Windows non-security optional preview updates to roll out in the fourth week of each month

If you are a Windows user, you probably know about "Patch Tuesday". It updates Windows 10 and Windows 11 with mandatory bug fixes, security updates, and occasionally some new features, on the second Tuesday of each month. Now, Microsoft is making a slight change that will give the fourth week of the month an update cycle of its own.

In a blog post today, Microsoft stated that starting in April 2023, it will release optional non-security preview releases for Windows during the fourth week of the month. The blog post stated:

We have found this to be the optimal time for us to publish and for you to consume these updates. That's two weeks after your latest monthly security update and about two weeks before you'll see these features become part of the next mandatory cumulative update. We're excited for this improvement as it is meant to optimize the validation of payloads, improve consistency, and enhance the predictability of your testing, update, and upgrade experience.

Of course, Microsoft will also offer Windows Out-of-band updates at any time if there is a critical issue or major security exploit that needed to be pushed out right away. Any of those kinds of updates will also include the previous security patches.