Let us check Windows 10 Quality Vs. Feature Updates – Which is More Critical? Microsoft releases two types of updates for Windows 10. Windows 10 quality updates and feature updates.
Do you know what the difference is between quality and feature updates? Do you know which is a critical update for your Business? Is this a no-brainer? How to Secure Windows 10 with SCCM?
You will get answers to all the above questions from this post.
For Windows 7, we had service packs, and those service packs are mini-update operating systems. But with Windows 10, you don’t get any service packs. There are two types of updates with Windows 10.
- Quality Updates
- Feature Updates
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What is the difference between Windows 10 Quality Updates and Feature Updates?
Let’s understand what quality updates are and what is feature updates with some details.
Windows 10 Feature Updates
The feature update is the major update for Windows 10. It’s similar to Windows 7 to Windows 8 upgrade. Windows 10 will have two (2) feature updates in a year. This Windows 10 feature update is called the Semi-Annual Channel (SAC) update.
Update on 17th Nov 2021 – Microsoft announced that Microsoft removed the semi-annual channel update for Windows 10 on Nov 16, 2021. There will only be one feature update per year for Windows 10.
The SAC channel offers twice-per-year Windows 10 feature updates around March and September, with an 18-month servicing period for each release.
Microsoft says it will be released in March and September. But the fact is the feature update is normally released in April and October.
Windows 10 Quality Updates
Windows 10 quality updates are released every month. The Quality updates that provide security and reliability fixes at least once a month to Windows 10 operating system.
The quality updates are released on every month’s second (2nd) Tuesday (patch Tuesday).
To help you reduce the burden on your network bandwidth, Microsoft designed three different quality update types:
- Full Quality updates > Latest Cumulative Update > LCU
- Express Quality Updates
- Delta Quality Updates
Full, Express and Delta quality updates are available here.
Windows 10 Quality Update or Feature Update is Critical for your Business?
Before answering whether quality or feature update is critical for your organization, let me ask you a question. Do you think security updates are more critical than OS upgrades?
Most of you will agree that security updates are more critical than OS upgrades. Do you agree?
If so, that is the simple logic about the criticality of Windows 10 quality updates and Feature updates.
Windows 10 quality updates are critical if you compare them with feature updates. You should not skip quality updates for Windows 10 because that is crucial for your business.
- Windows 10 Quality Update = Security Updates = Critical
- Windows 10 Feature Update = New Feature Updates = Less Critical
The feature updates provide more features to your operating system, but you can delay the updates because you are putting your business at risk of a security attack.
But on the other hand, when you skip a quality update, you are increasing the risk to the business.
How to Secure Windows 10 with SCCM?
How to secure Windows 10 with SCCM? Paul Winstanley wrote this extensive report for Adaptiva. I won’t call it a report. Instead, it’s the ebook for each SCCM admin.
It’s worth downloading this 30-page ebook if you want to set up Windows 10 security features with SCCM. Lots of Windows 10 security features are discussed in the “report.”
The Windows security feature 30-page report includes:
- Windows Defender
- Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC)
- Third-party patching
- Exploit Guard
- Credential Guard
- Windows Device Health Attestation
Download the Report
http://www2.adaptiva.com/windows10-security-configmgr
Resources:
- Windows 10 1809 Security Enhancements and Security Survey – https://www.anoopcnair.com/windows-10-1809-security-enhancements-automation/
- Windows 10 and SCCM Patch Management (Windows 10 Quality Update Management) process – https://howtomanagedevices.com/sccm-patch-management/
- Quality and Feature Update Policies for Intune Managed Windows 10 devices – https://www.anoopcnair.com/intune-windows-10-quality-update-policies/
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Author
Anoop C Nair is Microsoft MVP! He is a Device Management Admin with more than 20 years of experience (calculation done in 2021) in IT. He is a Blogger, Speaker, and Local User Group HTMD Community leader. His primary focus is Device Management technologies like SCCM 2012, Current Branch, and Intune. He writes about ConfigMgr, Windows 11, Windows 10, Azure AD, Microsoft Intune, Windows 365, AVD, etc.