During the Windows 11 unveil event, Microsoft briefly mentioned improvements coming to Windows Update with the next version of the operating system. According to Microsoft, in Windows 11, updates will be 40% smaller compared to Windows 10. What Microsoft did not tell us about updates in Windows 11 is that the system will try to predict how long it will take to install pending updates.
In recent updates to Windows 10, Microsoft made it possible to restart or shut down the system without installing pending updates. If you cannot leave your computer installing cumulative or feature updates, Windows allows restarting or shutting down, bypassing Windows Update. In such a case, the power menu shows additional options.
Besides regular shutdown and restart, you can select shutdown or restart and install updates. In Windows 11, that menu now displays an approximate time the operating system will take to complete pending updates. Such a small yet so convenient feature will help you better plan updates without interrupting your workflow. It will go well with other Windows Updates tools, such as Active Hours.
It is worth mentioning that the time Windows 11 shows is a rough estimate. Although the screenshot above shows 5 minutes, Windows 11 finished installing updates in one minute (via Ghacks.) The exact time will depend on your system configuration, drive speeds, CPU power, etc. Some users also speculate that Windows 11 will improve update installation time prediction based on past updates.
It appears that this minor improvement to Windows Update is not available to all Windows Insiders right away. It may be part of a controlled-feature rollout before a wider release.
You can test new features and improvements in Windows 11 by joining the Windows Insider program. The first Windows 11 build is now available in the Dev channel.
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I really wish they wouldn’t.
Time and time again I’ve cursed at my PC while moving large files.
“Stop f**king calculating how long it will take to move it and just start moving it!”
A more useful thing would have been if they showed update size in MB/GB and data transfer speed at which it was downloading them.