Patch Tuesday updates are usually a shrug-and-install affair, but Microsoft’s July 2026 release actually gives you something to be excited about.
You can grab this update, tagged KB5101650, right now through Settings, or manually via the Microsoft Update Catalog if you’d rather not wait for it to roll out.
So what’s the big Windows Update change here?
Head to Settings, then Windows Update, and you’ll find a new calendar tool that lets you pause updates by simply picking an end date up to 35 days out.
Once that window closes, Windows will resume checking for updates unless you go back in and pause it again. It’s not a true “forever” pause since you still have to renew it manually.
However, it’s still a massive upgrade over the old system, which only let you delay updates for a handful of days at a time before forcing your hand again.
What else is packed into this update?
Point-in-time Restore is arguably the bigger deal in the long term. Windows now automatically creates restore points covering your apps, settings, and personal files. So, if something breaks, you can roll your whole PC back to a recent working state instead of troubleshooting blindly.
Widgets also got a much-needed decluttering. They no longer pop open on hover, open straight to the dashboard by default, and give you real control over notification badges. Accessibility gains a screen tint option to reduce eye strain, plus there’s a Magnifier that lets you enter an exact zoom percentage.
File Explorer now surfaces quick actions like “Ask Copilot” when you hover over a file, even on work and school accounts. Under the hood, PCs with more than 32GB of memory can now run larger local AI models thanks to a tweak to the Graphics Kernel.
