How to Update All Your Windows Software at Once Automatically

Keeping one program updated is easy. Keeping thirty programs updated is a chore nobody finishes. Browsers nag you, media players pop up reminders you dismiss, and small utilities quietly fall months behind, collecting security flaws and bugs the whole time. Outdated software is one of the most common ways ordinary PCs get infected, precisely because nobody updates everything by hand.

Windows now includes a powerful built-in tool that updates nearly all your software in a single command, and a few trusted free updaters cover the rest. Set them up once, add one simple automation, and your PC can keep itself current with almost no effort from you.

This guide shows you how to update everything at once with winget, how to check what needs updating, how to automate the process safely, and how to handle the handful of programs that still need individual attention.

Quick Answer

To update all Windows software at once, open Terminal or Command Prompt as administrator and run winget upgrade –all. Winget checks every supported program against its latest version and installs all updates together. For automatic updates, create a scheduled task that runs this command weekly, and keep Microsoft Store apps updating through the Store itself.

Why Updating Everything Matters

Most updates are not about new features. They are security fixes for holes that criminals actively exploit, and the gap between a fix being released and an attack appearing can be days. Browsers, PDF readers, archiving tools like 7-Zip, and media players are favourite targets because almost everyone has them. Microsoft’s guidance at Microsoft Support for Windows consistently stresses keeping both Windows and your apps current, and our background explainers at Network Ustad’s Windows maintenance guides cover the same principle for system updates.

The other benefit is stability. Programs that update together cause fewer conflicts, file formats stay compatible, and you stop seeing the random crashes that developers fixed months ago in a version you never installed.

Before You Start: A Two-Minute Safety Check

1. Create a restore point. Search for Create a restore point, open it, and click Create on the System Protection tab.
2. Save your work and close important programs. Some updaters restart applications, and a few updates need a full PC restart.
3. Plug in a laptop or confirm the battery is well charged. Interrupting an update on a dying battery is a needless risk.
4. Check your list of installed programs in Settings > Apps > Installed apps and uninstall anything you no longer use. There is no value in updating software you should have removed.

Method 1: Update Everything With Winget

Winget is Microsoft’s Windows Package Manager. It ships with Windows 11 and current Windows 10 builds as part of App Installer, and it can upgrade hundreds of popular programs in one pass.

Check What Needs Updating

1. Right-click the Start button and choose Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin), then approve the prompt.
2. Type winget upgrade and press Enter. Winget lists every program with a newer version available, showing the current and available version numbers.
3. Review the list. Note any program you want to treat carefully, such as work tools you would rather update at a quiet moment.

Install All Updates at Once

1. In the same administrator window, type winget upgrade –all and press Enter.
2. If winget asks you to accept source agreements the first time, type Y and press Enter.
3. Let the process run. Winget downloads and installs each update in turn, silently where the installer allows it. Large programs can take several minutes each.
4. To reduce prompts during future runs, use winget upgrade –all –accept-package-agreements –accept-source-agreements, which approves the standard license prompts in advance.
5. When it finishes, run winget upgrade again. An empty result, or only programs with unknown versions, means everything winget manages is current.
6. Restart the PC if any installer requests it, especially after driver-related or runtime updates.

Update One Program at a Time When Needed

Sometimes you want a single program updated without touching the rest, for example a browser before a banking session. Run winget upgrade to see the program’s ID, then run winget upgrade –id followed by that ID. Winget updates just that application using the same trusted source as the full run.

Method 2: Update Microsoft Store Apps

Winget covers most traditional desktop programs, but apps installed from the Microsoft Store update through the Store’s own system.

1. Open the Microsoft Store from the Start menu.
2. Click Library in the lower-left corner (in newer versions, under your profile area).
3. Click Get updates. The Store checks and downloads updates for all Store apps together.
4. Click your profile icon, open Settings, and confirm App updates is turned on so Store apps update automatically in future.

Method 3: Automate Winget With Task Scheduler

Running the command manually works, but automation is what makes this system reliable. A weekly scheduled task takes three minutes to create.

1. Search for Task Scheduler and open it, then click Create Basic Task.
2. Name it Weekly App Updates and choose Weekly as the trigger, picking a time your PC is normally on, such as Monday at 9 a.m.
3. Choose Start a program as the action.
4. In Program/script, enter winget. In Add arguments, enter upgrade –all –accept-package-agreements –accept-source-agreements –silent.
5. Finish the wizard, then open the task’s Properties, tick Run with highest privileges, and on the Conditions tab allow it to wake the computer if you want updates to run unattended.

Test the task by right-clicking it and choosing Run. If updates install normally, you never need to think about routine app updates again. Review the installed apps list every few months to remove programs you no longer use.

What Winget Cannot Update

Winget is broad, not universal. Some programs installed from unusual sources show as having an unknown version and cannot be upgraded automatically. Certain professional tools, games launched through separate platforms such as Steam or the Epic Games Launcher, and hardware drivers update through their own launchers and settings instead. Open those launchers occasionally, enable their auto-update options, and let each platform manage its own catalogue. For drivers, prefer Windows Update’s optional updates section and your PC maker’s support tool over any third-party driver updater.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using random free updater websites: Many bundled updater downloads install advertising software. Winget and the Microsoft Store are built in and safe; if you add another updater, get it only from its maker’s official site.
• Updating drivers with unknown tools: Aggressive driver updaters cause more problems than they solve. Use Windows Update or the manufacturer’s own utility.
• Skipping the restart: Some updates only finish during a restart. Leaving a PC unrestarted for weeks leaves you half-updated.
• Never reviewing the upgrade list: Run winget upgrade without –all occasionally and read what is pending, so nothing important surprises you.
• Updating on an unstable connection: Interrupted downloads can leave a program half-installed. Run bulk updates on a reliable home connection.
• Forgetting Store apps: A winget-only routine misses Store apps entirely. Turn on Store auto-updates to close that gap.

Conclusion

Updating all your Windows software at once is no longer a weekend project. One command, winget upgrade –all, refreshes nearly every desktop program together, the Microsoft Store handles its own apps automatically, and a simple weekly scheduled task repeats the job without you. Spend ten minutes setting this up today, keep the restore-point habit before big update rounds, and your PC will stay secure, stable, and current on its own.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is winget already installed on my PC?

On Windows 11 and up-to-date Windows 10, yes, it arrives with the App Installer package from the Microsoft Store. Open Terminal and type winget to test it. If the command is not recognised, install or update App Installer from the Microsoft Store and try again.

Will winget upgrade –all restart my computer?

Winget itself does not force a restart, but individual installers may ask for one to finish. Save your work before a full update run and restart the PC afterwards if prompted, so every update completes properly.

Why does winget say a program’s version is unknown?

Some programs do not publish version information in a way winget can read, often because they were installed portably or from a custom installer. Update those few programs from inside the application itself, usually under Help > Check for updates.

How often should I run a full software update?

Weekly is a sensible rhythm for most home PCs, which is why the scheduled task in this guide uses it. Browsers and security tools should use their own built-in auto-update as well, since they may need fixes faster than a weekly cycle.

Can automatic updates break a program I rely on for work?

It is uncommon but possible. That is why this guide starts with a restore point and recommends reviewing the upgrade list for critical work tools. You can always update business-critical programs manually at a time that suits you and let automation handle everything else.