Microsoft regularly releases patch updates for both Windows 10 and 11 every month. These patch updates typically address security vulnerabilities and fix Windows bugs and issues. Although those updates are usually automatically installed, sometimes your PC will miss the memo. And sometimes, the update itself is an optional download.
To ensure your Windows 11/10 PC has all the patch updates available for it, it’s a good idea to check for new ones via Settings. The Windows Update tab includes a Check for updates button. You can add a shortcut for that tab to the desktop’s context menu with the method below.
Windows 11 doesn’t include any built-in options for adding shortcuts to the desktop’s right-click context menu. However, you can still add a Check for Updates shortcut for the Windows Update tab to that menu by editing the registry. Once done, you can open the Windows Update tab directly from the desktop’s context menu.
To add that context menu shortcut, edit the registry as follows:
- Right-click the Start button and select the Run shortcut to launch that accessory.
- Open the Registry Editor by typing regedit in the Open box and clicking OK.
- Then navigate to the Computer > HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT > DesktopBackground > Shell registry key.
- Right-click the Shell key to select the New submenu option.
- Select the Key option.
- Type Check for Updates to be the new key’s name.
- Right-click the Check for Updates key and select New on the context menu.
- Click the Key option again.
- Now input command for the new key’s name.
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Select the Check for Updates key, and then right-click a space on the right side of the Registry Editor to select New > String Value.
- Type SettingsURI to be the new string’s name.
- Double-click SettingsURI to open an Edit String window.
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Type ms-settings:windowsupdate-action within the Value data box, and click OK.
- Right-click the command key and select the New > String Value options.
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Enter the string title DelegateExecute, and press the Return key.
- Double-click the DelegateExecute string to bring up its Value data box.
- Type {556FF0D6-A1EE-49E5-9FA4-90AE116AD744} in the Value data text box, and press the OK button.
- Close the Registry Editor’s window.
Now right-click an area of your Windows 11 desktop and select Show more options to bring up the classic context menu. If you’ve edited the registry correctly, that menu will include a Check for Updates option. Select that option to open Settings’ Windows Update tab. Then you can click the Check for updates button on that tab.
Alternatively, press the Shift + F10 hotkey to bring up the classic context menu without right-clicking the desktop. That keyboard shortcut opens the classic context menu at the top left of the desktop. Then you can select Check for Updates from there to bring up the tab shown below.
This registry trick works much the same on Windows 10. The only difference is that you won’t need to select Show more options. As Windows 10’s desktop context menu is the classic one, it doesn’t include Show more options. You can select Check for Updates on its primary context menu.
If you ever want to remove the Check for Updates shortcut from the context menu, open the Shell key in the Registry Editor again. Then right-click the Check for Updates key to select Delete.
Keep an Eye Out For New Windows 11/10 Updates
So, now you can select a handy Check for Updates shortcut on your desktop’s context menu. That shortcut will save you having to manually open Settings and its Windows Update tab whenever you need to check for updates. Instead, you can simply click the Check for Updates context menu option to open the update tab directly from the desktop.
Select that shortcut to keep an eye out for new updates regularly. When optional updates are available, you’ll see them listed on the tab with Download and install options. Clicking Check for updates will automatically download and install available updates.
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