Best free update manager

The fact that all of these excellent ones are completely free is even better. Patch My PC is another free software updater that we like, not only because it's completely portable, but also because it will install software patches —no clicking and no manual update checks! It's easy to quickly tell the difference between applications that are already updated and ones that are outdated because the green titles indicate up-to-date software, while the red ones show outdated programs.

You can update all of them at once, or uncheck the ones you don't want to patch or, of course, let the scheduled auto-updates do it for you automatically. There are lots of optional settings you can enable, like disabling silent installs, enabling beta updates, forcing programs to shut down before updating them and many others.

It can also work as a simple software uninstaller. The only thing we don't like about it is that the user interface isn't quite as friendly, but don't skip trying this tool just on those grounds. We really like the fact that it works so quickly, can be run from a flash drive, and supports truly automatic updates. These are certainly the most important things we look for in a software updater. It should work with all versions of Windows.

We tried it out in Windows 11, 10, and 8, and it worked great. IObit has this really simple and easy to use software updater that has nearly all the features you need in one of these programs. As you can see in the screenshot above, the current and new program version number is clearly stated so that you know how outdated the program is. Maybe you'll want to skip a version or two if it isn't a huge deal, but either way, you can very obviously see on this screen how much newer the update really is.

The program supports single updates and bulk updates. Automatic updating and updating more than two programs per day are available only if you pay. In the settings are options for when IObit Software Updater should check for new updates to itself; it can update automatically or just notify you when updates are available.

You can also control whether restore points are made automatically before every installation and if installer files should be deleted after setup finishes. It works with new and old Windows versions, including Windows 11 and Windows 10, and older ones like Windows 7 and XP.

Heimdal Free also called Thor Free is useful if you want to keep your security-critical programs up-to-date without having to think about it.

This program will automatically and silently download and install patches when necessary. It can work in automatic mode to keep all compatible programs updated automatically, or you can choose a custom setup. A custom configuration lets you choose which installed programs should be monitored for updates and which ones should be auto-updated.

This means you can have Heimdal Free monitor some but not update them, or not monitor or update others—it's totally up to you. It checks for updates every few hours by default. It also includes recommended programs and makes them just one click away. This program has the unique feature of checking for and updating programs automatically, but it's not very user-friendly. Then again, you shouldn't really need to have the program open often because it will do everything in the background, so you can really just install it and forget about it.

Heimdal is capable of auto-updating several programs , but in the free version you don't get the features that are only in the pro edition, like malware detection and website blocking.

Heimdal Free runs on Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7. During installation, choose the free option and then enter your email address to activate the free edition. OUTDATEfighter does just as the name suggests—it protects your computer from outdated software by acting as a free program updater.

It just takes one click to batch download or installs updates. This means you can place a check next to all the programs that need to be updated to have OUTDATEfighter download them all one after the other, and then start launching the setup files. Before downloading updates, the setup files are even scanned for viruses, which is really helpful. You can also ignore any update to prevent update notifications for that particular program.

We really like the fact that you don't need to open a web browser or search for the updated setup file on the internet. Everything is done from inside the program, and you can clearly see the old and updated version numbers and sometimes release dates for comparison. There's also a program uninstaller and a Windows Update utility included in this tool.

Windows Server and are also supported. Over programs can be updated through UCheck , which scans quickly, is easy to use, and doesn't make you open your web browser even once to get updates. Just scan for outdated software, check the box at the top to select all the outdated programs, and then select the update button. All available updates will download one after the other and then install on their own.

You can also download and install updates individually if you want to not update a particular program for whatever reason. A program uninstaller is built-in as well. Exclusions, scheduled scans, changing the cache directory, and some other features are available if you pay. Advanced Encryption Decryption Free. Acer Collection S Free.

Windows Configuration Designer Free. Features Tool to manage updates of windows at the user's discretion. Additional information Published by DavidXanatos.

Published by DavidXanatos. Approximate size 1. Age rating For all ages. This app can Access all your files, peripheral devices, apps, programs and registry Access your Internet connection Microsoft. Permissions info. Installation Get this app while signed in to your Microsoft account and install on up to ten Windows 10 devices. Language supported English United States. Additional terms Update Manager for Windows privacy policy Terms of transaction.

Those patches are then applied unattended. The console allows for individual patches to be held up for analysis and it is also possible to adjust the expected rollout date and time. Normally, patches are applied out of office hours because it is common for the installation to require a system reboot in order to complete. The NinjaRMM logs the actions of the patch manager and patch events with their termination statuses are shown in the console.

Failed patches can be examined and then rerun manually or re-queued for the next maintenance period. The logs generated by the patch manager are also available for SLA confirmation. NinjaRMM is a subscription service with a rate per monitored device.

You can assess the platform on a day free trial. Kaseya VSA is a remote monitoring and management RMM tool that can be used to automatically scan and deploy software updates for Windows, Mac, and third-party software. Kaseya VSA enables you to use policy-based patch management to create policy profiles to control when patches are deployed.

Software updates can be scheduled and approved to continually update your infrastructure. You can also use blackout windows to stop scheduling for a defined period of time. Configuring the software is also quite simple, as you have the support o f network discovery.

You can discover devices and view them in a table. To view the pricing information for Kaseya VSA you must contact the company directly. It is available for Windows and macOS. You can start the day free trial from this link here. You can also use the main table view to monitor the OS of devices manually.

The reports system gives you complete control over how you monitor your devices. You can choose between out-of-the-box reports or create custom ones from scratch. For example, you can generate a report on computers without an antivirus to view a summary of unprotected devices.

If there are any issues with devices then you can use the ticketing system to manage them with Spiceworks Help Desk. Users can add comments on IT tickets to make sure that any updates needed are carried out promptly.

Spiceworks Network Inventory is one of the top lightweight software update checkers for updating devices. It also has the advantage of being free. The software is available for Windows. You can download the tool from this link here. Connectwise Automate is an RMM solution that can automatically apply updates to third-party applications. Automated asset discovery seamlessly discovers devices with network scans so you can monitor the software status of your devices. In effect, you can automatically discover a device and then deploy an agent.

Managing your infrastructure in this way is incredibly efficient and allows you to stay on top of updates with ease. Automated notifications let you know when there are performance issues that need to be addressed. Connectwise Automate is one of the top software update checkers on account of its blend of autodiscovery and patch management. The vendor provides customized quotes for customers, so you need to request a quote from the company directly for pricing information.

You can download the free trial from this link here. ITarian is a patch management tool for Windows that can discover updates for Microsoft, Microsoft Security bulletin, and third-party applications.

ITarian automatically discovers connected devices and identifies those that are missing patches. Discovering unpatched divides allows you to take action to eliminate the vulnerability. Patches can be scheduled so that you can automatically deploy critical updates to run each day. You also have the option to prioritize patches based on severity, type, or vendor to make sure that your most important assets are patched before anything else.

Here you can see patches that have been applied, those that are missing, and even failed deployments. You can also generate status and health reports to view more information on your infrastructure and prepare for compliance.

ITarian is one of the best software update checkers for enterprise users. The platform supports up to 50 endpoints for free. The price depends on the number of endpoints you need to manage. You can sign up for the program from this link here. GFI LanGuard is a patch management tool that automatically discovers devices connected to your network.

You can automatically deploy updates to devices. If a patch disrupts your operations then you can use the roll-back feature to revert to an earlier version. The platform maintains a list of over 60, known issues and vulnerabilities to test your network. There is also extensive support for third-party software with updates available from over 60 providers including Adobe Acrobat, Adobe, Mozilla Firefox, Java Runtime, Apple QuickTime, and more.

When it comes to managing regulatory compliance , you can create and schedule reports through a web-based console to highlight the patch status of your devices. If your devices are going to stay in tip-top shape, then they need to be regularly updated.

Software update checkers are essential tools for making sure that all devices stay updated with the latest protections. Our top picks for the best software update checkers are SolarWinds Patch Management for Windows patch management and Atera RMM for cross-platform patch management capabilities.

The latter is also an excellent choice for those in search of a free tool. Device providers regularly provide firmware updates to add new features and close of security vulnerabilities. Firmware upgrades also get issued when the provider discovers bugs in its coding for the operating system. As a general rule, you should always install any firmware update immediately. For example, in Windows, this is in the Device Manager, which can be located in the system settings. Under the Network adapters node, right-click on the adapter in question and select Update driver from the context menu.

A patch management policy is a working practice that your company has decided upon and it sets rules on when and how to apply firmware and operating system patches. This might be settled by the use of an automated patch manager or it might be a manual workflow. The biggest patch management problem is overlooking devices that need to be patched.