Windows 10’s Optional update feature has been broken for a year, but Microsoft ignores it?

Microsoft usually releases Windows 10 updates as an Optional update, if the update is not important, users can choose to install it without installing it. These optional updates will not be automatically installed by Windows Update.

Usually, Optional update includes new Windows 10 feature updates, cumulative previews, feature experience packs, and some minor bug fixes…

However, for more than a year now, Windows 10 is experiencing an annoying and frustrating problem for users. Specifically, at any given time, Windows Update will only show one Optional update regardless of how many Optional updates are waiting.

For example, the recently released Windows 10 21H1 Update will be shown as a priority in the Optional update section of Windows Update. Windows 10 only shows this update, there is no room for other updates.

Last week, Microsoft released out-of-band (OOB) update KB5004476 to patch an Xbox Game Pass bug that prevented users from installing or launching games on Windows 10. KB5004476 was an Optional update but was not displayed. display although it also supports Windwos 10 20H2.

Windows 10 refuses to let people update KB5004476 until they have finished installing Windows 10 21H1.

And of course, Windows 10 also only displays the KB5004476 update, but there is no room for other Optional updates.

Bleeping Computer news site has tested and found many Windows 10 devices with similar problems. Quantrimang has also tested and confirmed this issue appears on the Windows 10 computers in our office.

Currently, Microsoft has not provided an explanation for this issue. However, Microsoft is disappointing many people by letting this bug persist for more than a year now. Some users even think that Microsoft intentionally ignores it to force users to update Optional updates in turn in the order that Microsoft arranges.

Quantrimang will continue to monitor this issue and will send you updates when Microsoft provides a response.