the right you will see “Related links” which includes “OS build info” if you want to see all that detail. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2021, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-windows-10-updates-pending/944459/7 "2021-06-18T07:04:11Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > It will show you if any updates are pending, when it last checked and you can force it to check right now if you want to (doesn’t take too long). This is correct, but the advice I usually hear is to not click that button. Just let Windows decide when you’re ready rather than try to jump the line. Granted, this long after Patch Tuesday (second Tuesday of every month), it’s unlikely to be a big deal, as there likely won’t be any updates out there. I still personally recommend pausing updates for 21 days, or deferring them for a month if you Windows 10 Pro. It’s generally overkill, I know. But it keeps you from being one of the people who discovers a problem with the update. It gives Microsoft a chance to fix it. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2021, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-windows-10-updates-pending/944459/8 "2021-06-18T08:05:07Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > This is correct, but the advice I usually hear is to not click that button. Just let Windows decide when you’re ready rather than try to jump the line. I recently had my Windows 10 update, like two days ago. I don’t like letting Windows decide when to update because it’s often inconvenient for me, so I prefer to defer it to a better date/time. So far it’s worked out for me. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2021, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-windows-10-updates-pending/944459/9 "2021-06-18T14:06:33Z")
Thanks, all…I’ll look into this this will be a big help.