Do checkpoints ensure smoother Windows updates?

Microsoft is changing the way it wants to roll out monthly updates for Windows 11. Smaller cumulative checkpoints should ensure a smoother update process.

Windows 11 now receives a monthly security update on the second Tuesday of the month, known as “Patch Tuesday” in the Windows world. Microsoft doesn’t want to break that tradition, but how these updates are rolled out to your PC could change. The software giant is working on a new update system it wants to implement with the next 24-hour update.

Checkpoints

in Technical blog Microsoft explains how it wants to set up a “cumulative checkpoint” system. In short, every Windows 11 update will soon be recorded as a “checkpoint.” When a new update is available, your PC will check for the last checkpoint that was passed.

The big advantage of this method of working is that the update files are smaller, making the installation process smoother. Windows updates are now cumulative, meaning new features are added to the update file from the previous update. Users who sometimes miss a month need only install one update to be able to catch up again. However, the downside is that the cumulative update file keeps growing and growing.

For example, the last Windows 11 update in July was 727MB in size. Microsoft said that with the new system, only “incremental binary differences from the binaries released at the last checkpoint” will need to be installed with the update. If you install the latest update, the next one will be much lighter.

For IT administrators who manage multiple corporate computers, there is a small but. They need to track checkpoints and subsequent updates and ensure they are delivered correctly. Microsoft management tools should help with this.

From Windows 11 24H2

Microsoft will first test cumulative checkpoint updates in the Beta Channel. Starting with Windows 11 24H2, everyone should be migrated. If all goes well, you won’t really notice anything. Windows 11 24H2 is expected to be released in the fall and is the major feature update of the year. This tweak is not suitable for Windows 10.

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Please note: These Windows 11 edition(s) are no longer supported.