On July 23rd, Microsoft faced significant challenges as several of its services, including Azure, Windows Update, and Microsoft 365 applications like Teams and SharePoint, experienced widespread outages. These disruptions hindered users from installing crucial Windows 11 updates, a situation made more pressing by Microsoft’s recent emphasis on the importance of timely updates for security purposes.
In response to these issues, Microsoft is actively working on enhancements to the Windows Update system, aiming to mitigate the risk of similar problems in the future.
Windows Update Orchestrator and Arbiter
As reported by Neowin, the company plans to implement significant changes to two key components of the Windows Update process: the Windows Update Orchestrator and the Windows Update Arbiter. The Orchestrator is responsible for managing the entire update lifecycle, including scheduling scans, checking administrator policies, initiating downloads, and overseeing installations and restarts—all performed automatically based on user settings.
Meanwhile, the Arbiter evaluates update metadata, determines necessary files, prepares action lists, and coordinates the installation process before executing a system restart. This dual-component system is crucial for ensuring a smooth update experience.
A better Windows Update being tested
The proposed improvements are currently being tested in Windows Insider preview builds 26100.8968 and 26200.8968. These beta versions are designed to enhance the overall performance of the update process. According to the changelog for these builds, the updates specifically address previous issues and include:
[Windows Update]
This update improves calculation of update progress in Windows Update Settings.
This update includes changes to update clean-up logic to improve system performance immediately following an update.
By the way: If you’re using Windows 11 Home, you’re missing out on the many benefits of Windows 11 Pro. To learn more, see our comparison of Windows 11 Home and Pro. If you want to upgrade, snag it for cheap in the PCWorld Software Store: now just instead of .
