Windows updates are essential for security, but unmanaged updates are a constant source of frustration. Surprise reboots in the middle of the workday, slow mornings while a laptop finishes installing patches, lost work when a restart closes unsaved documents. The goal is straightforward: keep every computer patched and secure while controlling exactly when updates install and restart, so your team is never disrupted during business hours.
Why You Cannot Just Ignore Updates
It is tempting to click "remind me later" indefinitely, but skipping updates creates real risk for your business.
Security patches fix known vulnerabilities that attackers are actively exploiting. When Microsoft publishes a patch, it publicly describes the vulnerability it fixes, which gives attackers a roadmap to target any computer that has not installed the patch yet. Unpatched computers are the most common entry point for ransomware and malware.
Microsoft releases security patches on the second Tuesday of every month, known as "Patch Tuesday." These monthly updates address critical and high-severity vulnerabilities. Delaying these patches for more than two weeks after release significantly increases your exposure.
Cyber insurance policies increasingly require evidence of regular, timely patching. If you file a claim and your insurer finds that the breached computer was months behind on updates, they may deny coverage. Compliance frameworks like HIPAA, PCI DSS, and CIS Controls also require that systems run supported, patched software.
Option 1: Configure Active Hours (No Extra Tools Required)
If you have a very small office with fewer than five computers and no IT management tools, configuring Active Hours on each machine is the simplest way to prevent daytime reboots.
Go to Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Active hours. Set the active hours window to match your business hours. For example, set it from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Windows will only restart for updates outside of these hours, so restarts happen overnight or early morning when nobody is working.
This approach has limitations. Employees can change their own active hours settings, there is no central control, and it does not guarantee that updates install in a timely way. It simply prevents restarts during the hours you specify. For a solo practitioner or a two-person office, this is usually sufficient. For anything larger, you need more control.
Option 2: Use Windows Update for Business with Microsoft Intune
For offices with 5 to 50 computers, Microsoft Intune provides centralized control over when and how updates are installed across every device.
If your business uses Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Intune is included at no extra cost. Intune lets you create update policies that apply to all enrolled devices from a single console. Here is what you can control:
Deferral periods. You can defer quality and security updates by a set number of days after Microsoft releases them. A recommended approach is to defer security updates by 7 days (which lets any early issues with a patch surface before it hits your fleet) and defer feature updates by 30 days (feature updates are larger and more disruptive, so a longer testing window is appropriate).
Maintenance windows. Configure updates to download and install during a specific time window, such as 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM. This ensures that restarts happen overnight when employees are not working.
Restart behavior. Set policies that prevent automatic restarts during business hours. You can require user confirmation before a restart, or configure the device to restart only outside of active hours.
Compliance reporting. Intune shows you which devices have installed the latest patches and which are behind, so you always know where your fleet stands. This is the same data auditors and insurance carriers ask for.
This is how Athencia manages patching for its clients. Update policies are configured in Intune, maintenance windows are set to overnight hours, and compliance is tracked through the Athencia One Portal. If a device falls behind on patches, it gets flagged automatically.
Option 3: Managed Patching Service
For businesses that want patching handled completely, a managed patching service takes the entire process off your plate.
With Athencia's managed patching, both OS patches (Windows updates) and third-party application updates (browsers, PDF readers, Zoom, and other common business software) are deployed automatically on a schedule. Compliance reports show exactly which machines are up to date and which need attention. Your team does not need to click anything or think about updates at all.
This is particularly important because Windows updates alone do not cover all the software on a computer. Third-party applications like web browsers, Java, and Adobe products are frequent attack targets, and they need their own updates. A managed patching service handles all of it.
Practical Update Schedule for a Small Office
If you are managing updates yourself, here is a week-by-week schedule that balances security with stability:
Monday after Patch Tuesday: Review what Microsoft released. Check the Microsoft Security Response Center website for a summary of the month's patches and any known issues.
Wednesday: Approve and deploy security updates to a small test group. Pick 3 to 5 computers (ideally ones used by tech-savvy employees who will notice if something breaks) and push the updates to them first. Let these machines run for a day or two to catch any compatibility problems.
Friday: Deploy security updates to all remaining computers, scheduled for overnight installation. Make sure the policy is set to restart outside of business hours.
Following Monday: Verify that all computers updated successfully. Check for any machines that did not restart or where the update failed. Follow up on any machines that are still pending.
Monthly: Review and deploy any deferred feature updates (the larger Windows version updates) following the same test-then-deploy approach.
Tips for Reducing Update Disruption
Tell employees to leave computers on overnight on update nights. If a computer is shut down, it cannot install updates. Send a quick reminder on update days asking people to leave their laptops open, plugged in, and connected to the network when they leave for the day.
For laptops that go home with employees, schedule updates for a time when the laptop is likely to be on and connected to power, such as late evening. Updates will not install if the laptop is closed and sleeping.
Enable Delivery Optimization. This Windows feature lets computers on the same local network share update files with each other, so only one computer needs to download the update from Microsoft, and the rest get it from that machine. This reduces internet bandwidth usage significantly in offices with many computers. Go to Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Delivery Optimization and turn on "Allow downloads from other PCs."
Set downloads on metered connections if needed. If some employees use mobile hotspots or limited internet connections, go to Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options and enable "Download updates over metered connections" to ensure they still receive critical patches.
What to Do When an Update Causes Problems
Occasionally, a Windows update introduces a new bug or breaks compatibility with a specific application. Here is how to handle it.
First, check Microsoft's known issues page for the specific update (search for the KB number on the Microsoft support website). If the issue is known, Microsoft often provides a workaround or a timeline for a fix.
If you need to remove the update, go to Settings > Windows Update > Update history, scroll to the bottom, and click Uninstall updates. Find the problematic update, select it, and click Uninstall. The computer will restart and revert the change.
After uninstalling, pause updates on the affected machine for 7 days to prevent the same update from reinstalling immediately. Go to Settings > Windows Update and click Pause updates.
Report the issue to your IT provider so they can evaluate whether the update should be paused across all machines in the office, or whether the problem is specific to one device or application.
Need Help?
Keeping every computer in your office patched and secure without disrupting your team takes planning and the right tools. If you want to stop worrying about updates entirely, talk to Athencia. We handle patching, monitoring, and compliance reporting so you can focus on running your business.
