System Updates:
- An update to any piece of software that came preinstalled on your device which you have no control over.
- Updates applied to a device’s operating system and any underlying software that supports it (drivers, for example).
- When a PC installs Windows Updates; a Mac, iPhone, or iPad installs iOS Updates; or an Android device installs an Android Update, those are System Updates.
Software Updates:
- Refers to any updates made to programs or apps installed after you purchased your device.
Some types of software can get both System Updates and Software Updates:
- On a Windows PC, Microsoft’s Edge browser is a component of Windows, and it comes pre-installed.
- Microsoft Edge updates initiate in the browser, like the updates for Firefox, Opera, and other third-party browsers. The browser updates install separately from Windows Updates “pushed out” to Windows machines, making them Software Updates instead of System Updates.
- Other updates to Edge distributed and installed along with Windows Update releases are System Updates.
- Microsoft allows you to install the Edge browser on Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Android devices as third-party apps. When Edge apps update, the updates are Software updates, not System Updates.
To recap, System Updates refer to updates to your device’s operating system and the underlying pre-installed support software. Software Updates apply to user-installed programs and apps. Make sure you install all updates to keep your computer up to date!
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