Microsoft has decreased the size of updates for Windows 10 significantly, which means that they will download faster now.

Back in 2021, Microsoft announced that it has cut the size of updates for Windows 11 by an average of 40 percent. The technical article explains that Microsoft implemented new compression technology to cut down on the size of updates for the operating system.

Now, two-and-a-half years later, the improvement is coming to Windows 10. Microsoft says that it is bringing the Windows 11 functionality to Windows 10 to decrease the size of Windows 10's monthly cumulative update packages.

Microsoft confirmed the change in the improvement section of update KB5036979, the preview update it released recently: "Starting April 23, 2024, the LCU will no longer have the reverse differentials. The client will generate the reverse update data. This change will help to reduce the LCU package size by about 20%. This change also offers a few advantages".

The technology requires Windows 10 version 22H2, which is the latest version of the operating system.

Smaller updates offer several benefits to the user and organization. Besides the obvious, they download faster, they reduce bandwidth usage and network traffic, and offer improved performance on slow connections, according to Microsoft.

What you can expect

• KB5036892, released April 9, has a size of 830 megabytes.
• KB5036979, released April 23, has a size of 650 megabytes.

The 180 megabytes size difference does not come close to the 40% that Microsoft claimed for Windows 11, but it is a decrease of 21.6 percent. The percentage value may change in the future, but it seems unlikely that 40% will be reached.

Note that Microsoft compares the size of a full cumulative update, released on April 9, with a preview update. The preview updates do not include new security updates, which Microsoft will release on the second Tuesday of May 2024 for the first time using the new update technology.

It is possible that this comparison will come closer to the 40% that Microsoft claimed for Windows 11 back in 2021.

The requirements

Microsoft lists the following requirements:

• At least KB5028244 installed / serviced.
• Servicing Stack update KB5031539 installed.

The April 23 preview update for Windows 10 or any future cumulative update for the operating system will have a smaller size when compared to prior updates.

Closing Words

Faster downloads and installations of updates improve the user experience and are also beneficial to organizations.

Windows 10 is supported until October 2025 officially. Users and organizations may subscribe to Extended Security Updates to extend support by at least 3 years. This won't be free. Microsoft revealed the price that organizations have to pay already.

The price of a regular extension is $61 in the first year, $122 in the second year, and $244 in the third year.

What is your experience with updates for Windows? (via Neowin)