RIVET
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What changed after a Windows update?
Start with Settings > Windows Update > Update history to see which updates installed and when. Then check what most often changes: your startup apps (Settings > Apps > Startup), your default apps, newly installed Store apps and settings you had turned off.
Big feature updates can add apps, switch features back on, or reset a setting you had changed. Windows doesn't give you one list of everything that changed, so it's a matter of checking the usual places.
Checking by hand
- Update history: Settings > Windows Update > Update history. Note the date of the last update.
- Startup apps: Settings > Apps > Startup. Look for anything switched back on or new.
- Installed apps: Settings > Apps > Installed apps, sorted by install date.
- Default apps: Settings > Apps > Default apps, for your browser and file types.
- Privacy and AI settings: check any you had changed, such as Recall or advertising ID.
How RIVET does it
RIVET keeps a few recent snapshots of your startup entries, services, scheduled tasks and Store apps. After a Windows update it lists what the update changed, and gives each item a Restore. With Guard (Pro), settings you choose to protect are re-applied automatically when an update resets them. The snapshots stay on your PC; nothing is uploaded.
Questions
Can a Windows update turn settings back on?
Yes, feature updates sometimes reset settings or add apps. Check startup apps, default apps and privacy settings after a big update.
Can I uninstall a Windows update?
Some updates can be uninstalled from Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates. Security updates are best left installed.
Does RIVET block Windows updates?
No. RIVET shows what an update changed and lets you put individual items back. It doesn't stop updates from installing.