Windows 11, the first startup will be much faster: how it will change in the future
Microsoft has finally decided to intervene on one of the most frustrating bottlenecks for those purchasing a new PC or reinstalling the operating system: the requirement to update the operating system during the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE). Until now, the initial setup phase of Windows 11 forced users to a prolonged stop at the searching and installing packages screen. This process, depending on the connection speed and the amount of cumulative updates accumulated since the release of the build in use, could take anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes before allowing actual access to the desktop.
🚀 new feature alert New #Windows11 devices now give you the option to immediately skip updates during device setup - giving you the option of landing on the desktop faster or getting updates right away to land fully setup and ready to go.
La novità, confirmed directly by user X @ariaupdated (a Microsoft engineer involved in the Windows Update team), consists of the integration of a specific command called "Update later". This option allows users to completely bypass the download of system files and drivers during the first startup, ensuring a significantly faster deployment speed of the operating system compared to the past.
The end of the "infinite" configuration screen
The implementation of this function was not immediate, but is the result of a testing phase conducted by Microsoft in recent months. Developers evaluated various strategies to balance user experience and system security. Among the tested variants were a timed opt-out of 10 minutes, automatic skipping of updates (auto-skip), and in some tests, the continuation of the total obligation.
The data collected and direct user feedback led the company to choose the immediate choice as the default setting for everyone. The ability to postpone the update is therefore no longer limited to specific versions or technical workarounds, but becomes a standard feature of the setup interface. Technically, this means that the operating system will load the user profile and the minimum necessary services without waiting for the completion of the Windows Update catalog, shifting the responsibility for maintenance to a later phase, manageable directly from the desktop interface.
Although the speed of access to the operating system is the most evident advantage, this procedure introduces a disadvantage that users must evaluate consciously. Skipping the initial updates means accessing a potentially vulnerable working environment, lacking the latest security patches and drivers optimized for specific hardware. Previously, Microsoft enforced the wait precisely to ensure that every machine was protected from the very first second of connection to the network.
The new philosophy seems instead to prioritize user autonomy. Those who choose to click "Update later" will need to remember to manually initiate the update procedure once on the desktop to avoid being exposed to known vulnerabilities or system instability. It is clear that this move fits into a broader strategy aimed at making Windows 11 less intrusive, following a line that Microsoft seems to want to pursue more deeply, for example by offering more flexible choices for user maintenance windows.