Turn on automatic updates everywhere you can and let security updates install within a few days of release. Once a month, check by hand for anything automation missed, especially your router and smart-home gadgets. Back up before big version upgrades (a new macOS, iOS, or Windows feature update), and feel free to wait a week or two unless the release fixes a flaw already being exploited.
CISA's guidance on updating software recommends turning on automatic updates because many updates exist to patch security weak spots, and "if we don't install them, they can't protect us." New features are a bonus. The security fixes are why updating is worth making a habit.
Software update schedule#
| Device or software |
How it should update |
Check by hand |
| Phone and tablet |
Automatic |
Monthly, or when you see an update notice |
| Computer operating system |
Automatic, restart within a day or two of the prompt |
Monthly |
| Web browser |
Automatic, applied when you restart the browser |
Weekly if you never close it |
| Apps on phone and computer |
Automatic through the app store |
Monthly |
| Wi-Fi router |
Automatic if the router supports it |
Every 1 to 3 months |
| Smart TV, cameras, doorbell, speakers, printer |
Automatic where offered |
Every 3 months |
| Major OS version upgrade |
Back up, check the apps you rely on, then install |
Within a few weeks of release |
Work laptops are different. Follow your employer's IT rules, even when they don't match this table.
Security update or feature upgrade?#
Most updates are small security and bug-fix releases. Install those promptly. They rarely change how anything looks or works, and delaying them only leaves known holes open longer.
Feature upgrades are the big yearly releases that change the interface, drop support for old hardware, or alter how apps behave. These are where a short wait is reasonable, especially if you rely on specialist software, audio gear, a printer, or accessibility tools. Just don't confuse the two. Your current version keeps getting security patches for a while after the new one comes out, and those should still go on right away.
On Windows, the main security release lands on a fixed day. Microsoft's update release cycle says monthly security updates come out on the second Tuesday of each month (often called Patch Tuesday), with out-of-band updates released outside that schedule when a problem can't wait. Apple and Google don't follow a fixed calendar, which is another reason to leave automatic updates on.
Your browser needs restarting#
Browsers download updates in the background but often only apply them when you restart. If you leave Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox open for weeks, you may be running an old version without knowing it. Look for an update badge or a "Relaunch" button, and restart at least weekly.
Treat anything that opens files from other people the same way: PDF readers, office apps, messaging apps, and your password manager. While you're there, remove browser extensions you don't use. Each one is code with access to the pages you visit.
Don't forget the router and smart devices#
Your router sits between every device in your home and the internet, and it often has no screen to nag you about updates. Log into its app or admin page every few months and check:
- Is automatic firmware updating turned on?
- Is the firmware current?
- Does the manufacturer still support this model? Look for a support or end-of-life page for your exact model number.
- Is the admin password unique, not the default printed on the sticker?
If the maker has stopped releasing firmware for your router, replace it. Checking for updates more often won't help when there aren't any coming.
Do the same pass for cameras, doorbells, smart speakers, TVs, printers, and connected appliances. Use the maker's official app or website, never a link from an email. Unplug and remove anything you no longer use, since a forgotten device on your network still needs patching.
Check for end of support#
Every operating system eventually stops getting security updates. Windows 10 is the big recent example: Microsoft says Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025, after which PCs no longer get security updates unless they're enrolled in the Extended Security Updates program. Older phones and tablets drop off the supported list for each new iOS or Android version, too.
Once a year, check whether each device you rely on still gets security updates. If it doesn't, plan to upgrade or replace it, and in the meantime stop using it for banking or anything sensitive.
Before a major upgrade#
- Run a backup and make sure it finished. Our computer backup guide covers how to test that it actually restores.
- Check that the apps and hardware you depend on support the new version. Go to each maker's own compatibility page, not forum guesses.
- Free up storage. Big upgrades need room for the download and temporary files. If your phone keeps saying there isn't enough space, a phone storage cleanup usually sorts it.
- Plug laptops and phones into power.
- Start the upgrade when you won't need the device for an hour or two.
Never force a device off during a firmware or system update unless the maker's instructions tell you to. A progress bar that seems frozen is often still working. Interrupting it can leave a router or laptop unable to start.
Avoid fake update warnings#
Get updates only from your device's settings, the official app store, or the maker's website. A pop-up on a website saying your browser or phone is out of date and needs a download is a common way to deliver malware. Close the tab and check for updates through Settings instead.
Skip third-party "driver updater" and "PC optimizer" tools too. Windows Update and your hardware maker's own software handle drivers.
If an update breaks something#
Restart once. Then note the exact error message and look it up on the maker's official support or status page, which is where known problems with a release get posted. Don't download "fixes" from random forums.
If the device supports rolling back and you can't work, follow the official rollback steps. Remember that rolling back also removes the security fixes, so plan to update again once the maker releases a corrected version.
Keep it to a monthly check#
Automatic updates do most of the work. What they miss is the device that's been switched off for a month, the update waiting for a restart, and the router nobody has logged into since it was installed. A monthly reminder for the quick check, plus a quarterly one for the router and smart devices (ChoreLists.com can repeat both), covers it. Updates protect the device. Your accounts also need unique passwords and multi-factor authentication, which our guide to when to change passwords walks through.