14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft rolled out Windows 8.1 Update on April 8 via Windows Update and starting today it's a mandatory patch for everyone running Windows 8.1. Otherwise, no other fixes and security improvements would be delivered to these computers.
Redmond initially announced a Windows 8.1 Update installation deadline of May 13 for Windows 8.1 computers, but due to some issues experienced by those who tried to deploy it, the company had no other choice than to push this requirement to June 10.
Today, the company is rolling out new Patch Tuesday updates and together with these, it's also making Windows 8.1 Update mandatory for everyone running Windows 8.1 on tablets or PCs.
Those who, for some reason or another, do not install Windows 8.1 Update won't receive any other fixes, the company said, and the only thing they're going to see in Windows Update is the new OS version rolled out in April. After installing this one, they'll also be allowed to deploy the available patches.
“Failure to install this Update will prevent Windows Update from patching your system with any future updates starting with Updates released in May 2014 (get busy!)” the company said on the Premier Field Engineering blog back in April.
“The Windows 8.1 Update is a required update to keep Windows 8.1 devices current. It will need to be installed to receive new updates from Windows Update starting on May 13th. Customers who have Automatic Update turned on don’t need to be concerned because the update will be installed for them automatically prior to May 13.”
Since many users actually experienced issues when trying to install Windows 8.1 Update, it remains to be seen whether all these problems have been fixed in the meantime and everything works as it was expected from the very beginning.
As far as the reasons behind the decision to make Windows 8.1 Update mandatory, Microsoft says that all future improvements would be based on this OS version, so it's essential for everyone to deploy it as soon as possible.
“Since Microsoft wants to ensure that customers benefit from the best support and servicing experience and to coordinate and simplify servicing across both Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 RT and Windows 8.1, this update will be considered a new servicing/support baseline,” the company explained.
Consumers who haven't yet installed Windows 8.1 Update are recommended to do it in the coming hours in order to make sure that all available patches are shipped to their computers as well. Windows 8.1 Update is available for download via Windows Update, but it can also be obtained and installed manually.