WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.560 With how Windows is constantly getting all up in your face with reminders to update and nagging 00:00:04.560 --> 00:00:10.000 you to restart your PC, have you ever wondered, what if you just didn't bother updating Windows 00:00:10.640 --> 00:00:16.160 ever? Unless you're running a version of Windows older than Windows 7, the day to day may not seem 00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:20.560 too different if you mostly use your computer for basic tasks like social media, video streaming, 00:00:20.560 --> 00:00:24.880 or writing Techquickie scripts. But under the hood, you're going to be putting yourself 00:00:24.880 --> 00:00:29.760 at a real disadvantage if you just stop updating. For starters, your computer may actually lose 00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:35.360 functionality as time goes on. Windows versions that are outdated may not support new standards 00:00:35.360 --> 00:00:40.800 or get new drivers for newer hardware. Like for example, at the time we shot this video, 00:00:40.800 --> 00:00:46.960 neither NVIDIA nor AMD provide drivers for their current GPU lineup for any Windows version older 00:00:46.960 --> 00:00:52.400 than 7. And with that OS already at end of life, there's no guarantees that developers will bother 00:00:52.400 --> 00:01:01.520 continuing to support it as the years go on. But suppose you're already on Windows 10 and you're 00:01:01.520 --> 00:01:06.000 wondering about simply refusing to install those current updates the Settings app keeps bugging 00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:10.080 you about. Well, in case you aren't aware, Microsoft is not planning to launch another 00:01:10.080 --> 00:01:19.920 version of Windows that we know of. And instead, we'll continually update Windows 10 00:01:19.920 --> 00:01:25.040 with two major updates per year and smaller updates in between as needed. This means that 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:30.960 Windows 10 should change dramatically over the coming years and in some ways, it already has. 00:01:30.960 --> 00:01:36.560 The operating system is already over five years old and the current update is already substantially 00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:41.600 different from the launch edition with more customization options, a Linux subsystem, 00:01:41.600 --> 00:01:46.800 redesigned emoji, and dark mode in File Explorer, among many other changes. In fact, 00:01:46.800 --> 00:01:52.080 the next major revision coming out in late 2021 is going to feature a sweeping visual redesign, 00:01:52.080 --> 00:01:55.520 which should make Windows 10 almost feel like an entirely new operating system. 00:01:57.840 --> 00:02:01.200 And keep in mind that while we've mostly talked about new features so far, 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:06.240 future software and drivers may not support older, non-updated versions of Windows 10. 00:02:06.240 --> 00:02:10.720 But let's pivot and talk about the other big reason to keep your system updated, 00:02:10.720 --> 00:02:15.840 security. Newer Windows versions have given users more encryption and security options, 00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:19.840 such as allowing users to log in with a pin instead of a password. 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:23.920 But even more importantly is that security holes are constantly being passed with updates. 00:02:23.920 --> 00:02:28.400 You see, a piece of software as huge and complex as Windows 10 is bound to have 00:02:28.400 --> 00:02:32.880 security vulnerabilities. It's simply impossible for the developers at Microsoft to know every 00:02:32.880 --> 00:02:38.560 single possible security hole ahead of time or how hackers will try to attack the OS in the future. 00:02:38.560 --> 00:02:43.440 Also, as Windows 10 adds more features, it means that there will be new attack vectors, 00:02:43.440 --> 00:02:48.480 meaning getting subsequent security updates in between major feature releases is extremely 00:02:48.480 --> 00:02:53.680 important. To top it all off, outdated Windows versions, including older builds of Windows 10, 00:02:53.680 --> 00:02:58.080 stop receiving updates from Microsoft after a certain period of time. 00:02:58.080 --> 00:03:02.880 Attackers are fully aware of this and often target systems running older OSes because they 00:03:02.880 --> 00:03:08.080 know that any new holes they find will never be plugged, making businesses and other organizations 00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:12.400 that have cheaped out on updating their fleet of PCs, especially if vulnerable. 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:16.880 Okay, I get it, it's really important to keep Windows updated, but can I stop it from constantly 00:03:16.880 --> 00:03:22.000 nagging me, sucking up my bandwidth, or restarting at bad times? Although it's not always obvious 00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:26.880 how to do this, you certainly can. And if you're interested, we'll tell you how in a future video. 00:03:26.880 --> 00:03:30.720 Of course, some folks don't want to update Windows because updated versions might break 00:03:30.720 --> 00:03:35.760 legacy applications or retro games. If this is the vote you're in, it's a good idea to keep an 00:03:35.760 --> 00:03:40.480 older machine for these programs separate from your daily driver and ensure it cannot connect 00:03:40.480 --> 00:03:45.440 to the internet by unplugging any Ethernet or phone cables and removing the Wi-Fi adapter. 00:03:45.440 --> 00:03:49.200 I don't think that old Windows 95 machine you're keeping around to run MEC Warrior 2 00:03:49.200 --> 00:03:51.680 would fare too well on the modern web anyway. Do you? 00:03:52.400 --> 00:03:55.600 So thanks for watching guys, if you liked this video, hit like, hit subscribe, 00:03:55.600 --> 00:04:00.320 and hit us up in the comment section with your ideas for topics that we should cover in the future.