If you have enabled the option “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available“, you might want to turn it off. Although it seems useful, this option can cause Windows 11 to automatically install updates that your PC doesn’t need, including emergency “out-of-band” patches intended only for certain models.
A good example is the recent case of Dell computers. After the Windows 11 July 2026 Update upgrade, some Dell PCs started having serious performance and overheating issues. Microsoft then stopped shipping the disputed upgrade to affected devices, and on July 18 released an emergency patch KB5121767 aimed specifically at Dell computers affected by the issue.
Microsoft has made it clear that not all devices need this emergency patch. It is recommended only for a limited number of Dell computers that were previously temporarily unable to receive the July 2026 security update KB5101650. If the device is not affected by the problem, the user does not need to do anything.
Windows 11’s option for the latest updates can also bring patches intended only for certain computers
The problem occurs when the option “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available“. In that case, Windows can automatically download and prepare for installation even such a patch, even though the computer is not Dell and does not have the mentioned problem. Microsoft has now explicitly confirmed that users with the option turned on automatically also receive emergency emergency patches intended only for a certain number of computers, which they do not actually need.
This option is not new and exists on Windows 10 computers as well. It was introduced in response to Microsoft’s gradual way of delivering new features, known as Controlled Feature Rollout. The idea is to roll out big changes, like a redesigned Start menu, to a smaller number of users first, to avoid massive problems if something goes wrong.
When you turn on “Get the latest updates…”, you’re basically telling Windows that you want early access to new features, fixes, and improvements. This can be useful if you like to “sneak around” and be among the first to get new things, but it also means that your computer can get optional preview patches, emergency fixes and upgrades that are not necessary earlier.
The Dell case shows why this can be risky. The problem with overheating existed in the June 2026 optional preview update, which users with the option turned on can get automatically. If the option had been turned off, some of the affected users might not have encountered temperature, battery, and performance issues sooner.
If you know exactly what you’re doing and want the latest optional upgrades as they come out, you can leave this option on. For most users, especially on work or school computers, it is better off. The setting is located in the Settings > Windows Update. By turning off the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” you’ll still get mandatory security updates, but Windows will no longer prioritize your PC for optional features, preview fixes, and emergency patches intended for special cases, Windows Latest writes.