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To see updates installed on your PC, start with Settings: Windows 11 has Start > Settings > Windows Update > Update history; Windows 10 has Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history. For most people, that is the clearest local record. PowerShell, Event Viewer, and DISM offer narrower or more technical views for specific checks and troubleshooting.
Which method should you use?
| Method | What it shows | Best for | Important limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Settings | Updates recorded on your PC, with dates and, where available, failure details | Quick checks and finding an update or error code | Categories and available details can vary by Windows version and interface |
PowerShell: Get-HotFix |
Hotfixes listed through the Win32_QuickFixEngineering WMI class |
A quick command-line hotfix inventory or checking a known KB | Not a complete Windows Update history or a guarantee of every update type |
| Event Viewer | Windows Update Agent events | Investigating update activity or a particular install attempt | Event details and timestamps require interpretation |
| DISM | Packages in the running Windows image | Advanced servicing and package inventory | Package names and states are technical, and the list is not a user-friendly history |
| Microsoft release-history pages | Releases and related information for a Windows version | Checking public release notes, build information, or known issues | They do not show what a particular PC installed |
1. View update history in Settings
Settings is the recommended starting point for a personal check. Microsoft says update history shows which updates were installed and when. The exact categories and details can vary across Windows versions.
Windows 11
- Open Start > Settings.
- Select Windows Update.
- Select Update history.
Windows 10
- Open Start > Settings.
- Select Update & Security, then Windows Update.
- Select View update history.
Use the list to find an update entry, such as a KB item, and its displayed date. If an update failed, note the failed item and the error code shown in the history before looking up error-specific steps. Microsoft’s guidance is to view update history and note the error code.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThe history may provide a route to uninstall an update. Microsoft does not recommend removing installed updates unless necessary, and some updates cannot be removed. Do not uninstall one simply because it appears in the list.
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2. List hotfixes with PowerShell
For a command-line inventory, open PowerShell and run:
Get-HotFix
Microsoft documents Get-HotFix as a Windows-only cmdlet that uses the Win32_QuickFixEngineering WMI class to list hotfixes installed on a local or specified remote computer. Output can include fields such as the hotfix ID and installed date. See Microsoft’s Get-HotFix documentation for examples and parameters.
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This is a hotfix inventory, not a complete substitute for the chronological, user-facing history in Settings. Use it when you want a quick command-line list or are checking whether a known hotfix appears; return to Settings for the ordinary update-history check.
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Event Viewer is useful when you need to investigate update activity or a particular installation attempt rather than browse a short summary.
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- Open Event Viewer.
- Go to Windows Logs > System.
- Select Filter Current Log.
- Choose WindowsUpdateClient as the event source, then inspect the matching events.
Microsoft documents this route for viewing the history of updates installed through Windows Update Agent APIs. The events can help identify activity and errors, but you may need to interpret their timestamps and details; this is a more technical view than Settings. See Microsoft’s instructions for viewing Windows Update history in Event Viewer.
4. Check the Windows package inventory with DISM
DISM is an advanced servicing tool. From an elevated Command Prompt, run:
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DISM /Online /Get-Packages
The command lists packages in the running Windows image. Microsoft’s DISM package-servicing documentation explains the options. Package names and states may take interpretation, so this output should not be treated as a duplicate of Settings history. Microsoft also notes that /Get-PackageInfo cannot obtain detailed information for .msu files.
Local update history vs. Microsoft release history
Settings, PowerShell, Event Viewer, and DISM query information from the Windows environment on your PC, but each presents a different kind of record. Microsoft’s online release-history pages instead document releases for a Windows version; they do not tell you which updates a particular device installed.
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- Windows 10 update history covers releases for versions 21H2, 21H1, 20H2, and 2004 and includes build numbers. It is version-specific documentation, not a live log for your PC.
- Windows 11 release information includes version-specific release details, such as release notes and known issues for Windows 11 25H2. It likewise describes Microsoft releases rather than your device’s installed updates.
Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. Microsoft says it no longer provides free Windows Update software updates, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10 after that date; see its Windows Update FAQ.
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