1. Click the Start button, then select the Control Panel.
2. Select System and Security.
3. Under Windows Update, click the Change settings link.
4. Select the “Install updates automatically (recommended)” option.
5. Use the drop down menu under the “Important updates” section to choose the frequency at which Windows will check for updates.
6. Select the “Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates” to have Windows install all recommended updates automatically.
7. If you would like to decide when to install these recommended updates, select the “Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them” option.
8. Select the “Turn on Automatic Updates” box to enable automatic updates.
9. Choose the “Notify me but don’t automatically download or install them” to be notified of updates but still have the choice to install them or not.
10. Select the “Never check for updates (not recommended)” option to turn off the automatic update feature.
11. Click OK to save your changes.
Windows Update also has optional updates that are not selected by default. These can include drivers, service packs, language packs and other Microsoft updates. To change the default settings for these updates:
1. Click the Start button, then select the Control Panel.
2. Select System and Security.
3. Under Windows Update, click the Change settings link.
4. Select “Include recommended updates when downloading, installing, or notifying me about updates” to have Windows automatically install all recommended updates.
5. Select the “Give me updates for Microsoft products and check for new optional Microsoft software when I update Windows” to have Windows automatically check for updates for other Microsoft products such as Office when it checks for Windows updates.
6. Click OK to save your changes.