Last week, I finally decided to install Windows 11 on my main PC after years of using Windows 10. Just like most people, I have been guilty of ignoring Windows updates for way too long. Let’s face it: Updates can be a bit annoying. An update notification always shows up when you’re in the middle of something important, and considering it eats up unnecessary time, a lot of us just don’t bother updating.

However, this is a practice that can be detrimental in the long run. Updates are important as they bring security patches, bug fixes, and new features. While they can get a bit annoying, here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t ignore Windows updates entirely.

1 Security concerns

While you don’t need third-party antivirus software in 2023 (Microsoft Defender is good enough), Windows updates are more important for security reasons. Microsoft is constantly working to find vulnerabilities in their OS, and they release security patches for Windows with their updates to fix them. Ignoring these updates makes you an easier target for cyberattacks.

Microsoft Defender does a great job of protecting you from malware and suspicious files, but if you never update, there’s only so much it can do. Hackers are constantly at work trying to find exploits, and someone who doesn’t update their system and has weak security as a result is an easier target.

2 You’re missing out on features

The recent Windows 11 23H2 update is quite impressive. This update introduces an AI assistant called Copilot that features a chat-based interface and makes Windows easier to use. Microsoft even updated Paint, and it’s surprisingly a massive change to the iconic app. On top of that, the latest 23H2 update introduced a revamped File Explorer, a new Backup app, and even built-in RGB lighting controls.

If you never update, you won’t experience all these cool features. Granted, you might not find all of them useful, but you’ll never really know until you try them. New features can be pretty exciting, and they breathe a bit of new life into your system. Even if you don’t use most of them, you can just ignore these features or disable them entirely. However, it’s always worth trying them out.

3 Degraded performance

If you care about performance, keeping your system updated is very important. Some games or applications might not run well on your current version of Windows, but you’ll be surprised to find that they perform better after you update your PC. I’ve experienced this too many times to count, and it’s one of the reasons why I don’t plan on ignoring updates anymore.

Old versions of Windows usually have bugs or glitches that can’t be fixed without an update. These bugs are usually fixed with an update, and Microsoft also often includes driver updates in these fixes to help your computer run more smoothly. If you ignore Windows updates, you’re missing out on all these fixes.

4 Compatibility

Compatibility is another important reason why you shouldn’t ignore Windows updates. Many of these updates include driver updates, compatibility fixes for older software, and updates for specific applications. These compatibility fixes are the reason why so many decade-old applications still run well on Windows 11.

As you can probably guess, ignoring updates can lead to compatibility issues that can cause problems with your computer’s performance or functionality. Save yourself the headache and let Microsoft fix your issues for you.

5 Updating can save you time and money

This final point is sort of a summary of everything we’ve talked about so far. Updating your PC can save you a lot of time and money. Let’s put it this way: You never update thinking it’s not all that important, but then end up becoming a victim of a ransomware attack because of weaker security. You end up wasting a lot of time and money trying to get your data back, only to learn that it’s never going to happen.

Similarly, poor performance in a certain app or game might send you down a deep rabbit hole of searching for fixes, only to find out that updating Windows was the solution. If you had automatic updates turned on in the first place, this would have saved you a lot of time to begin with.

Keep your devices updated

This advice for updates isn’t just limited to PCs or laptops — it also applies to phones and every other device you own. Even if you don’t care about all the new features or better performance, you should at the very least keep your devices updated for the sake of security. Every update on nearly every device introduces some form of security patches, and ignoring them is a risk that you don’t want to take.