Software & Apps Windows Latest Windows Service Packs and Updates An updated list of the latest Windows service packs and major updates by Tim Fisher General Manager, VP, Lifewire.com Tim Fisher has 30+ years' professional technology support experience. He writes troubleshooting content and is the General Manager of Lifewire. our editorial process Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Tim Fisher Updated on September 11, 2020 Windows The Ultimate Laptop Buying Guide Tweet Share Email Microsoft regularly releases major updates to its Windows operating systems. Formerly, those updates pushed through comprehensive service packs, but more often these days, they're semi-regular and significant updates through Windows Update. In fact, in Windows 10 and Windows 8, the service pack, as we know it from previous versions of Windows, is essentially a dead idea. Much like updates on your smartphone, Microsoft is continually adding major features through automatic patching. Lifewire / Maritsa Patrinos Latest Major Updates to Windows 10 As of September 2020, the last major update to Windows 10 is Windows 10 Version 2004, referred to as the Windows 10 May 2020 Update. This update began rolling out on May 27, 2020. Updating is automatic through Windows Update. You can read more about the individual fixes and improvements on Microsoft's What's New in Windows 10 Version 2004. Latest Major Updates to Windows 8 As of September 2020, the latest major update for Windows 8 is the confusingly named Windows 8.1 Update. If you've already updated to Windows 8.1, the easiest way to update to Windows 8.1 Update is through Windows Update. See instructions for manually installing Windows 8.1 Update in the Download Windows 8.1 Update section of our Windows 8.1 Update Facts piece. If you're not already running Windows 8.1, see How to Update to Windows 8.1 for detailed instructions on applying the Windows 8.1 update. When that's done, update to Windows 8.1 Update through Windows Update. Microsoft isn't planning another big update to Windows 8, like a Windows 8.2 or Windows 8.1 Update 2. New features, if available, will instead be pushed through updates on Patch Tuesday. Latest Microsoft Windows Service Packs (Windows 7, Vista, XP) The most recent Windows 7 service pack is SP1, but a Convenience Rollup for Windows 7 SP1 (basically an otherwise-named Windows 7 SP2) is also available which installs all patches between the release of SP1 (February 22, 2011) through April 12, 2016. The latest service packs for other versions of Microsoft Windows include Windows Vista SP2, Windows XP SP3, and Windows 2000 SP4. In the table below are links that take you directly to the latest Microsoft Windows service packs and major updates for each operating system. These updates are free. The easiest way to install the latest Windows service pack or update is to run Windows Update. Download Links for Windows Updates & Service Packs Operating System Service Pack / Update Size (MB) Download Windows 7 Convenience Rollup (April 2016)2 316.0 32-bit Convenience Rollup (April 2016)2 476.9 64-bit SP1 (windows6.1-KB976932-X86.exe) 537.8 32-bit SP1 (windows6.1-KB976932-X64.exe) 903.2 64-bit Windows Vista3 SP2 475.5 32-bit SP2 577.4 64-bit Windows XP SP34 316.4 32-bit SP25 350.9 64-bit Windows 2000 SP4 588 (KB) 32-bit [1] Beginning in Windows 8, Microsoft began releasing regular, major updates to Windows 8. Service packs will not be released.[2] Windows 7 SP1 and the April 2015 Servicing Stack Update both must be installed prior to installing the Convenience Rollup.[3] Windows Vista SP2 can only be installed if you already have Windows Vista SP1 installed, which you can download here for 32-bit versions, and here for 64-bit ones.[4] Windows XP SP3 can only be installed if you already have Windows XP SP1a or Windows XP SP2 installed. If you do not have one or the other of those service packs installed, install SP1, available here, before trying to install Windows XP SP3.[5] Windows XP Professional is the only 64-bit version of Windows XP and the latest service pack released for the operating system is SP2.