Are you often annoyed by your computer’s constant need to update? Maybe you see the pop-up window, think to yourself, “I don’t have time for this right now,” then ignore the message and continue on with your day. How important could a computer update really be?
The truth is that updates that get sent to your computer ARE important…really important! Not only do they help ensure your computer is protected security-wise, but they also improve your computer’s compatibility and provide you with new features. In this blog, we’ll outline three reasons you should always keep your computer up to date.
Security
The first and most important reason you should keep your computer updated is security. In a technologically advanced world, things move quickly – and that includes malware, hackers, and other security concerns. While we’re constantly improving our security through technology, there are those who are working to improve their hacking abilities and access our data through a variety of means. With everything going on in the world today, these security risks are greatly increased.
Your updates – annoying though they might be – are strategically released to help block new malware and other hacking techniques from your system. Microsoft and other technology companies are constantly assessing security threats and creating updates to your operating system and programs that protect you from those threats. Consequently, that’s why it’s so dangerous to have computers running old operating systems like Windows XP connected to your network. These operating systems no longer receive updates and are therefore more prone to security threats.
Compatibility
It’s not all doom and gloom! There are lots of positive reasons to keep your computer updated too. Often, packed into these updates are increased compatibility features that make it easier to work with your favourite programs and applications. For example, included in the Windows 11 operating system update is increased compatibility with Android applications, and this is poised to get better as more updates to the new system are released.
Features
While security might be the most important reason to stay up to date, better features are the most exciting! Included in almost every release is a host of new features and bug fixes that help improve your experience. While often these are minor fixes and improvements, updates like the new Windows 11 roll out can drastically change the appearance and functionality of your system – almost always for the better.
Conclusion
Updates can be disruptive to your day, but they’re incredibly important for protecting your computer and your company data while increasing your compatibility and feature set. While we don’t expect you to stop everything the moment an update becomes available, we do recommend scheduling one to two times per week where you can check for and install updates. Not only do consistent updates help shorten the amount of time spent waiting overall, but it also serves to increase your security on your device and for your entire organization.
Interested in learning more about how to implement security best practices in Microsoft 365? Get in touch with us at regroove.ca!