Most people, regardless of what operating system they use, really dread operating system updates. It is the one thing people keep postponing and are often angry about when the operating system finally decides it has waited long enough and forces a restart to apply the update. However, it is important to realize why keeping your computer up to date is crucial. Below we at Update Faker have listed the three most important reasons on why you should keep your computer up to date.
A Windows 10 operating system update in progress.
We will start off with the most important reason of them all: keep your computer secure by getting the latest security patches. Hackers (and other people with bad intentions) around the world are constantly looking for potential security exploits in operating systems. Every now and then they unfortunately do stumble upon one. Some exploits even allow them to take complete control of your computer, which can result in them: stealing your payment information, holding your computer ransom for an absurd amount of money, making your computer part of a botnet used for malicious practices, and a lot more.
Fortunately, there are also loads of “white hats” around the world. White hats are ethical computer hackers, their goal is not to harm people, but to spread awareness. They are usually the ones to search for and discover security holes (or other exploits) and report them back to Microsoft or Apple. Both operating system manufacturers also give out cash rewards (the total amount Microsoft paid for bug bounties was no less than $13.7 million in 2019!) for people who discover and report bugs back to them. Once notified, Microsoft and/or Apple will make it their priority to get the security hole patched as soon as possible and they will roll out a security patch or update. However, by not updating your computer you will soon end up running a few patches behind, thus unnecessarily exposing your computer.
Operating system updates will also contain new (small) features. By not updating you are missing out on these. Recent examples from Microsoft Windows include a complete "dark mode", switching between web pages in Edge by pressing ALT+TAB, the ability to pin websites to your taskbar, ... New features also often include improvements to user experience, effectively improving workflow and saving you time.
Bugs are inevitable, especially in an operating system. Some (smaller) bugs are easy to ignore, but other ones might soon get on your nerves. Some Windows examples include explorer.exe crashing, graphical glitches (due to bugs in outdated driver software), apps not launching, and more. In some cases, bugs might even cause a BSOD (Blue Screen of Death).
Fortunately, thanks to built-in error (bug) reporting, Microsoft and Apple are able to fix the majority of operating system bugs before you even experience them yourself. That is unless you are running a few updates behind of course.
Nobody actually “enjoys” updating their computer, but the benefits really do outweigh the small hassle of restarting your device. Updating allows you to keep your device secure, lets you enjoy the newest features, and gets rid of bugs. There is really no reason to keep postponing it. Save your work and install the system updates.
Written by Mave.