Windows 11’s “Get Updates Early” Toggle Is Auto-Installing Out-of-Band Patches You Don’t Need

If you have enabled the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” toggle in Windows 11, your PC is likely receiving out-of-band patches intended for specific hardware, even if those fixes do not apply to your machine. The most prominent example right now is Microsoft’s emergency patch for Dell devices, which addresses severe overheating and shutdown issues following the July 2026 Update.

Back in mid-July, Microsoft confirmed that a subset of Dell PCs experienced critical thermal throttling and unexpected shutdowns after receiving the standard July 2026 security update, KB5101650. Rather than waiting for the next monthly cycle, Microsoft released an out-of-band (OOB) fix, KB5121767, on July 18 to address the hardware-specific conflict. The company was explicit in its documentation: this patch was only recommended for affected Dell devices, and users with other hardware did not need to install it.

A split-screen illustration showing a Windows 11 desktop on the left and a simplified flowchart on the right, with arrow — How the early update toggle bypasses device-specific targeting to push patches like KB5121767 to all connected PCs.

However, the “Get updates early” toggle changes how Windows handles that recommendation. When the toggle is switched on, Windows Update stops treating out-of-band releases as optional or device-targeted. Instead, it routes them to your machine alongside standard feature updates. If you enabled this setting prior to July 18, your PC likely downloaded and staged KB5121767 automatically, regardless of whether you actually own a Dell device. This behavior has prompted a wave of user questions about why a hardware-specific emergency patch is appearing on non-affected systems.

Why the Toggle Is Bypassing Device Filters

The “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” option was originally designed to solve a different problem: the slow, phased rollout of major Windows features. When Microsoft ships a significant update, it typically gates new functionality behind a gradual deployment to catch unexpected bugs at scale. For instance, the redesigned Start menu with the Categories view rolled out to Insiders nearly a year ago, but it only began shipping to all Windows 11 users out of the box in early July 2026.

A realistic photo of a Dell laptop chassis with a subtle heat haze effect rising from the vents, placed on a wooden surf — The overheating and shutdown issues affecting certain Dell PCs prompted Microsoft to release a targeted out-of-band fix.

Turning on the toggle tells Windows Update to prioritize your device in that deployment queue. According to Microsoft’s official documentation, enabling this setting means your PC will be “among the first to get the latest non-security updates, fixes, improvements, and enhancements at the time they’re available for your device.” The catch is that the toggle does not distinguish between standard feature rollouts and targeted out-of-band patches. It treats all non-security updates as eligible for immediate delivery, effectively overriding the hardware-specific filters that normally keep OOB updates contained to affected devices.

What This Means for You

For most users, the immediate impact is minimal. The Dell emergency patch KB5121767 is not malicious, and installing it on a non-affected system will not cause harm. However, there are practical reasons to reconsider keeping the toggle enabled. Out-of-band updates often contain driver changes, firmware adjustments, or kernel-level modifications that are optimized for specific hardware configurations. Installing them unnecessarily can occasionally introduce minor performance quirks or consume bandwidth for patches that provide zero benefit to your setup.

Furthermore, if you prefer a stable update cadence where you only receive patches explicitly validated for your hardware, disabling this toggle gives you more control. You will still receive all critical security updates and required fixes on schedule, but Windows will no longer fast-track optional improvements or targeted emergency releases to your machine. This is particularly relevant for users who manage multiple devices or rely on specific hardware configurations that have not been tested against newer out-of-band patches.

A clean, top-down view of a hand hovering over a laptop trackpad, with the Windows 11 Settings window open on the screen — Navigating to Windows Update is the first step to managing how your PC receives optional and out-of-band patches.

How to Turn Off “Get the Latest Updates as Soon as They’re Available”

Disabling the toggle is straightforward and can be done directly through the Windows 11 Settings app. The change takes effect immediately, and you do not need to restart your PC for it to apply.

Open Settings by pressing Win + I on your keyboard.
Navigate to Windows Update in the left-hand sidebar.
Scroll down to the Advanced options section and click to expand it.
Locate the Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available toggle and switch it to Off.

Once disabled, Windows Update will revert to its standard delivery model. You will continue to receive mandatory security patches and critical fixes without interruption, but out-of-band releases like KB5121767 will only install if your device is explicitly flagged as affected. If you are comfortable with Windows automatically prioritizing your system for all non-security updates, you can leave the toggle enabled. Otherwise, turning it off is the cleanest way to stop unwanted patches from staging in the background.

A close-up of a smartphone screen displaying the Windows 11 Settings app, with the “Get the latest updates as soon as th — Switching the toggle off stops Windows from automatically prioritizing your device for non-essential out-of-band releases.

Microsoft has acknowledged the behavior in updated support documentation, noting that users who enable the early updates option will automatically receive OOB patches. This transparency is relatively rare, as the company typically treats the toggle as a purely optional convenience feature. By making the implications explicit, Microsoft is giving users a clearer picture of how their update preferences interact with hardware-specific emergency releases.

Source: Windows Latest

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