Why Software Updates Matter and How to Stop Delaying Them

Most of the break-ins I have helped clean up did not start with a clever hacker. They started with a laptop that had been showing "Restart to update" for three weeks, or an old office router nobody had touched since it was installed. Attackers love known flaws, because once a fix is published, the flaw is public too, and they can scan the internet for every device that has not applied it.

That is the plain reason software updates matter: an update is often the only thing standing between your device and an attack that is already written and already circulating. This guide explains what updates really fix, which ones deserve priority, and how to set things up so you stop putting them off.

What an Update Actually Changes

Updates come in a few flavours, and only some of them are urgent.

Security patches close specific weaknesses. These are the ones that matter most.
Bug fixes stop crashes and glitches.
Feature updates add or change what the software does, and sometimes move buttons around.

Vendors often bundle all three together, which is why updates feel like a grab bag of new annoyances. But the security part is usually the reason the update exists in the first place, and it is the part you lose by waiting.

Why Delaying Software Updates Is Riskier Than It Feels

When a company releases a patch, it usually publishes a short note describing the problem. Researchers and attackers alike can compare the old and new versions to work out the flaw. Within days, sometimes hours, working attack code can appear. From that moment, every unpatched device is a known target.

The gap between a patch and widespread attacks has been shrinking for years. Waiting a month for a convenient moment can mean spending most of that month exposed to an attack anyone can download.

A real pattern I see in small offices: the owner sets updates to "notify only" because one update years ago restarted a machine during a client call. Since then, nobody installs anything until a problem forces it. When I check those machines, they are typically two to four months behind on patches, including fixes for flaws that were being actively attacked at the time. The original annoyance was real, but the fix is scheduling restarts, not switching updates off.

Which Updates to Prioritise

You do not need to treat every update the same way. If you only have energy for a few, start at the top of this list.

Priority	What to update	Why
1	Phone and computer operating systems	They control everything else on the device
2	Web browsers	They handle untrusted content all day long
3	Router and network gear	Exposed to the whole internet, rarely updated
4	Email, office and PDF apps	Common route for booby-trapped attachments
5	Everything else	Lower exposure, still worth doing

The router deserves a special mention because it is the device people forget most. If yours is more than five years old and no longer receives firmware updates, it is time to replace it. Our guide to setting up a new router securely walks through the first steps.

Turn On Automatic Updates Everywhere You Can

The single best fix for update fatigue is to stop making the decision at all. Automatic updates are reliable today, and they are the setting I recommend for almost everyone.

Phones

On iPhone, go to Settings, General, Software Update, Automatic Updates, and switch on both download and install. On Android, check Settings, System or Security, for system updates, and enable auto-update for apps in the Play Store settings.

Computers

Windows updates automatically by default; set Active Hours so restarts happen outside your working day. On a Mac, open System Settings, General, Software Update, and turn on the automatic options, including security responses.

Browsers

Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari update themselves, but only apply the update on restart. If you never close your browser, it never finishes updating. Restart it at least once a week.

Waiting Is Not Always Wrong

A common piece of security advice says to install every update the moment it appears. For individuals that is close to right. For a small business running critical software, it is not always wise.

Occasionally an update breaks things: an accounting package stops talking to a printer, or a driver conflicts with specialist equipment. A small business can reasonably wait a few days on non-urgent feature updates, or test them on one machine first. Security patches flagged as actively exploited are different; those should go out within a day or two. The point is to make waiting a deliberate decision with an end date, not an indefinite habit of clicking "Remind me tomorrow".

Devices That Stop Getting Updates

Every device eventually reaches end of support, when the maker stops releasing patches. After that date, new flaws are never fixed. Check the support status of your devices once a year.

Many Android phones get three to seven years of updates depending on brand and model.
iPhones usually receive updates for five years or more.
Windows 10 reached its end of support in October 2025; computers still running it no longer receive routine security fixes.
Cheap smart plugs and cameras often get few or no updates at all, so put them on a separate guest network if your router allows it.

An unsupported device is not useless, but it should not hold your banking app, your email or your business files.

Make Updating a Habit

Pick one regular moment, such as the first Monday of every month, to check anything that does not update automatically: the router, smart devices, and any app that asks first. It takes ten minutes. Combined with automatic updates elsewhere, it covers the gap most people leave open. It sits comfortably alongside the other security habits that matter most.

Questions About Software Updates

Can a software update itself be a scam?

Yes. Pop-ups on websites claiming your browser or phone needs an urgent update are a common trick. Real updates come through your device settings or the official app store, never from a web page.

Do updates slow down older devices?

Sometimes a major feature update runs slower on old hardware. Security patches rarely do. If speed is a concern, you can often keep the security patches while delaying big version upgrades.

How do I know if my router needs an update?

Log in to its admin page, usually printed on a label underneath, and look for a firmware section. Many newer routers update themselves; older ones need you to check manually.

Five Minutes Today

Open the settings on your phone and computer now and switch on automatic updates. Restart your browser. Then write the first Monday of next month in your calendar to check your router. That small routine closes the door that most attacks walk through. For more simple starting points, see our security basics.