Stay up-to-date
When you first install a new app, software or operating system, it protects you against known threats at that point in time. However, you must regularly update your electronic devices and software over time to protect against new and evolving threats. Check out our handy overview to help you perform necessary updates on the most common systems and devices.
Updating Devices
Android
Updating an Android device to the latest operating system is really simple. On most Android devices you can check for a software update by launching the Settings app and navigating to About or Device Info. From there, tap on Update Software or a similarly worded listing. In some instances the Software Update option will be under the main Settings section.
iOS
To update an iOS device, launch the Settings app, tap on General followed by Software Update. The device will then contact Apple’s servers, check to see if an update is available and if one is, prompt you to install it.
Windows
The method to check for a software update on Windows varies by the operating system version. Visit this Microsoft page to view available updates.
OS X
Checking for a software update on your Mac can be accomplished two different ways. More recent versions of OS X allow users to check for upgrades by launching the Mac App Store and clicking on the Updates tab. The alternate method requires you to click on the Apple logo in your menu bar (far left corner) and select “Software Update…” from the list of options.
It’s always a good idea to make sure you have important files (music, pictures, documents, etc.) backed up, before applying an update. Eradicating bugs and vulnerabilities is the goal of updates, but if things don’t go as planned it’s good to have a backup plan.
Updating Apps
Updating your apps does help eliminate any potential vulnerabilities, but it enables you to take advantage of the latest and greatest features in apps you love. Luckily, most device manufacturers make the app update process painless by allowing users to set apps to auto-update in the background.
Android
Most Android users update installed apps using the Google Play Store. To update your apps, launch the Play Store, tap on the menu icon and select My apps from the list. Here you’ll find a list of installed apps with an available update, or if you already have auto-update (typically enabled by default) turned on, the list will display recently updated apps.
To enabled auto-update, tap on the settings icon (just below the My apps listing) and tap on the auto-update option. You can opt for automatic updating on all networks, Wi-Fi only, or not at all.
iOS
Starting with iOS 7, Apple gave users the option to have auto-updating apps. The feature, like on Android, is typically enabled by default. But should you want to manually check for updates, launch the App Store and tap on the Updates tab. Again, similar to Android you’ll find a list of apps with a pending update, or a list of apps recently updated on your behalf. To toggle the current state of auto-update, launch the Settings app, go to App Store and turn off automatic downloads.
Windows
Updating apps on a computer gets a bit more complicated than on a mobile device due to the ability for users to install apps outside of a dedicated store. Sure, Microsoft offers its own store, but not everyone uses it.
The best way to check for app updates for apps installed outside of a proper store is to launch the respective app and manually force it to check for an update. For those apps acquired directly from Microsoft’s store, launch the store and navigate to the Updates section. You can also enabled automatic updates by following this guide from Microsoft.
OS X
As with a Windows machine, updating an app installed outside of the official Mac App Store can be a bit tricky. We recommend launching an app and forcing it to check for an update, or visiting the developer’s Web site and compare the current version number to what you have installed on your machine
Updating apps through the App Store makes the process less tedious, as it does all of the hard work for you. Checking for app updates on a Mac requires you to launch the Mac App Store and click on the Updates tab. After a few seconds you’ll be presented with any pending updates, if there are any. Just like Windows, you can enable automatic updates on a Mac. Launch System Preferences, click on App Store and tailor the settings to your liking.