Running outdated software is an open invitation to cybercriminals. Security researchers constantly find security loopholes in common apps, and developers patch them via updates. If you don’t update your apps, those vulnerabilities remain exposed. Managing updates manually is tedious, so here is how to automate the pipeline.
1. Utilize Ecosystem App Stores
The easiest way to ensure your applications stay updated without your intervention is to download them through official app hubs. Both the Microsoft Store and the Mac App Store handle background updates automatically by default.
- To verify this on Windows, open the Microsoft Store, click your Profile icon > Settings, and ensure App updates is toggled to ON.
2. Leverage In-App Automation
For standalone software downloaded from web browsers (like Google Chrome, Zoom, or Adobe Creative Cloud), open the application’s internal configuration menu:
- Go to Settings or Preferences > Advanced > About / Updates.
- Always check the box that says “Automatically install updates” or “Keep this app updated in the background.”
3. Deploy a Third-Party Software Updater
If you have dozens of standalone desktop applications, you can use a trusted patch manager like Patch My PC or UCheck. These free, lightweight utilities scan your entire hard drive registry once a day, cross-reference your app versions against a cloud database, and silently update everything in the background without prompting you.